Grandpa Joe's
Thin Crust Pizza

Don't be discouraged by the two days required to make this pizza.  It has incredible flavor and texture!

About this recipe

This pizza dough in this recipe was created especially for wood-fired ovens, which typically cook pizzas in under two minutes at about 1,000° F.  I have discovered, however, that it works equally well using a pizza stone in a conventional oven set at 525° F, but the pizza requires a few extra minutes to cook.

Ingredients

  • Pizza Dough
  • Pizza Sauce or Fresh Pizza Sauce
  • your favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, olives, etc.)
  • your favorite cheeses (I recommend pecorino Romano and fresh mozzarella with tomato sauces)

Directions - Day 1

  1. Make the pizza dough and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Prepare your favorite pizza sauce.

Directions - Day 2

  1. Roll out the pizzas according to the recipe instructions and place them on wooden pizza peels.
  2. Add your favorite sauce.  As you can see in the accompanying photograph, basil pesto makes a superb base, too.  The sauce should be cold, or no warmer than room temperature, to keep the dough from becoming soggy.
  3. Add one layer of your favorite toppings, and a layer of your favorite cheeses.  Pizza toppings should be added in moderation.  I always recommend, "No toppings on top of toppings!"  This applies to the cheeses, too.  For the very best result, you should be able to see at least parts of the sauce and all the toppings before and after the pizza is cooked.  If you can't see the sauce, you have used too much cheese.  This will require some discipline, but you will be rewarded.
  4. If you are using a pizza stone, allow at least 30 minutes to preheat the oven and stone to at 525° F.  Bake the pizza on the stone for seven minutes, or just until the crust begins to char slightly.  If you are using a pizza pan, an additional 2 to 3 minutes will be required, or as before, until the crust begins to char. 

Notes

  • You can also use a cookie sheet (typically about 17 by 12 inches) for your pizza.  Just use two dough portions. Generously oil the pan and work the dough from the center of the pan out using your hands and fingers.  Sheet pizzas should be baked at 475° F for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is clearly golden brown and delicious
  • Please note that this recipe has been optimized for King Arthur's Bread Flour.  Other bread flours will work equally well, but more or less water may be required.
  • Be sure to record the total baking time when you try this recipe with a pizza pan .  This time will likely be constant for your oven for all future pizzas.
Oven-baked pizza with my family's Pizza Sauce, pepperoni, and fresh mozzarella and pecorino Romano cheeses.
Wood-fired oven pizza with sliced red potatoes and red onions over basil pesto, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black lava salt.
Posted: January 2014.