With a stretchy barrier of cheese supporting dollops of tangy tomato sauce, this sheet pan pizza sports a fluffy yet crispy crust.Reminiscent of Sicilian pizza, this slightly thinner New York staple is one of the easiest pizza recipes to make at home because it does not require a pizza oven, pizza stone, or any other special tools! Thishearty rectangular pizza will become one of your favorite family meal ideas. Serve witha fresh salad, sautéed vegetables, or some ranch dressing for dipping!
What is grandma pizza?
Sometimes called sheet pan pizza, the name "grandma pizza" comes from a place of respect for the rustic pizzas made by Italian immigrants working with the ingredients and equipment they had in their home kitchens. Inspired by Ligurian focaccia, the barely kneaded, bubbly dough is patted into an oiled sheet pan. Small indentations made by fingers (perfect time tobring in the kids!) create opportunity for little pockets of cheese and pools of sauce to embed into the crust. A layer of shredded cheese protects the crustgetting soggy from the sauce dotted on top. A final layer of delicious pepperoni and a sprinkle of cheese and this sheet pan pizza is ready to be baked. What kind of pepperoni goes on sheet pan pizza?
With melty cheese and crispy pepperonicurled at the edges into perfect cups, there is hardly a more beautiful sight than a steaming pepperoni pizza.This recipe calls for a stick of natural casing pepperoni sliced into 1/4-inch rounds. Unlike pre-cut pepperoni, buying a whole stickis even more bang for your buck. The natural casing not only protects the meat, it also causes the pepperoni to curl up at high heat. There is no need to peel the casing off of the pepperoni before slicing it. Try to get it as close to 1/4-inch slices as possible, any thicker and the pepperoni might not curl as nicely and any thinner and they might burn.
Do you need a stand mixer to make sheet pan pizza dough?
This recipe is written with the humble beginnings of traditional grandma pizza in mind. Mixing dough by hand is easier than you might think and is a great way to get familiar with it. The yeast feeds on the sugar in the dough, which speeds up the fermentation process. This dough will form a beautiful network of glutenous bubbles without the need to knead! If you're in a pinch, 1 1/2pounds of store-bought pizza dough from the deli section will work for this recipe. Starting from step 3, pat the dough into the oiled pan and allow it to rise until puffy. This will take one hour to one hour and 30 minutes.
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- Yields:
- 10 - 12 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 30 mins
- Total Time:
- 3 hrs 30 mins
Ingredients
For the sheet pan pizza:
- 1 1/2 tsp.
active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp.
granulated sugar
- 1 c.
plus 2 tablespoonswarm water (90-100°F)
- 3 c.
all-purpose flour
- 6 Tbsp.
olive oil, divided
- 2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1
6.5-ounce natural casing pepperoni stick
- 3 c.
shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 c.
grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 1/2 c.
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Directions
For the sheet pan pizza:
- Step1Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of warm water (90-100°F) in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and then let sit until bubbles have formed on the top, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt;mix with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Continue to mix the dough, using your hands as necessary, until the flour is completely mixed in and a shaggy, wet dough forms, 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Step2Drizzle the top of the dough and down the sides of the bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use a rubber spatula to flip the dough to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Continue onto step 3, or, if you want pizza another night, place the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Step3Pour the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in an 18-by-13-inch half sheet pan. Use your hands to spread the oil around the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Step4Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, flipping it to coat both sides in oil. Using your fingers, press the dough into the pan. If the dough keeps shrinking, cover the pan in plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes before pressing it to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover the dough and allow it to proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour until it is puffy. (Allow the dough to proof for an additional 30 minutes if the dough came from the refrigerator.)
- Step5About 45 minutes before the dough is finished proofing, heat the oven to 500°F and place one oven rack on the bottom of the oven.Slice the pepperoni into ¼-inch rounds.
- Step6Using your fingers, make small indentations in the dough. Sprinkle the surface of the dough evenly with 2 cups of mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of parmesan. Dot the surface of the pizza with the Homemade Pizza Sauce. Top with pepperoni slices and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Step7Bake the pizza on the bottom rack until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the cheese is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the pizza with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan. Remove the pizza from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Serve hot or warm.
Tip: Buying a stick of pepperoni is not only more economical, it is also fresher and ensures beautiful, crispy pepperoni cups!
