Michigan Ave Recipe

Mix & Autolyse

In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour and 1 tsp instant yeast. Add 1.25 cups lukewarm water and 1 tbsp EVOO. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Let rest 20 minutes (autolyse) to hydrate the flour.

Knead & Salt

After resting, sprinkle 1 tsp fine sea salt over the dough and knead on a lightly floured surface 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. If dough is sticky, add up to 2 tbsp more flour total.

First Rise

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic or a damp towel. Let rise at room temperature 60–90 minutes until roughly doubled. For more flavor, chill in refrigerator 8–24 hours and bring back to room temp 1 hour before shaping.

Portion & Rest

Divide dough into 2 equal portions for two thinner pies or 1 larger for 2–3 people (the menu specifies a 15–16” pie; use a single portion for one 15–16” pizza). Shape into tight balls, cover and rest 30 minutes to relax the gluten before stretching.

Combine 1 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp EVOO and optional 1 tbsp chopped basil in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep sauce loose — it should be spreadable but not watery. No cooking required.

Preheat your gas brick oven (or home oven with pizza stone) to the hottest setting available; target ~650°F (if using home oven, set as high as it goes and preheat 60–90 minutes with the stone/steel). Dust a pizza peel with 2 tbsp semolina or rice flour to prevent sticking.

On a lightly floured surface, press and stretch one dough ball into a 15–16” round, leaving a slightly thicker 1/2–3/4" rim for the crust. Use your fingers to create an even, thin center. Transfer the stretched dough to the dusted peel.

Lightly brush the dough center with a thin film of EVOO (about 1 tsp) to help protect from soggy spots. Spoon or ladle 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sauce onto the center and spread in a thin, even layer, leaving the rim uncovered.

Distribute the cheeses: scatter about 8 oz shredded mozzarella evenly across the sauce, then sprinkle 2 oz grated white cheddar in small clusters, and lay 2 oz thin provolone slices over the top for flavor layering. Leave some small gaps for pepperoni to crisp against the cheese.

Arrange pepperoni slices evenly over the cheese; for a 15–16” pie use roughly 35–45 slices depending on overlap. The pepperoni will render oils and crisp in the hot oven.

Slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated stone/brick in the oven. Bake at ~650°F (or your oven's max) for 4–7 minutes in a commercial brick oven; at home on a pizza steel/stone at highest heat, expect 6–10 minutes. Rotate the pie halfway through bake for even charring.

Watch for the crust to puff and develop leopard spotting, cheese to melt and bubble, and pepperoni edges to crisp and slightly curl. Total bake time will vary by oven, so rely on visual cues.

When done, use the peel to remove pizza. Immediately sprinkle 1 tbsp grated Romano evenly over the hot pizza, then dust 1 tsp dried oregano across the top and drizzle 1 tsp EVOO around the crust and over the toppings.

Let rest 2–3 minutes to set, then slice into 6–8 slices. Serve hot.