Makes: 2 twelve-inch pizzas
Servings: 6–8 slices
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cold rise: 24–72 hours
Cook time: 6–10 minutes per pizza
Difficulty: Intermediate
Dough Ingredients
- 3¾ cups bread flour, 480 grams
- 1½ cups cool water, 330 grams
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 10 grams
- 1 teaspoon sugar, 4 grams
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast, 3 grams
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, 14 grams
Pizza Sauce
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 ounces
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of crushed red pepper, optional
Toppings
- 10–12 ounces whole-milk, low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
- Pepperoni or other toppings, optional
- Dried oregano, optional
- Olive oil, for finishing
Instructions
1. Make the dough
Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl.
Add the flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
Add the salt and olive oil. Knead for 7–10 minutes by hand, or 5–6 minutes in a stand mixer, until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
2. Cold-ferment the dough
Place the dough in a lightly oiled covered container. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate for 24–72 hours. A 48-hour fermentation provides a good balance of flavor, structure, and convenience.
3. Divide the dough
About 2 hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Divide it into two equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball. Cover and let the dough reach room temperature.
4. Prepare the sauce
Combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and crushed red pepper.
The sauce does not need to be cooked before it goes on the pizza.
5. Preheat the oven
Place a pizza steel or pizza stone on a rack in the upper third of the oven.
Preheat the oven to its highest temperature—ideally 500–550°F—for at least 45–60 minutes.
A pizza steel produces a crisper, more New York–style bottom than a stone.
6. Shape the crust
Place one dough ball on a lightly floured surface.
Press from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker rim around the edge. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle.
The center should be thin but strong enough to hold the toppings. Avoid using a rolling pin.
7. Assemble the pizza
Transfer the stretched dough to a lightly floured pizza peel or a sheet of parchment paper.
Spread about ⅓ cup of sauce over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.
Add half of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Add pepperoni or other toppings sparingly.
8. Bake
Slide the pizza onto the heated steel or stone.
Bake for 6–10 minutes, rotating once, until:
- The cheese is melted and lightly browned
- The crust is crisp underneath
- The edges are golden with a few darker spots
For additional browning, switch the oven to broil during the final 30–60 seconds. Watch closely.
9. Finish and serve
Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let it rest for 2 minutes.
Finish with oregano, Parmesan, or a light drizzle of olive oil. Cut into large triangular slices and serve hot.
New York–Style Pizza Tips
- Use bread flour for the chewy, foldable crust.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella, to avoid excess water.
- Keep the toppings light so the center stays crisp.
- Cold-fermenting the dough for 48–72 hours creates better flavor and browning.
- The finished slice should be thin, crisp underneath, chewy around the edge, and flexible enough to fold.