Pepperoni Pizza

If you are using sourdough pizza dough, about 1-2 hours before you want to bake, remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator to final proof. If you froze it, be sure you thaw it in the fridge the night before. If not, you can use dough directly from the counter or from the fridge without allowing it to sit out.

Preheat the oven to 500°F with a pizza stone if you have one. If you don’t, you can just build the pizza on a metal baking sheet and bake it together. You won’t get as nice a crust but it will still be delightful.

If you are using a pizza stone, flour a pizza peel or dust with cornmeal. If not, sprinkle cornmeal on a metal baking sheet.

Place one piece of dough onto a floured, flat surface. Dust the top of the dough with additional all purpose flour and, using floured hands, tap your fingers around the rim of the dough about ¾ inch inside the edge. This will be your crust. Creating a physical marker allows you to stretch the dough inside while preserving the thick crust. If you want a thin crust pizza, you can use a rolling pin.

Lift up the dough and place it on top of both your closed fists. Using a gentle outward motion, gently separate your fists to thin out the center of the pizza. You’ll want to work quickly and move to different parts of the dough to keep it from getting too thin in any one place. It really only takes 3-5 stretches especially when the dough is room temperature.

Gently place the stretched dough onto your floured peel or dusted baking sheet and reshape to arrange it into a circle.

Spoon and spread out the pizza sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella and crumbled fresh mozzarella, and arrange pepperoni on top.

Give the pizza peel a little shake to check and make sure that the pizza moves freely. If not, lift and toss a little flour or cornmeal under the spot that is sticking.

Carefully open the oven door. Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone using the peel. I find it easiest to line it up in the back and let it slide off the peel into place as you remove the peel. Alternately just put the sheet pan with the pizza in the preheated oven.

500°F is hot, so a pizza of this size will bake quickly. It will only take 5-7 minutes on a pizza stone. Baked on a baking sheet, it will be closer to 8-10 minutes. When the pizza crust is golden brown and puffed, take a peek underneath the crust using tongs. If the bottom is crispy and golden, then the pizza is done!

Use tongs to remove it from the stone, or oven mitts to remove the baking sheet from the oven. Use tongs to transfer the pizza to a cutting board, and slice!