Brooklyn Style (grandma Pie) Recipe

Bloom yeast

In a small bowl, stir warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C) with sugar and sprinkle the active dry yeast on top. Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Mix dough

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well, add foamy yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead and rest

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic (or use a stand mixer with dough hook 4–5 minutes). Form into a ball, coat lightly with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1–1.5 hours.

Cold ferment (optional but recommended)

For better flavor, punch down dough, divide into two equal pieces, place each in an oiled container, cover and refrigerate 12–72 hours. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before shaping.

Make tomato sauce

Crush canned San Marzano tomatoes by hand or pulse 2–3 short times in a blender for a chunky sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, lightly saute 1 minced garlic clove for 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer gently 10–12 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside to cool.

Prepare cheese

Shred low-moisture mozzarella and grate Parmesan. Keep refrigerated until ready to top the pies.

Blend chipotle sauce

Remove 2 chipotle peppers from the adobo and finely chop or place in a small blender. Add mayonnaise, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lime juice, smoked paprika, 1 tsp honey and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend until smooth and taste; add another pepper for more heat or more honey to sweeten. Transfer to a serving container and chill until ready to serve.

Make hot honey

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup honey, 1 tbsp water and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Warm gently over low heat just until honey thins (do not boil) about 2–3 minutes to infuse. Stir in 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, remove from heat and let cool. Strain if you prefer a smoother honey before serving.

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with a rack in the upper third. Generously oil two 10x14-inch rimmed baking pans (or one large sheet) with 1 tbsp olive oil each and dust with cornmeal or semolina to prevent sticking.

Shape dough

If using two dough balls from cold ferment, gently press each ball into the oiled pan, working from the center outward with your fingertips to a thin, even rectangle with slightly thicker edges. If dough resists, let rest 10 minutes then continue. Dimple the surface with fingertips to create the classic Grandma texture.

Top pies

Spread a thin, even layer of the cooled tomato sauce over each dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Scatter shredded mozzarella evenly (about half of the mozzarella per pan). Sprinkle grated Parmesan over top and finish with a light drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of coarse sea salt.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven 10–14 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until cheese is melted, edges are golden and the bottom is crisp. If you like a bit more char, finish 1–2 minutes under the broiler, watching carefully.

Finish and rest

Remove from oven, let the pies rest in the pan 3–5 minutes. Tear or slice into squares. Scatter torn fresh basil leaves over the top if using.

Serve with sauces

Serve each slice with a small ramekin of chilled chipotle sauce and a spoon of hot honey on the side for drizzling. Recommend drizzling a little hot honey across a slice just before eating for the classic sweet-heat contrast.

Any remaining olive oil, coarse salt and cornmeal are used during shaping, baking and finishing as described above to ensure a crisp, flavorful crust and proper nonstick surface.