Meat Lovers Recipe

Make dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 2 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 cup warm water and 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, mix and knead in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 4–5 minutes.

First rise: Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes.

Preheat oven and prepare pan: If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes (or highest oven temp available). If using a baking sheet, lightly oil it and dust with 1 tsp cornmeal or semolina.

Shape dough: Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. For a 12-inch hand-tossed style, press and stretch or roll into a 12-inch round about 1/4-inch thick in the center, slightly thicker at the rim. Transfer to a cornmeal-dusted peel or baking sheet.

Season sauce

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp tomato pizza sauce with 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tsp dried basil. Stir to combine and taste; adjust seasoning if desired.

Assemble base: Spoon the seasoned sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border for the crust. Spread to an even layer.

Cheese: Evenly scatter 2 cups shredded mozzarella over the sauce. Sprinkle 2 tbsp grated Parmesan over the top for added flavor.

Prepare meats

If your sausage is raw, remove from casings and crumble into a skillet over medium heat. Cook until nicely browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes; drain off excess fat. Cook bacon until crisp (pan or oven) and chop into bite-sized pieces. If using thick-cut ham, slice or dice into small pieces. Have pepperoni slices ready.

Top the pizza: Arrange pepperoni slices evenly over the cheese. Add the second layer of pepperoni for ‘double pepperoni’ — either place the second set directly on top of the first or intersperse them. Scatter cooked, crumbled sausage evenly across the surface. Distribute chopped bacon and diced ham over the pizza so every slice will have a mix of meats.

Brush the exposed crust lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle crust with a little extra salt or grated Parmesan if desired.

Bake: Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 10–12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown at the edges. Ovens vary; check at 8 minutes and adjust time as needed.

Rest and finish: Remove the pizza from the oven and let rest 3–5 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tsp red pepper flakes and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper evenly over the pie, and scatter fresh basil leaves if using. Slice and serve.