Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 14 oz bread flour (14 ounces; about 2 1/2 cups), plus more for dusting
• ¼ oz kosher salt (0.35 ounces; about 2 teaspoons), plus more for sprinkling
• ¼ oz instant yeast (0.15 ounces; about 1 teaspoon), such as SAF Instant Yeast
• 9¾ oz water (9.5 ounces; about 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)
• ¼ oz extra-virgin olive oil (0.25 ounces; about 2 teaspoons), plus more to coat pans and for drizzling
• 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce, such as New York–style pizza sauce
• 12 ounces grated full-fat, low moisture (dry) mozzarella cheese
• Toppings as desired
• Small handful torn fresh basil leaves (optional)
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

Method

1. Combine the bread flour, kosher salt, instant yeast, water and the ¼ oz of olive oil in a large bowl, mixing by hand or with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains.
2. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and rest the dough at cool room temperature, no warmer than 75F, for at least 8 and up to 24 hours, until it has risen dramatically and fills the bowl.
3. Flour the top of the dough, turn it out onto a well-floured surface, divide it in 2 and form each piece into a tight ball by tucking the dough underneath itself.
4. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil into each of two 10-inch cast iron skillets or round cake pans, set a dough ball in each pan, turn the balls to coat them in oil and press them around the pan with a flat palm.
5. Cover the pans tightly with plastic wrap and rest the dough at room temperature for 2 hours; after the first hour, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 550F.
6. Press the dough with your fingertips until it fills every corner of each pan, popping large bubbles and letting air escape from underneath, so it lies in an even layer.
7. Top each round with 3/4 cup of pizza sauce spread to the very edge, the grated mozzarella all the way to the edges, a sprinkling of salt and any other toppings you want, plus a drizzle of olive oil and the torn basil if you are using it.
8. Bake the pizzas for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and bubbly and the bottoms are golden and crisp when lifted with a spatula.
9. Scatter the grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano over the hot pizzas if you are using it; if a bottom needs more crisping, set its pan over a burner on medium heat for 1 to 3 minutes, moving the pan around as it crisps.
10. Loosen each pizza from its pan, slide it onto a cutting board and cut it into 6 slices to serve.

Prep: 25 mins · Cook: 20 mins · Total: 10 hrs 45 mins

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data