A moist, focaccia-like pizza crust with pepperoni sheets, cheese, and strips of delicious marinara make this pizza shine.
Preparation:
To cook:
Level: Easy
Ingredients
- FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH:
- 7 cups All purpose flour
- 3-½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 3 cups Hot water
- 5 teaspoons Granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil, and more for the bowl
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, room temperature to lightly melted
- FOR THE TOPPINGS:
- 2 bags (6 oz size) pepperoni slices, or enough to cover the pizza
- 8 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated (or brick cheese)
- 4 cups Favorite marinara sauce
Preparation
Note: Recipe is enough for 2 pizzas.
Let’s start because the dough takes a long time to rise.
In a bowl, add the flour, salt, water, sugar and yeast. Turn mixer to medium and blend for 3 minutes. Slowly add the oil and continue mixing on medium speed for about 8-10 minutes.
Once the dough is formed and well mixed, drizzle a little more olive oil over the dough to coat it lightly, then place it in a very large bowl or container that you can cover. Let stand covered for 1 hour.
Divide the dough in two. If you don’t want to make two pizzas right away, feel free to place the other half in a large bowl, covered, in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Lightly butter a cake tin. Take a piece of dough and place it in the pan. Lightly butter this ball of dough, then cover lightly and let the dough rest for 45 minutes at room temperature.
After 45 minutes, start stretching the dough, filling the bottom of the pan. Completely cover the bottom and sides of the baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, then place it in the fridge overnight.
The next day, remove the mold and let the dough come to room temperature. It will take about 45 minutes. When it gets to temperature, heat the oven to 500ºF.
Once the dough is at room temperature, push it lightly around the mold to cover the bottom. Don’t worry, it will be a little thick. (Now you have several options. Cheese first, or pepperoni first. I’m going pepperoni first. Then cheese. Then sauce.)
Layer all the dough with slices of pepperoni. Then layer on the cheese. I put my sauce in two thick racing stripes. Some reheat the sauce and finish the pizza when it comes out with the sauce. It’s your call. I used good pot sauce so I like to cook it with the pizza.
Place the pizza in the oven and bake for about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep an eye on it because you don’t want your cheese to be overcooked. I take mine out when the cheese is nicely browned.
Let the pizza rest for about 5 minutes, then you should be able to lift it easily or lift it and slide it onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and go to town.
