Pepperoni Recipe

Activate yeast and mix

In a small bowl, combine warm water (about 105–110°F / 40–43°C) and sugar, then sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit for 5–7 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour.

Knead

Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or use a dough hook on medium speed for 6–7 minutes). Dough should be tacky but not sticky; add up to 1–2 tbs extra flour if excessively sticky.

First rise

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

Shape and rest

Punch down the dough, shape into a ball, and let rest 20–30 minutes at room temperature covered. This relaxes the gluten and makes stretching easier.

In a small bowl, crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand (or pulse briefly in a blender for a smoother texture). Stir in minced garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. No cooking required for a fresh, bright pizza sauce; let the flavors meld while dough rises (10–30 minutes).

Preheat oven and prepare peel

Place a pizza stone or heavy baking steel on the center rack and preheat oven to maximum temperature (500–550°F / 260–290°C) for at least 45 minutes. If using a home oven that doesn’t reach that high, preheat to the highest setting. Dust a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet with semolina or cornmeal.

Stretch the dough

On a lightly floured surface, press the rested dough ball into a 12–14" round by pressing from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Stretch carefully by hand or drape over knuckles to achieve an even thin center and a puffy edge. Avoid tearing and keep a 1/2"–3/4" rim.

Sauce and cheese

Spread about 3/4 cup of the San Marzano tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the rim clear. Distribute the torn/sliced house mozzarella evenly over the sauce, leaving some small gaps for browning.

Add pepperoni

Arrange pepperoni slices in a slightly overlapping pattern across the pizza. For crispier edges, place some pepperoni at the outer crust edge as well. Use about 18–22 slices depending on size to fully cover the surface.

Bake

Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone/steel and bake 7–10 minutes at 500–550°F (or until crust is golden and charred in spots, cheese is bubbly and pepperoni edges are crisp). Keep an eye after 6 minutes; oven variability changes bake time.

Finish with pesto and basil

Remove pizza from the oven. Immediately dot or thinly streak 2 tbs of basil pesto across the hot pizza (you can warm pesto slightly if cold). Scatter fresh basil leaves, drizzle 1 tsp olive oil, and sprinkle crushed red pepper if desired. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice and serve.

Cut into 6–8 slices and serve hot. Leftover pizza can be reheated in a hot skillet or oven to keep crust crisp.