Name: Best Desi Pizzas Supreme Pizza Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 count pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, room temperature); 1 tbs olive oil; 2 tbs semolina flour or cornmeal (for dusting); 3 cups pizza sauce (prepared or homemade); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp red pepper flakes; 3 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella; 1 tbs freshly grated Parmesan; 30 count pepperoni slices; 6 slices deli ham, thinly sliced and halved; 8 oz Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed; 1 cup fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced; 1 count green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced; 1 cup black olives, sliced; 1 count yellow or white onion, thinly sliced; 1 tsp dried basil or fresh basil leaves (optional); 1 tsp cracked black pepper; 1 tsp olive oil (for drizzling)

Method

Dough & Base

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes. If you cannot reach 500°F, preheat to the highest setting (450–500°F).

On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12–14 inch round (about 1/4-inch thick for a standard crust). Transfer the stretched dough to a pizza peel or a baking sheet dusted with semolina flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking. Brush the outer 1/2-inch rim lightly with 1 tbs olive oil.

Sauce

Stir the dried oregano and red pepper flakes into the pizza sauce. Spoon and spread about 3/4 to 1 cup of sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the oiled rim exposed. Reserve remaining sauce for another pizza or for dipping.

Cheese

Evenly sprinkle 2 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella over the sauced dough, leaving a small margin at the edge. Reserve about 1/2 cup for finishing or to make sure there's an even cheesy layer after toppings.

Lightly dust the top with the grated Parmesan to add a savory finish.

Meats

Cook the Italian sausage: heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the crumbled sausage and cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small bite-sized pieces. Drain excess fat on a paper towel-lined plate.

Distribute the cooked sausage evenly over the cheese. Arrange pepperoni slices in a single layer, spacing them slightly so they crisp at the edges. Fold or halve the ham slices and scatter them evenly across the pizza.

Vegetables & Toppings

Distribute the sliced mushrooms, green pepper strips, sliced black olives and thinly sliced onions evenly across the pizza on top of the meats and cheese. Make sure toppings form a balanced layer so the pizza cooks evenly.

If your mushrooms are very moist, you can quickly sauté them in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes to remove excess water before adding to the pizza; this prevents a soggy crust.

Finish & Bake

Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup mozzarella over the top to help bind toppings. Season with cracked black pepper and, if using, the dried basil.

Using the peel or prepared baking sheet, slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown. Rotate the pizza halfway through baking for even color.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let rest for 2–3 minutes. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the crust and, if using fresh basil leaves, scatter them on top. Slice into 8 slices and serve hot.