Don Corleone Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 500°F (or the highest your oven allows) for at least 45 minutes with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside. If you have a pizza peel, dust it lightly with flour or semolina.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12–14 inch round (or to desired thickness). Transfer the stretched dough to the prepared peel or a parchment-lined baking sheet if you don't have a peel. Brush the outer 1/2 inch rim of the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil to help it brown.

Make the quick red sauce

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil until shimmer. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add 1 cup crushed tomatoes and 1 tablespoon tomato paste; stir to combine. Season with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional). Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to meld flavors and slightly thicken. Remove from heat and taste; adjust seasoning as needed. Let cool 5 minutes before assembling so it doesn't make the dough soggy.

Spread about 3/4 to 1 cup of the sauce evenly over the stretched dough, leaving the oiled rim bare. Use the back of a spoon to create an even layer but avoid over-saucing.

Add cheese

Distribute the 8 oz shredded or thinly sliced mozzarella evenly over the sauced dough. Aim for full coverage while allowing some sauce to peek through for balance.

Arrange meats

Layer the meat selection evenly across the cheese: place approximately 20 slices of pepperoni arranged in a single layer (slightly overlapping is fine), then tuck 6 slices of Genoa salami and 6 slices of capicola across the pizza so every slice will have a mix of meats. If any slices are large, fold or tear them to fit and create texture. Avoid piling too high so the pizza cooks evenly.

Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano evenly over the top of the pizza. If you like heat, scatter 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Bake the pizza

Slide the pizza (on the peel or on the parchment on the baking sheet) onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F for 8–12 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden and blistered in spots, the cheese is melted and bubbling, and the meats are sizzling. Cooking time will vary with oven and stone temperature—watch closely after 7 minutes.

If the crust edges are browning too quickly before the center is done, rotate the pizza and lower the rack one position. For extra char on the top, broil on high for 30–60 seconds—watch constantly to avoid burning.

Finish and serve

Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 2 minutes, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino over the top and scatter 4 fresh basil leaves if using. Slice into 8 slices and serve hot.