The Stationmaster Recipe

Activate yeast and mix dough

Warm 1 cup water to about 105–115°F (warm to the touch). In a small bowl, stir warm water, sugar and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead dough

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with dough hook on low for 5–6 minutes.

First rise

Lightly oil a bowl, place dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1–1.5 hours.

Punch down and rest

Punch down the risen dough and let rest 10 minutes before shaping.

Make sauce

While the dough rises, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and optional sugar. Simmer gently 10–12 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Adjust seasoning

Taste and adjust salt, pepper or sugar as needed. Sauce should be bright and slightly tangy to stand up to toppings.

Pre-cook bacon and mushrooms

Preheat a skillet over medium. Cook bacon slices until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, then drain on paper towels and chop. In the same skillet, add mushrooms and sauté 3–4 minutes until any released liquid evaporates; season lightly with salt. Let cool.

Prep vegetables and cheese

Slice green pepper into thin strips, slice olives, and thinly slice onion. Shred mozzarella if not pre-shredded.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes so it is very hot.

Shape dough

On a lightly floured surface (or dusted with cornmeal), stretch or roll the dough into a 13–14 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust. Transfer to a pizza peel or another inverted baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.

Sauce and cheese

Spread an even layer (about 3/4–1 cup) of the cooled tomato sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2–3/4 inch border. Sprinkle 2 to 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce.

Add toppings

Arrange pepperoni slices evenly over the cheese. Distribute chopped bacon, sliced green peppers, mushrooms, sliced onions and green olives across the pizza. Reserve a few pepperoni or olives for appearance if desired. If you like a touch of heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes lightly. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the top.

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake 9–12 minutes until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown at the edges. Baking time varies by oven and stone temperature.

Finish and rest

Remove pizza from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Slice and serve hot.

If desired, sprinkle a pinch of extra oregano or chopped fresh basil on top before serving. Serve immediately. Any leftover pizza stores in the refrigerator up to 3 days and reheats crisply in a 400°F oven for 6–8 minutes.