Ingredients
1/2 cup cherry peppers (jarred, OR 1/2 cup Calabrian chilies, sliced thin with stems and seeds removed, 55g)
1/2 bulb fennel (small, shaved thin, 100g)
2 oz. soppressata (hot or sweet, thinly sliced, 56g)
4 oz. classic pepperoni (113g)
2 tsp. oregano (dried or fresh, 1g)
1 tsp. kosher salt (5g)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup olive oil (divided, for pans and sauce, 211g)
6 Tbsp. Pecorino Romano (grated, 46g)
32 oz. low-moisture mozzarella cheese (2 lbs., sliced)
2 cans San Marzano tomatoes (plum tomatoes, 28 oz. per can, hand crushed and completely drained of liquid, 1040g after juice removed)
2 Tbsp. olive oil (plus 1 tsp., for dough, 28g)
2 1/4 cups cold water (for dough, 520g)
2 tsp. sugar (for dough, 8g)
3 tsp. fine sea salt (for dough, 16g)
1 tsp. instant yeast (for dough, 4g)
5 cups bread flour (for dough, 812g)
Step by step
Equipment needed: KitchenAid® 7 Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, Dough Hook, 2 18"x13" sheet pans
Make the dough: Combine dry ingredients.
Attach Dough Hook to Stand Mixer. Add water and half the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl. Mix on speed 2 for 1 minute.
Add remaining dry ingredients. Turn Stand Mixer back on to speed 2, drizzle in olive oil and knead for 4 minutes, until dough sticks more to the Dough Hook than the side of the bowl.
Remove dough from bowl and hand knead on countertop for 1 minute. Place a mixing bowl upside down over the dough and let rest 30 to 40 minutes to warm up.
Form dough into a smooth ball by repeatedly pulling the dough edges towards the middle. Pinch the seam side and place dough ball seam side down into an oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 12 hours. Covered dough can be kept in refrigerator up to 72 hours.
Form the pizzas: Remove dough from refrigerator two hours before you want to bake your pizzas. Oil two 18"x13" sheet pans (or standard half sheet pans) with 3/4 cup (156g) olive oil split between the two pans.
Remove dough from the bowl, cut in half and place each half into its own pan. Using your fingertips, begin to shape dough by pressing towards the corners of the pan. Dough will not fully stretch into the corners on this first attempt. Place plastic wrap lightly over the pan and let rest 45 minutes while dough warms up.
Remove plastic wrap and again press dough towards the corners of the pan. Cover pan and let dough rest another 45 minutes.
Press dough out towards the corners of the pan one final time until dough completely fills pan. Cover dough and set aside.
Position one oven rack at the lowest level and one at the highest. Preheat oven to 450°F.
Prepare the sauce and toppings: Hand crush plum tomatoes and drain juice. Add 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt to tomatoes and set aside.
Mince garlic and add to a bowl with 1/4 cup (48g) olive oil.
Remove plastic wrap from dough. If needed, press dough to the edges of the pan one final time. Starting in one corner, layer mozzarella slices across the dough in an overlapping shingle pattern, leaving the outside edges uncovered by 1/4" to 1/2". Repeat with second pizza.
Spoon drained tomatoes over both pizzas in even lines or a freeform pattern. Don’t coat the entire surface. Drizzle each pizza with half of the garlic oil.
Add any additional toppings for classic pepperoni or spicy soppressata pizza.
Bake the pizzas: Place one pizza at a time onto the lowest oven rack and bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pan 180° after 6 minutes.
Remove pizza from oven and check the bottom for browning by lifting the corner with a spatula. If pizza is well-browned, move to the top rack. If only lightly golden, return to the bottom rack. Bake for another six minutes.
Remove pizza from oven and sprinkle with half the oregano and Pecorino Romano cheese. Return to oven on top rack and bake for another 2 minutes.
Let pizza sit 5 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces.
Repeat to cook the second pizza.
Tips: Ask your deli counter to slice the low-moisture mozzarella cheese for you.
Place dough in a large enough container for the overnight rest, so that rising dough doesn’t touch the top of the container.
Pizza dough freezes well. After letting the dough ferment overnight, place each portion of dough into an oiled freezer bag and store in freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before continuing to step 6.