Classic Mozzarella Grandma Pizza Pie

My true (pizza) love is a thin-crust margherita pie- AMAZING. This pizza is the complete opposite- yet absolutely delicious too! The crust is thick, fluffy, and tender. The top is loaded with fresh mozzarella and a special tomato sauce. I have enjoyed a “Grandma” slice from a pizzeria in the past, but this version was exponentially better. This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Alfia Muzio.

Yield: 1 pie, about 6 servings

This pillowy crust dough proofs for 24-hours prior to baking. I was able to use my fingertips to form it into the 18×13-inch rectangle with ease.

For the Grandma-Style Pizza Dough:

• 1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for surface (I used 1/2 white whole wheat flour.)

1. Combine yeast and 1½ cups warm water (105–110°) in a large bowl; let stand until yeast starts to foam, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix in 2 Tbsp. oil, then salt and 2 cups flour. Add another 2 cups flour, a cup at a time, mixing until incorporated and a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft, smooth, and elastic, 10–12 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 24 hours.
4. Coat an 18×13” rimmed baking sheet with remaining 1/4 cup oil. Gently and gradually stretch dough until it reaches the edges of baking sheet. (If dough springs back or is stiff to work with, let it rest 10 minutes before continuing. You may need to let it rest more than once.)
5. Cover dough on baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place (but not too warm!—about 70° is ideal for yeast to grow) until it is puffed and full of air bubbles, 30–40 minutes. (I used the proof setting on my warming drawer.)

 The anchovies give the sauce something special. SO good!

For the Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce:

• 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained (I used San Marzano)
• 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
• 2 cloves garlic cloves
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Pulse tomatoes, anchovies, garlic, oil, and basil in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth (some texture is okay); season with salt and pepper.

To Assemble the Pizza:

• Grandma-Style Pizza Dough
• 12 to 16 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated (about 2½ cups)
• 1½ cups Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce
• coarse or flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) and crushed red pepper flakes, for serving, optional

1. Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 500° or as high as oven will go.
2. Once dough has risen on baking sheet, top with mozzarella, and dot pie with tomato sauce; sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes, if desired. Bake pie until golden brown and crisp on bottom and sides, 20–30 minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Kale & Spinach Calzones

Two Years Ago:

• Terrific Low-Fat Lasagna

Margherita Pizza with 24-hour Crust

This is the PERFECT pizza, a classic, and my favorite. Every version has subtle differences- the key to this Brooklyn pizzeria recipe is the crust for which I included the link below. It is proofed in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours before being used. The result is a more tender dough. Wonderful. It is made with a combination of refined 00 flour and all-purpose flour.

The pizza sauce recipe is from the same pizzeria. It is pure and simple, San Marzano tomatoes pureed with a touch of olive oil and salt. I titled it “Perfect Pizza Sauce #2” in the link below as it is slightly different from my original “Perfect Pizza Sauce!” It is perfect! 🙂

This is my second entry in the Fiesta Friday Challenge #1 at The Novice Gardener: to post a dish made with both herbs and yeast. This recipe was adapted from Roberta’s Cookbook by Carlo Mirarchi, Brandon Hoy, Chris Parachini, and Katherine Wheelock, of Roberta’s in Brooklyn, NY.

• 2 (12-inch) rounds of 24-hour pizza dough
• 1/2 cup perfect pizza sauce (#2)
• 8 to 10 basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese
• olive oil, for drizzling, optional

1. Preheat the oven to the highest temperature possible. (At my house the oven is set to 500 degrees on “Stone”.) Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack if a stone setting is available, otherwise place the stone on the middle rack. Let the oven heat up for 1 hour.
2. Put the sauce in the center of the dough round and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly over the pizza, stopping about half an inch from the edge.
3. Drizzle a little olive oil over the sauce and scatter the basil on top.
4. Break the mozzarella into several large chunks and distribute it over the pizza, covering the basil so that it is protected from the heat of the oven.
5. Bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
6. Turn on the broiler. Broil the pizza for an additional 1-2 minutes- keeping a close watch so that it doesn’t become too brown. Serve.

One Year Ago:

• Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata

Perfect Pizza Sauce #2

I thought that my original perfect pizza sauce could not be topped. This sauce is essentially identical… except for one important difference: the ease of its preparation. My original sauce utilizes a food mill to remove the tomato seeds. This method simply purees the strained whole tomatoes, and then the remaining ingredients are added. Simple, perfect, FABULOUS! This recipe was adapted from Roberta’s Cookbook by Carlo Mirarchi, Brandon Hoy, Chris Parachini, and Katherine Wheelock, of Roberta’s in Brooklyn, NY. I froze the leftover sauce, rationed into pizza (4 T) portions, in an ice cube tray for later use. Truly perfect!

Yield: enough for approximately 8 pizzas

• 1 28-ounce (794 gram) can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
• extra-virgin olive oil
• coarse salt or fine sea salt

1. Drain the tomatoes and discard the juice.
2. Use a food processor or blender to puree the tomatoes until almost smooth.
3. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, blend until smooth, and taste. Add more oil and salt to taste, if needed, but keep in mind that the sauce will reduce a little bit when it’s baked on a pizza, so it will only get saltier.

Note: The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, and up to 6 months in the freezer.

If you like this you may also like:

• Perfect Pizza Sauce (#1)

Perfect Pizza Sauce

I have turned over a new leaf. We make homemade pizza once a week, but I don’t use homemade sauce (terrible!). This super easy, simple sauce will change that forever. It is important to use high-quality tomatoes. We make two pizzas at a time, so I put the leftover sauce in the freezer. This recipe is from Food and Wine, contributed by Thomas McNaughton.

Yield: enough for approximately 6 pizzas

• One 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt

1. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill set over a large bowl. Blend the puree with the olive oil and season with salt.
2. Use 1/2 cup sauce per pizza.