Zen Master Recipe

preheat

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet on the middle rack for at least 30 minutes. If you have a pizza steel, use that.

prepare dough

On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the dough into a 14–16 inch round. Aim for an even thickness about 1/4 inch with a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer dough to a floured pizza peel or inverted baking sheet.

garlic oil

Mix the olive oil and minced garlic. Brush the garlic oil evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border for the crust. This creates a flavored base under the sauce.

sauce

Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the oiled dough, leaving the same 1/2 inch border. Use about 1 cup of sauce for complete coverage without sogginess.

cheese layering

Evenly sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella over the sauce as the first cheese layer. Reserve 1 cup mozzarella and the cheddar for topping at the end to help lock in toppings and create a golden finish.

Prepare the ground beef and bacon bits before topping. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add the raw ground beef (if not already cooked) and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat and season with 1/8 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. If using raw bacon, cook until crisp, drain and crumble into bacon bits. If using pre-cooked bacon bits, no additional cooking is required.

Distribute the meats across the cheese layer: scatter ham, pepperoni, and salami slices evenly, then sprinkle the cooked ground beef and bacon bits so every slice will get some of each meat. Aim for even coverage without piling too thickly in any one spot (to keep baking even).

If mushrooms are wet, pat them dry. Arrange the sliced onions, mushrooms, green pepper, black olives, pineapple chunks, diced tomato, and banana pepper evenly over the meats. Try to spread vegetables so every slice gets variety. Keep the pineapple and tomato more toward the center if you want less moisture near the crust.

final cheese & season

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup cheddar evenly over the assembled toppings. Season the top with the remaining 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, and the crushed red pepper flakes if using. This top layer of cheese will help hold everything together and brown nicely.

Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8–12 minutes, rotating once at the halfway point, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots. Baking time will vary with oven and stone—watch closely after 8 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let rest on a cutting board for 3–5 minutes to set the toppings and prevent sliding. Slice into 8 large slices with a pizza wheel or sharp knife.

Serve hot. Optionally sprinkle a pinch more dried oregano or a light drizzle of olive oil. Store leftovers wrapped in foil in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in a 425°F oven on a sheet for best texture.