Make Pepperoni Pizza
When it comes to pizza toppings, pepperoni is definitely a classic. But when you have a craving for a delicious pepperoni pizza, you don't have to call out for delivery. Making a pepperoni pizza at home takes a little time, but it's easy enough for even beginner cooks if you have the right ingredients on hand.
Contents
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- ½ cup (118 ml) warm water, about 110 degrees F (43 degrees Celsius)
- 1 envelope instant yeast
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) room temperature water
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 4 cups (508 g) bread flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons (8.5 g) salt
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 28-ounce (794 g) can crushed tomatoes
Toppings
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 cups (200 g) mozzarella cheese, grated
- ¼ cup (27.5 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 30 slices pepperoni slices
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) fresh basil or oregano leaves
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Steps
Making the Dough
- Combine the warm water and yeast. In a small bowl or measuring cup, pour ½ cup (118 ml) of warm warm. Sprinkle 1 envelope of instant yeast into the water. Allow the mixture to sit for approximately 5 minutes or until the yeast dissolves and expands.
- Your warm water should be approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).
- Add the room temperature water and oil. When the yeast has sat for several minutes, mix in 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) of room temperature water and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil. Stir the mixture until all of the ingredients are well blended.
- Room temperature water should be approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).
- Mix the flour and salt in a food processor. In a large food processor, combine 4 cups (508 g) of bread flour and 1 ½ teaspoons (8.5 g) of salt. Pulse the ingredients until they are completely blended.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment inserted.
- Stream the liquid ingredients into the food processor. When the flour and salt are well combined, add the yeast and water mixture except for 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) to the food processor through the feed tube. Pulse the food processor until the dough forms into a ball.
- If the dough doesn’t form a ball, add the yeast and water mixture that you held back and pulse again until a ball comes together.
- Process the dough until it’s smooth. To ensure that the dough is elastic enough to stretch into a pizza later, continue pulsing it until it is completely smooth. It should take approximately 30 seconds.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface to form a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times to create a smooth, even ball.
- To prevent the dough from sticking to your hands as you knead it, rub a little olive oil or other cooking oil on your skin before you handle it.
- Place the dough in a covered, oiled bowl, and let it rise. Take the dough ball, and set it inside a large bowl that’s been greased with olive oil. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl, and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, which should take approximately 1 to 2 hours.
- After the dough has doubled in size, punch it with your hands to deflate it.
Preparing the Sauce
- Combine the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan. Mix 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil with 2 cloves of garlic that’s been minced in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
- You can add half a small onion that’s been diced to the pan for extra flavor in the sauce.
- Stir in the tomatoes, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Once the garlic has started to sizzle, add a 28-ounce (794 g) can of crushed tomatoes. Mix until the ingredients are well combined, and then allow the sauce to simmer until it becomes thick, which should take approximately 15 minutes.
- Stir the sauce occasionally while it’s simmering to ensure that it cooks evenly and doesn’t scorch the bottom of the pan.
- If desired, you can mix dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper into the sauce before you simmer it. Add the herbs and seasoning to taste.
- Because crushed tomatoes don’t usually come in smaller cans, this recipe is going to make more sauce that you need for a single pizza. If you’re only making one pizza, freeze the leftover sauce in an airtight container for the next time.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside. When the sauce has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat. Set it aside to allow the sauce to cool -- you don’t want it to be hot when you start assembling the pizza.
- If you’re short on time, you don’t have to make the sauce for the pizza. Instead, use your favorite jarred pizza sauce or tomato-based pasta sauce.
Assembling the Pizza
- Divide the dough and let it relax. Once the dough has risen and you’ve punched it down, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it in half and form each piece into a smooth ball with your hands. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow it to relax for 10 to 30 minutes.
- You only need 1 ball of dough per pizza, so if you’re making a single pizza, wrap the other ball in plastic wrap after it’s relaxed, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze it for the next time you’re making pizza. Allow it to defrost at room temperature 2 to 3 hours before you plan to use it.
- Flatten the dough and shape into a round. After the dough has relaxed, use your hands to flatten the ball into a disk shape. Use your fingertips to press and push the dough outward until you wind up with a 12 to 13-inch (30 to 33 cm) round.
- You can press down on the dough with your palms in the center to create a thicker edge around it for a thicker crust.
- Place the dough on a peel and brush with olive oil. Set the shaped dough onto a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the surface of the dough with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.
- You don’t necessarily have to add the olive oil to the dough, but it does add flavor and helps create a more golden brown crust.
- Add the sauce over the dough. Take approximately ¾ cup (177 ml) of the sauce that you made earlier and spread it over the dough. Don’t take it all the way to the edge of the dough, though. Leave a ¾- to 1-inch (1.9 to 2.5 cm) border around the pizza for the crust.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and mozzarella over the pizza. After you’ve added a layer of sauce, cover it with ¼ cup (27.5 g) of finely grated parmesan cheese and 2 cups (200 g) of grated mozzarella cheese. Try to spread the cheese as evenly across the sauce as you can.
- If you like a really cheesy pizza, you can always add a little more mozzarella.
- You can swap the mozzarella cheese for grated provolone or do a combination of mozzarella and provolone if you prefer.
- Place the pepperoni slices evenly over the cheese. Take approximately 30 slices of pepperoni and place them evenly across the layer of cheese on the pizza. The goal is to have the same amount of pepperoni on each of the 8 slices you’ll cut when the pizza is done.
- While placing the pepperoni on top of the cheese is the traditional way to make pepperoni pizza, you can also place it directly on top of the sauce layer so it’s under the cheese. You can even add pepperoni in both layers if you prefer.
- If you like the flavor of pepperoni but not how greasy it makes your pizza, take a large microwave-safe plate and line it with a sheet of paper towel. Place the pepperoni on it and layer another piece of paper towel on top. Microwave it for 30 to 45 seconds on high. The heat will drive the grease out of the pepperoni, while the paper towel absorbs it. You can then place it on the pizza without worrying about it becoming too greasy.
Baking the Pizza
- Preheat the oven and place a pizza stone inside. To ensure that your oven is hot enough to create a delicious crust for the pizza, allow it to preheat to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius) for at least 30 minutes. Make sure that the oven rack is positioned in the lower position, and set a pizza stone on it.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can substitute an inverted, round baking sheet.
- Slide the pizza onto the stone and bake until the cheese and crust start to brown. Once the oven and stone are properly preheated, transfer the finished pizza from your peel or baking sheet onto the stone. Allow the pizza to bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese and crust are golden brown.
- The pizza stone will be extremely hot when you slide the pizza onto it, so be careful not to burn yourself. Wear oven mitts for protection.
- Add red pepper flakes and allow to cool before slicing. When the pizza is finished, remove it from the oven and sprinkle a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes over it while it’s still hot. Let the pizza cool for approximately 10 minutes, and then use a pizza cutter to cut it into 8 slices.
- If you want to garnish the pizza with fresh basil, wait until it’s cooled slightly so the leaves don’t wilt.
Tips
- If you want to save time, you can use prepared pizza dough from the grocery store.
- Feel free to add other toppings to the pizza with the pepperoni. You can pair it with other meat toppings, such as cooked sausage or meatballs, or combine it with vegetables, such as chopped onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms. Be creative.
Things You'll Need
- Small bowl
- Food processor
- Large bowl
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Kitchen towel
- Pizza peel
- Pastry brush
- Spoon
- Pizza stone
- Pizza cutter
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Sources and Citations
- Videos provided by Crouton Crackerjacks
