First and foremost, create your dough. The simple step-by-step tutorial may be found here. Then begin topping. Don't miss the next steps for the ideal margherita-style foundation.
Start with the right sauce
When looking for sauce, we recommend avoiding anything branded "pizza sauce," as it is often overly thick or cloyingly sweet (or both). Here, stick to marinara, whether homemade or store-bought.
Choose your cheese
Fresh, thinly sliced mozzarella is the way to go here. If it is packed with water, make careful to dry it off before slicing to avoid a wet pizza! If you just have pre-shredded mozzarella on hand, that will suffice.
Nail the temp
Our pizza is cooked at a very high temperature of 500°. We're essentially attempting to reproduce a 1,000° pizza oven in a more realistic, at-home setting. Because the dough is so thin, you really only want to crisp up the exterior while keeping the interior soft and chewy, rather than baking it all the way through until it's cracker crunchy. The high temperature is ideal for this. If your oven can handle it, turn up the heat; just keep an eye on it!
Transfer, then top
Stretch the dough and place it on a well-oiled baking pan before you begin. We also like to add a thin coating of cornmeal for an extra-crunchy crust, but you may leave it out if you want. A word of caution: only add your toppings after the dough has been moved to the baking sheet (or pizza stone). When you top it and then try to move it, things get messy and stressful.
Finishing touches
After your pizza has finished baking, sprinkle it with extra-virgin olive oil, torn fresh basil, and red pepper flakes. When these items are fresh, they are considerably more aromatic and wonderful.
Best flours for pizza dough
Not simply because it's the simplest to get, our pizza dough asks for all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour has a modest protein concentration, making it easy to work with and producing a delicious crust. You'll get a somewhat chewy, crunchy exterior with an airy crumb on the interior.
Some people swear by bread flour for pizza crust, and we believe it's an excellent option! You'll get a chewier crust with a slight firmness that can withstand all of your juicy toppings. If you use bread flour, you may need to add a bit extra water because it absorbs more water than all-purpose flour.
Want to go all out with your pizza? Use "00" bread flour instead. The "00" indicates that the flour has been milled to the utmost possible fineness and is very smooth. This will result in a chewy crust with a light and airy inside!
Do I need a pizza stone for crispy pizza?
Certainly not! While a hot stone will thoroughly cook the bottom crust, there is a workaround. We recommend preheating the pan in which you will cook your pizza with the oven. Allow it to heat up before adding the oil, cornmeal, and lastly the pizza. Because the skillet is already hot, the bottom crust will crisp up quickly and will not become soggy from the sauce. Just be cautious when putting the pizza dough on the hot pan.
Have you finished it yet? Please let us know how it went in the comments!
Prep Time20 minsCook Time60 minsTotal Time120 minsServings: 8 servings
- Coat a large mixing bowl with cooking spray. In a small basin, combine water and sugar and whisk to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast over and let aside for 8 minutes, or until foamy.
- In a separate large mixing basin, combine the flour, salt, and oil. Pour in the yeast mixture and combine with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms. Knead against the sides of the bowl until the dough begins to come together, then turn out onto your work surface and knead for 5 minutes, adding a pinch of flour as required, until it feels elastic and only little tacky. Form into a tight ball, place in a clean dish towel-lined basin, and set aside. Allow to rise in a warm location in your kitchen for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough gently, then split it in half and roll it into balls. You may either freeze one or prepare two pizzas at this stage. Allow the dough balls to rest while you preheat the oven to 500° and oil a large baking sheet. 2 tablespoons cornmeal, evenly distributed
- Gently flatten one ball of dough on your work surface and roll with a rolling pin (or stretch with your hands) until it is approximately 12" in diameter (as thin as you can). Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and brush with oil all over. Then, add 1/2 cup sauce to the center of the dough and spread it out using a spoon or ladle, leaving approximately 1" for the crust. Half of the mozzarella slices should be on top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the cheese has melted.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves, olive oil, and red pepper flakes.
- For the second pizza, use the leftover dough and toppings.