The Detroiter Recipe

Proof the yeast: stir warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let rest 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Mix dough: in a large bowl combine flour and salt. Add foamy yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead: turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. (If using stand mixer, knead with dough hook 4–5 minutes.)

First rise: oil a bowl lightly, place dough ball inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60–90 minutes.

Degas and shape: punch down dough, divide if making two smaller pizzas (this recipe makes one large 12–14" or two 9–10"), and rest 10 minutes before stretching.

Make quick sauce: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Preheat oven and pan: position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet inside. If using a Detroit-style steel pan (9x13" or similar), lightly oil it and preheat in the oven as well.

Prepare pan: lightly oil the bottom and sides of your pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle cornmeal on the bottom to prevent sticking and add a light crunch.

Stretch dough: stretch or roll the rested dough to fit your pan (for Detroit-style, stretch to the pan edges; dough should be slightly thicker than thin-crust). Press into corners so it contacts the pan evenly.

Layer smoked pepperoni under the cheese: distribute the thinly sliced smoked pepperoni evenly across the dough surface. This creates flavor under the cheese layer and mellows the smoked pepperoni while imparting fat into the crust.

Add cheese: pile shredded whole-milk mozzarella evenly over the smoked pepperoni, covering to the edges (this helps create the caramelized cheese edge typical of Detroit pizzas). Sprinkle grated Parmesan lightly over the mozzarella.

Add natural casing pepperoni on top: arrange the natural casing pepperoni slices on top of the cheese in a single layer. If using whole stick pepperoni, slice 1/8"–1/16" thick for good curl and crispness.

Spoon sauce in stripes or dollops: traditionally, Detroit-style places sauce on top after cheese; spoon 6–8 stripes or dollops of the prepared sauce over the top of the pizza, leaving some cheese visible. Use more or less to taste.

Bake: transfer the pan to the preheated oven (onto the hot stone or rack). Bake for 12–18 minutes until cheese is deeply golden at the edges, the top pepperoni is crisping, and the crust is deeply golden and cooked through. Ovens vary—start checking at 12 minutes.

Edge caramelization: if you want extra caramelized cheese edges, broil on high for 1–2 minutes watching carefully to avoid burning.

Rest and finish: remove the pan from the oven and let the pizza rest 3–5 minutes. Brush the crust lightly with a little olive oil for shine and richness.

Slice and garnish: transfer to a cutting surface, slice into squares or wedges. Sprinkle crushed red pepper if desired and add fresh basil leaves just before serving.