Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Set a timer for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, dampen your hands with water; then pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the bowl quarter turns and continue this pulling 8 to 10 times. (In the video, I employ a “slap and fold” technique.) By the end, the dough should feel smoother and stronger. You can repeat this “stretch and fold” one more time 30 minutes later if time permits or you can simply set the bowl aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in bulk. (In the video, I transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel — this is to better show the dough doubling in volume.)

Step 2

Dust a work surface or cutting board very lightly with flour. (If you are comfortable using no flour at all, do that.) Turn the dough out onto your floured surface. Using floured hands, shape the blob of dough into a ball — it helps to use the pinkie-edges of your hands to pinch the dough underneath each ball or to use a bench scraper. At this point, you can transfer the dough to a lidded vessel and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. Skip to preparing the pan for baking.

Step 3

Place the water in a large bowl. Add the starter and stir with a spatula to combine. Add the salt and stir again; then add the flour. Mix again until the flour is mostly incorporated. Use your hands if necessary to briefly knead in the last bits of flour. Cover vessel with a tea towel or cloth bowl cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

Step 4

After 30 minutes have passed, reach into the vessel and pull the dough up and into the center. Turn the vessel quarter turns and continue this pulling 8 to 10 times. Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes; then repeat the stretching and folding. After these two sets of stretches and folds, you should see a difference in the texture of the dough: it will be smoother, stronger, and more elastic.

Step 5

If you have a straight-sided vessel, transfer the dough to it; then cover it with a tea towel or bowl cover and set aside to rise at room temperature (70ºF/21ºC) for 4 to 8 hours (the time will vary depending on the time of year, the strength of your starter, and the temperature of your kitchen) or until the dough has roughly doubled in volume. (A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.)

Step 6

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a rough ball. I like to do this without flour, but use flour as needed — the dough will be sticky. Use the pinkie-edges of your hands to pinch the dough underneath to create a ball. Skip to preparing the pan for baking.

Step 7

Grease the pan with the tablespoon of softened butter. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the center. Place the dough ball in the pan and turn to coat. Let rest 30 – 60 minutes. With lightly oiled hands, stretch the dough to fit the pan. You may not get it all the way to the edges. When the dough resists, let it rest again, for 5 to 10 minutes or so; then stretch it to the edges.

Step 8

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the pizza, spreading it all the way to the edges.

Step 9

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the dough and transfer pan to the fridge for at least 3 hours but ideally 18-24 hours. Note: If you are rushed and want to bake the pizza immediately, you can let it proof at room temperature: 1 hour for the yeast-leavened pizza, 3 to 4 hours for the sourdough-leavened pizza.

Step 10

If you have a Baking Steel or pizza stone, place it on a rack in the lower third of your oven, and heat your oven to 500ºF. Finish topping the pizza: spread the 1/2 cup of tomato sauce evenly over the top. Spread the pepperoni evenly over the surface. If you are using pickled jalapeños, scatter them evenly over the pizza, keeping in mind heat tolerance — they make the pizza very spicy. Let the topped pizza rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour.

Step 11

Transfer pizza to the oven and place on heated Baking Steel or pizza stone for 15 minutes or until the edges look very caramelized — nearly burnt. Remove the pan from the oven and let the pizza rest for 5 minutes in the pan. Run a paring knife or spatula around the pan’s edges. Then, carefully remove the entire pizza from the pan, transferring it to a cutting board. If you are using the honey, drizzle it over top. Cut the pizza into 12 pieces and serve.