Description
A thick, cheesy, chewy, and wonderfully tasty rectangular pizza with a cheese frico (crispy) crust.
Adapted from Alexandra Stafford’s Pizza Night.
Ingredients
Dough
- 600g high-protein white bread flour
- 469g water
- 16g fine sea salt
- 114g ripe sourdough starter
Toppings
- 113g pre-shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
- 57g pre-shredded mozzarella cheese (low moisture, whole milk)
- 170g freshly cubed butterkäse, Wisconsin brick, or a mix of Monterey Jack and Mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni to cover
Simple Cooked Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups finely chopped white or yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 (28oz) can undrained peeled whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Mix – 9:00 a.m.
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, water, salt, and ripe sourdough starter. Mix on speed one for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough comes together, and no dry bits remain. Then, turn the mixer up to speed two and mix for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes. Then, turn the mixer to speed two and mix for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough is cohesive. Transfer the dough to a container for bulk fermentation and cover. - Bulk Fermentation – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
At warm room temperature, around 74-76°F (23-24°C), bulk should take about 3 hours. After the first 30 minutes in bulk fermentation and using wet hands, grab the north side of the dough in the bulk fermentation container and stretch it up and over to the south side. Then, grab the south side of the dough and stretch it up and over to the north side. Repeat in the east-to-west and west-to-east directions for a total of 4 folds. Give the dough three more sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals. After the last set, let the dough rest in the container until the end of bulk fermentation. - Divide and Ball – 12:30 p.m.
Grease a pizza dough tray or two individual 4-cup glass containers with olive oil. Gently scrape the dough out to a clean work surface. Using floured hands, divide the dough in half. Preshape each piece into a very tight ball with no seam on the bottom. Given how highly hydrated this dough is, I like to preshape this dough on the work surface using a bench knife, similar to preshaping bread dough. After balling, place each ball into the prepared dough tray with even spacing between, or into a single container. - Cold Proof – 1:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. (the next day)
Place the containers into the refrigerator overnight or for up to 3 days. - Warm Proof – 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The next day, liberally butter a 10 x 14-inch Detroit-style pizza pan with about 1 tablespoon of butter. Pour a glug of olive oil into the center of the pan, take one container of dough out of the fridge, uncover, and gently scrape it out on top of the oil. Using wet or oiled fingers, flip the dough over to coat the other side in olive oil, and gently stretch it out to better fit the dimensions of the pan. Cover the dough and set a timer for 1 hour. After an hour, come back and, with wet fingers, gently stretch the dough a little further toward the edges. - Prepare Tomato Sauce – 3:30 p.m. (while dough proofs)
In a medium pot, combine the oil, onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Set over high heat and as soon as the onions and garlic begin simmering, stir, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover, stir in the pepper flakes, increase the heat to high, and add the wine. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to dissipate the alcohol. Using scissors, snip the tomatoes into smaller pieces as you add them to the pan. Season with a generous pinch of salt and cook at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor, add the basil, and puree until smooth (if using a blender, be sure to let the mixture cool before blending). Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. - Top and Bake – 4:15 p.m.
About an hour before the end of proofing proof, begin preheating your oven with a rack in the middle to 500°F (260°C) and with a baking surface—I like to use my Baking Steel—inside on the rack. Using oiled fingers, dimple the dough aggressively, but try to steer clear of the perimeter (leave about a 1/2-inch border). Bake until the dough has puffed, slightly removed from the sides, and the top is lightly colored, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the parbaked crust to a wire rack. Flip the crust so the top is facing down on the wire rack and leave it to cool for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 475°F (245°C). In a medium bowl, combine the shredded cheddar and mozzarella and cube the butterkäse or Wisconsin brick cheese. Place the crust back into the pan bottom-side down. Spread the shredded cheese mixture around the perimeter of the crust. Next, spread the cubed cheese over the crust’s surface inside the shredded cheese perimeter. Then, dollop and spread the sauce evenly over the top. Finally, spread the pepperoni over the sauce. Bake until the edges are crispy and caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the pizza rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully run a thin metal spatula around the edges to release the crust and transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut.
Notes
The parbaked pizza crust can be cooled, placed into a large airtight bag, and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or 3 months in the freezer.