Description
Homemade pepperoni pizza combines spicy and sweet flavors with crisp crust and melted cheese. Rich toppings and hot honey drizzle create a perfect balance that will satisfy pizza cravings in one delicious slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pizza dough
- 8 oz (226 g) fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 4 oz (113 g) pepperoni
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk ricotta
- ¼ cup (40 g) castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
- 2 tbsps hot honey
- 2 tbsps freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Combine 00 flour and salt in stand mixer bowl. Whisk warm water, yeast, and honey separately until foamy, then integrate into flour mixture. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing until dough forms a cohesive mass and pulls away from bowl edges.
- Dough Resting: Transfer dough to lightly floured surface, knead until smooth. Place in olive oil-coated bowl, cover, and let rise in warm environment until doubled. Portion into dough balls and refrigerate for 24-72 hours to develop deep flavor complexity.
- Sauce Creation: Heat olive oil in saucepan, sauté minced garlic. Incorporate tomato paste and salt, stirring constantly. Add crushed tomatoes, dried herbs, seasonings, and sugar. Simmer covered, then fold in fresh basil after cooling.
- Oven Preheating: Heat pizza oven to 750-800°F or conventional oven to maximum temperature with pizza stone inside. Allow proofed dough to reach room temperature.
- Pizza Assembly: Roll dough to 10-12 inch circular shape. Dust pizza peel with flour, transfer dough, and spread sauce to edges. Layer mozzarella, pepperoni, ricotta, and olives across surface.
- Baking and Finishing: Launch pizza into scorching oven, rotating for even cooking. Bake 2-2.5 minutes in pizza oven or 10-12 minutes in conventional oven. Drizzle with hot honey, sprinkle red pepper flakes and parmesan, then garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Prep Dough Strategically: Cold fermentation (24-72 hours) intensifies pizza flavor, developing deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Temperature Matters: Ensure precise oven heat around 750-800°F for authentic crispy, leopard-spotted crust with perfect char.
- Flour Power: Use high-protein 00 flour for authentic Italian-style stretchy, tender pizza dough texture.
- Strategic Layering: Apply sauce and toppings sparingly to prevent soggy center, maintaining crisp crust integrity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 466
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1033 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 59 mg