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Extra Cheese Recipe

Name: Billy's Famous Pizzas Extra Cheese Recipe
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cups warm water; 1 tsp active dry yeast; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 1 cups tomato pizza sauce (canned or jarred); 1 tsp garlic (minced); 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 0.25 tsp salt; 4 cups whole milk mozzarella (shredded); 1 cups low-moisture mozzarella (shredded); 6 oz fresh mozzarella (sliced, drained on paper towel); 0.5 cups parmesan (freshly grated); 0.5 cups ricotta (optional dollops); 1 tsp cornstarch (to prevent clumping in shredded cheese); 1 tbs olive oil (for brushing crust); 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 1 tbs dried basil or fresh basil leaves; 0.25 tsp black pepper

Inspired by Billy's Famous Pizza

Time2h

Serves4

Make Extra Cheese Recipe in just 2h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Dough (make or use store-bought)

3 cups 00 bread flour

1 cups warm water

1 tsp Active dry yeast

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

Sauce

1 cups tomato pizza sauce (canned or jarred)

1 tsp Garlic (minced)

1 tsp Dried oregano

1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Cheese (extra cheese focused)

4 cups whole milk mozzarella (shredded)

1 cups low-moisture mozzarella (shredded)

6 oz fresh mozzarella (sliced, drained on paper towel)

1/2 cups parmesan (freshly grated)

1/2 cups ricotta (optional dollops)

1 tsp cornstarch (to prevent clumping in shredded cheese)

Finish & seasoning

1 tbs olive oil (for brushing crust)

1/2 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1 tbs dried basil or fresh basil leaves

1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

Dough (make or use store-bought)

Activate yeast & mix

In a small bowl whisk warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C) with sugar and yeast. Let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, knead with dough hook 4–5 minutes.

First rise

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60–90 minutes. For faster use, use store-bought dough or prepare the night before and refrigerate.

Punch down & shape

Punch down risen dough, divide if making more than one pizza (this recipe makes one 12–14" pizza). Let rest 10 minutes, then stretch or roll into a 12–14 inch round on a lightly floured surface or parchment.

Sauce

If using jarred sauce, stir in minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. If making from canned tomatoes, blend to a smooth consistency and season similarly. Use about 3/4–1 cup sauce for a 12–14" pizza, spreading to within 1/2" of the edge.

Cheese (extra cheese focused)

Prepare shredded cheeses

Combine shredded whole milk mozzarella and low-moisture mozzarella in a bowl; sprinkle cornstarch over the shredded cheese and toss to coat lightly — this helps prevent sogginess and clumping when baking.

Assemble cheeses on dough

Lightly brush the stretched dough crust with 1 tablespoon olive oil mixed with garlic powder. Spread the prepared sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2" rim. Evenly scatter about 3 cups of the shredded mozzarella blend over the sauce. Arrange slices of fresh mozzarella (evenly spaced) on top. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella and then the grated parmesan. If using ricotta, dot 6–8 small spoonfuls across the pizza for extra creamy pockets.

Optional: layer technique for extra melt

For maximum cheesiness, start with a thin base layer of shredded blend, then sauce, then another heavier layer of shredded blend plus fresh mozzarella and parmesan on top. This traps sauce and gives a gooey interior.

Baking & finish

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) or as hot as your oven will go. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven while preheating for at least 45 minutes. Alternatively use a heavy baking sheet inverted and preheat it.

Bake

Transfer pizza to the hot stone or baking sheet (use parchment or a pizza peel dusted with semolina or flour). Bake 8–12 minutes, rotating halfway, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and lightly browned in spots. Baking time will depend on oven temperature and pizza thickness.

Finish & season

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan if desired, scatter fresh basil leaves or dried basil, and crack black pepper over the top. Slice and serve hot.

Storage

Leftover slices: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F skillet or oven for best texture to restore crispness and melt.