East Coast 3 Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp instant yeast. Add 1 cup lukewarm water and 1 tbsp EVOO. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then add 1 tsp fine sea salt and knead in bowl or on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rest at room temperature for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled. For better flavor, chill in refrigerator for 8–24 hours after initial rise; bring back to room temperature 30–45 minutes before shaping.

Preheat oven

Preheat your oven as hot as it will go (500–550°F / 260–290°C). If using a pizza stone or steel, place it on the middle rack and preheat for at least 45 minutes. If using a sheet pan, lightly dust with semolina or cornmeal and preheat the pan for 10 minutes in the oven.

Shape dough: Divide dough into two equal portions for two thin-crust 10–12" pizzas (or keep whole for one large). On a lightly floured surface, gently press and stretch each portion from the center outward with your fingers, rotating to form a 10–12" round with a slightly thicker rim. Transfer to a semolina-dusted peel or parchment for easy transfer.

Prepare sauce

Crush 1 cup DOP San Marzano tomatoes by hand or pulse briefly in a blender to retain small chunks. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Do not cook — this pizza uses fresh tomato dollops.

Cheese

Tear or shred 2 cups aged mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Keep chilled until ready to top so they melt evenly without releasing excess moisture.

Roast mushrooms and sweat onions

Heat 1 tbsp EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 oz mixed mushrooms and 1/4 tsp kosher salt; sauté until golden and any released liquid evaporates, 6–8 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl. In the same skillet add 1 tbsp EVOO and 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion with 1/4 tsp salt; cook over medium heat 3–4 minutes until softened but not caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook sausage

In the same skillet (wipe if needed) over medium heat, add the crumbled 8 oz Italian sausage. Break into small pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain any excess fat on paper towels. Season with a pinch of black pepper if desired.

Assemble toppings: Have the cooked mushrooms, onions, sausage, torn fresh basil, and aged mozzarella ready to top the stretched dough.

Sauce and cheese placement

Lightly brush the stretched dough rim with a little EVOO. Spread a thin layer (about 3/4 cup total distributed across two pizzas) of the seasoned San Marzano tomato by spooning dollops across the center, leaving the edge exposed for a thin crust. Scatter the aged mozzarella evenly, leaving some space between pieces so cheese browns in spots.

Add toppings

Distribute the cooked sausage, roasted mushrooms, and softened red onion evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the torn fresh basil leaves over the top (reserve some whole basil leaves for garnish after baking). Finish with a light pinch of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper over each pizza.

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone/steel or place the sheet pan in the oven. Bake at maximum oven temperature for 7–10 minutes (for a very hot oven/stone) or 10–14 minutes (slightly lower temps) until the crust is crisp and leopard-spotted, cheese is melted and blistered, and toppings are heated through. Rotate halfway if needed for even browning.

Remove pizza from oven and immediately scatter the remaining fresh basil leaves (6 leaves) on top. Drizzle about 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the pizza. Let rest 2 minutes before slicing to allow cheese to set slightly.

Slice and serve hot. Enjoy the thin crust with aged mozzarella, San Marzano tomato dollops, locally-sourced Italian sausage, house-roasted mushrooms, red onion, and fresh basil.