Filippi's Specials Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet inside for at least 30 minutes. If using a pizza pan, lightly brush it with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface (use about 2 tbs flour), stretch or roll the pizza dough to a 13–14 inch round. Transfer the stretched dough to a pizza peel or the prepared pan. If dough resists, rest 5 minutes and continue stretching.

Brush the outer 1/2-inch of the dough lightly with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to help brown the crust.

Spread the 3 tablespoons of tomato pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the 1/2-inch edge free for the crust.

Sprinkle 1 3/4 cups of the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauced dough, reserving about 1/4 cup for finishing. Scatter the 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan over the mozzarella.

If sausage is raw, cook thoroughly in a skillet over medium heat, breaking into crumbles, then drain. If using pre-cooked slices, warm lightly. Evenly distribute the 3 oz of cooked sausage over the cheese.

Arrange the 20 pepperoni slices over the pizza in an even layer, slightly overlapping if desired.

Trim and slice the 4 meatballs into about 1/4-inch thick rounds; arrange them evenly across the pizza.

Distribute the 3 oz thinly sliced mushrooms evenly across the pizza so they will roast rather than steam.

Scatter the 1/2 green bell pepper (thin slices), 1/4 red/yellow onion (thin slices), and 2 tbs sliced black olives across the pizza for balanced coverage.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper evenly over the toppings. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if using.

Top with the reserved 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella in small handfuls to create hot, gooey pockets.

If using a preheated pizza stone or inverted baking sheet, slide the pizza onto it. If using a pan, place the pan in the oven. Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10–14 minutes, or until the crust is golden, cheese is bubbling and edges are nicely browned. Baking time will vary with oven and thickness of crust—start checking at 9 minutes.

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the hot pizza and, if desired, another light dusting of oregano or red pepper flakes.

Slice into 8 slices and serve hot.