Name: Tony's Baltimore Grills THE JUDGE (DAMON TYNER) Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 unit pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, 12–14 inch); 1 tbs olive oil; 0.5 tsp garlic (minced); 0.5 cups pizza sauce (tomato-based, smooth); 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, whole-milk preferred); 0.5 cups Italian sausage (cooked, mild or hot per preference), sliced or crumbled; 0.5 cups pepperoni (sliced); 0.75 cups cherry peppers (pickled or fresh, sliced into rings; all cherry peppers per menu); 0.25 cups red bell pepper (optional — for color and mild sweetness), thinly sliced; 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 4 leaves fresh basil (optional, torn); 0.25 tsp salt; 0.125 tsp black pepper

Method

Dough & Base

Preheat and prepare dough

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat for at least 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface or parchment, stretch or roll the pizza dough into a 12–14 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust.

Season base

Brush the dough surface lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil mixed with the 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, avoiding the outer 1/2 inch crust. This adds flavor and helps the crust brown.

Sauce and cheese

Spread 1/2 cup pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving the outer rim. Sprinkle 2 cups shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce, covering to the edges of the sauce.

Proteins & Meats

Prepare sausage

If your Italian sausage is raw, cook it first in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C), then drain excess fat and crumble or thinly slice. For pre-cooked sausage, warm briefly in a skillet. Scatter 1/2 cup of the cooked sausage evenly over the cheese on the pizza.

Add pepperoni

Distribute 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni evenly on top of the sausage and cheese, overlapping slightly if needed so the meats cover the pie uniformly.

Peppers & Toppings

Prepare cherry peppers

If using pickled cherry peppers, drain and slice into rings. If using fresh, core and slice into rings or halves. Measure about 3/4 cup sliced cherry peppers. Scatter them evenly across the pizza so every slice has plenty of pepper pieces (menu specifies 'All Cherry Peppers').

Optional additional peppers

If using the optional red bell pepper, scatter 1/4 cup thin slices across the pizza for added color and sweetness.

Season

Lightly sprinkle 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste), 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper over the top. This helps balance the pickled pepper brightness and the meats' saltiness.

Bake

Transfer the assembled pizza to the preheated pizza stone or oven rack (on a baking sheet or pizza peel). Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 7–10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling and starting to brown. Baking time will vary with oven and stone; watch the crust edge and underside for desired crispness.

Finish and rest

Remove pizza from oven. If using, scatter torn fresh basil leaves over the hot pizza. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice into 8 pieces and serve hot.

The Judge (damon Tyner) Recipe