Grandma Style Pizza

Step 1

Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Stir to combine.

Step 2

Heat water in microwavable safe bowl for 30 seconds. Temperature should be between 85F and 95F. Add yeast to water and let sit for 5 minutes. We're not looking for a full activation, just a bit of a jumpstart.

Step 3

Slowly add water/yeast mixture to the stand mixer, mixing on low until it forms a smooth consistency, about 10 minutes. Note: dough will be very wet and sticky, and the bottom will stick to the bowl. You may need to scrape the bottom up with a spatula from time to time.

Step 4

Turn mixer off. With the dough still in mixer bowl, and with wet hands, fold into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, and set on counter for 1 - 2 hours to kick-start fermentation. You should notice some rise in the dough but not quite doubling in volume.

Step 5

Place in refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 days.

Step 6

Let dough come to room temperature on the counter for 3 hours.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 550°F (if you have a pizza stone or steel, add it to your oven on the lower rack). If using an Ooni or other outdoor pizza oven, preheat until 650-750 degrees, about 15 minutes.

Step 8

Grease your pan with a stick of butter or Crisco. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the pan. Because of the high hydration in this recipe, you may need to wet your hands prior to handling. Flatten and stretch the dough to fit the pan as close as possible (a tiny bit of shrinking may happen, that's fine). Let sit for ½ hour, then stretch again ensuring dough touches edges of pan. You can pull the dough up the edges of the pan an inch or so to create that crust characteristic to grandma-style pizzas.

Step 9

Add shredded mozzarella. With a ladle, dollop sauce around the pizza.

Step 10

For home ovens: place your pan on the steel/stone and bake for 15 minutes, watching to ensure cheese does not burn. If you do not have a stone/steel, place the pan on the bottom of your oven (no rack) and cook for the same time. In both cases, toss the broiler on for the final minute or two if the cheese is not browning fast enough. For outdoor pizza ovens: bake for 12 minutes, rotating pan a quarter turn every 3 minutes, and covering with tinfoil if browning too quickly.

Step 11

Remove from oven and use a thin metal spatula along the edges to separate the pizza from the pan. Slide onto a wire rack to rest for 3 minutes. Slice, and enjoy.