Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Name: Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
Prep time: 41 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 59 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3¾ cups (480 g) bread flour, plus about 2 tablespoons extra for dusting; 1 teaspoon (3 g) instant yeast; 2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; 1⅓ cups (315 ml) water, lukewarm, about 100°F (38°C), comfortably warm to the touch; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) for oiling the bowl; 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes, from one 14-oz (400 g) can, well stirred; use the rest for another recipe; 1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon (½ g) dried oregano; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 8 ounces (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 packed cups); 3 ounces (85 g) sliced pepperoni, about 40 slices, each roughly 2 inches (5 cm) wide; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano, for sprinkling; 2 tablespoons (18 g) fine cornmeal or semolina, for dusting the peel; 2 tablespoons (10 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, for finishing (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy, blistered homemade crust topped with a simple garlicky oregano tomato sauce, melty low-moisture mozzarella and pepperoni that curls into crisp, spicy little cups. Makes two 12-inch pizzas from one easy, no-fuss dough.

Prep: 41 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 2 hr 18 min
Total: 3 hr 17 min
Makes: 2 pizzas, 12 inches (30 cm) each, 8 slices total

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the dough
3¾ cups (480 g) bread flour, plus about 2 tablespoons extra for dusting
1 teaspoon (3 g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (12 g) fine sea salt
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
1⅓ cups (315 ml) water, lukewarm, about 100°F (38°C), comfortably warm to the touch
1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) for oiling the bowl
For the sauce
1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes, from one 14-oz (400 g) can, well stirred; use the rest for another recipe
1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon (0.5 g) dried oregano
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
For the toppings
8 ounces (225 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 2 packed cups)
3 ounces (85 g) sliced pepperoni, about 40 slices, each roughly 2 inches (5 cm) wide
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano, for sprinkling
2 tablespoons (18 g) fine cornmeal or semolina, for dusting the peel
2 tablespoons (10 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, for finishing (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Pizza stone or baking steel, or a heavy rimless baking sheet
Pizza peel or a flat, rimless baking sheet or piece of parchment for sliding the pizza
Kitchen scale (recommended)
Pizza cutter or large sharp knife
Plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: the dough needs about 90 minutes to rise and 45 more to rest while the oven preheats, so most of the time is hands-off.
Place a pizza stone, baking steel or an upside-down heavy rimless baking sheet on the middle rack before you turn the oven on. It must preheat for a full 45 minutes.
Shred the mozzarella from a block yourself; pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch and melts less smoothly. Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh, to avoid a soggy pizza.
Use bread flour if you can for the chewiest crust; all-purpose also works (see substitutions).

1
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the bread flour, instant yeast, 2 teaspoons salt and sugar.
- Add the lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil.
- Stir with a sturdy spoon, then your hands, until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms, about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: No dry flour left in the bowl; dough is shaggy and sticky.
Tip: Water hotter than about 115°F (46°C) can damage the yeast, so test it on your wrist first.
2
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter.
- Knead by pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back and turning it, for 8 minutes (or 5 minutes in a stand mixer with the dough hook on medium-low).
- Dust with only as much extra flour as needed to prevent sticking.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky, and springs back slowly when poked.
Tip: Resist adding lots of flour; a slightly tacky dough bakes into a lighter, airier crust.
3
Let the dough rise
- Rub a clean large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, add the dough and turn to coat.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and leave at warm room temperature (about 75°F / 24°C) for 90 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough has doubled in size and a floured finger leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, allow up to 2 hours.
4
Divide and preheatOven 500°F / 260°C
- Place the pizza stone or steel on the middle rack and preheat the oven to its highest setting, up to 500°F (260°C), for a full 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gently deflate the dough and cut it into 2 equal pieces (about 400 g / 14 oz each).
- Shape each into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath.
- Place on a floured surface, cover with a damp towel and rest 45 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough balls are puffy, soft and spread slightly when relaxed.
Tip: A stone that isn't fully heated is the number one cause of pale, floppy crust.
5
Make the sauce
- While the dough rests, stir together the crushed tomatoes, grated garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon oregano and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl.
- No cooking is needed; it cooks on the pizza.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if the tomatoes taste flat.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and spoonable, not watery.
Tip: If your tomatoes look watery, drain off the thin liquid first so the crust stays crisp.
6
Shape the first crust
- Dust the peel generously with cornmeal.
- On a floured counter, press one dough ball from the center outward with your fingertips, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) rim.
- Lift and stretch over your knuckles, rotating, to a 12-inch (30 cm) round.
- Transfer to the peel and give it a shake to make sure it slides freely.
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Ready when: Crust is an even 12-inch round with a thicker rim, and slides when the peel is shaken.
Tip: Avoid a rolling pin; it squashes the air bubbles that give the rim its puff. If the dough springs back, rest it 5 minutes.
7
Top and bake first pizzaOven 500°F / 260°C
- Spread ⅓ cup (80 g) sauce over the dough, leaving a ¾-inch (2 cm) border.
- Scatter with 1 cup (about 112 g) mozzarella, then arrange about 20 pepperoni slices on top.
- Slide onto the hot stone and bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon oregano and, if using, 1 tablespoon Parmesan.
- Remove with the peel to a cutting board.
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Ready when: Crust rim is deep golden with dark blisters, cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, and pepperoni edges are curled and crisp.
Tip: Work quickly and keep the oven door closed as much as possible to hold the heat. Don't overload with sauce or toppings.
8
Shape and bake second pizzaOven 500°F / 260°C
- Let the oven recover for 3 minutes.
- Repeat the shaping with the second dough ball on the freshly cornmeal-dusted peel, then top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 500°F (260°C) and finish with the remaining oregano and Parmesan.
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Ready when: Golden, blistered rim with bubbling, lightly browned cheese.
Tip: If the top of the pizza is browning faster than the bottom, move the stone one rack lower for the next pizza.
9
Rest, slice and serve
- Let each pizza rest on the board for 3 minutes so the cheese sets slightly, then cut into 4 slices with a pizza cutter and serve hot.
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Ready when: Cheese has stopped bubbling vigorously and slices cut cleanly.
Tip: Slide the first pizza onto a wire rack if you aren't serving right away so the bottom doesn't steam and soften.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the flour and water if you can; scooped cups of flour vary a lot and can make the dough too dry.
Blot pepperoni with a paper towel before topping if it's very greasy so the pizza doesn't turn oily.
For extra-crispy pepperoni cups, tuck some slices under the cheese and place others on top.
No pizza stone? Preheat an upside-down heavy baking sheet the same way and slide the pizza on it using parchment paper.

Make ahead

"The dough can be made through step 3, then refrigerated in the oiled, covered bowl for up to 48 hours for deeper flavor. Bring it out 1 hour before dividing in step 4. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool completely, wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze slices on a tray, then wrap airtight for up to 2 months. Reheat slices in a 425°F (220°C) oven or in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is hot (reheat from frozen without thawing for about 10 minutes)."

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour. Works well but gives a slightly softer, less chewy crust; you may need 1 to 2 tablespoons less water.
instant yeast → active dry yeast. Use 1¼ teaspoons (4 g) and dissolve it in the lukewarm water for 5 minutes until foamy before using.
canned crushed tomatoes → store-bought pizza sauce. Use 1 cup (240 g) and skip the garlic, oil and salt if it is already seasoned.
sliced pepperoni → turkey pepperoni or sliced salami. Turkey pepperoni gives off less grease and crisps less; salami works in the same amount.