New York White Pizza

Step 1

Remove dough from the refrigerator (leaving covered in proofing container) to warm up for 2-3 hours during the summer and 3-4 hours in winter.

Step 2

Set pizza steel to the second highest oven rack level and preheat the oven to the highest temperature for 45 minutes prior to shaping dough.

Step 3

Carefully remove dough ball from proofing container and drop into a large container with all-purpose flour. Turn once, then lay the dough ball with the sticky side facing up(this will be the side that rested on the bottom of the proofing container) onto a floured work surface for stretching. Near your work surface, place a wooden pizza peel sprinkled with semolina flour.

Step 4

With your fingers press down and form a rim, being careful not to deform the crust and degas the rim. Maintaining a round shape, leave more dough in the center and rotate the dough a couple of times to make the pizza larger.

Step 5

Once the pizza is about 8-9 inches, bring it into your knuckles to stretch to the final size of 15 inches. Gently stretch the dough by pulling with your knuckles and rotating. Once the pizza is the full size drop it onto the wooden pizza peel.

Step 6

At this point, you can stretch the dough into its final size, by gently pulling. Just try not to touch the rim too much. Shake the pizza peel and make sure the dough moves easily back and forth. If it does not sprinkle more semolina flour underneath the pizza and check again.

Step 7

With a pastry brush, wet the surface of the pizza with water to introduce some moisture. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil all over and brush that in as well.

Step 8

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly. Next, add dollops of the ricotta all over the pizza. Sprinkle the Pecorino Romano all over and then the salt, and garlic powder.

Step 9

Make sure the pizza slides once more, then check the pizza steel with an infrared thermometer. Once a reading of 610f (it will be less if using a 525f max oven) is achieved, launch the pizza onto the steel and close the oven door immediately.

Step 10

After 3 minutes with a metal pizza peel rotate the pizza 180 degrees. After 3 more minutes, the pizza should be finished. Depending on oven temp it might need another minute but watch carefully. Remove the pizza with a metal pizza peel and place on a wire rack to cook. Enjoy!