Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Ingredients (8 Slices)

Pizza Dough

  • 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3/4 cup warm water

Pizza Sauce

  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
  • dried Italian seasoning, to taste
  • oregano, to taste
  • 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
  • crushed tomatoes
  • sea salt, to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp. sugar

Pizza Toppings

  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 20 slices pepperoni
  • red pepper flakes, optional for serving
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese, finely shredded, optional for serving

Directions

For the pizza dough…

Combine the instant yeast, sugar, salt, garlic powder, basil, and 1 cup of flour in a large bowl.

Add the olive oil and warm water, using a wooden spoon to stir until the mixture is consistent.

Gradually add another cup of flour.

Add any additional flour as needed, stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Coat a separate large bowl in olive oil.

Lightly dust your hands with flour, shape the pizza dough into a ball, and transfer it to your olive oil-coated bowl.

Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.

Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.

Knead the dough until it is smooth, about 3-5 times.

Use a rolling pin to work the dough into 12″ circle.

Transfer the dough to a parchment paper lined pizza pan and fold the edges over to form a crust.

Drizzle additional olive oil over the top of the pizza and use a pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza with olive oil, crust included.

Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.

For the pizza sauce…

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, Italian seasoning and oregano for about 2-3 minutes, stirring until soft but not brown.

Add the minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Next, add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.

Add in the remaining ingredients; simmering on low heat for about half an hour, stirring occasionally.

Cool and use immediately, and refrigerate or freeze the remainder.

To assemble the pizza…

Preheat the oven to 425F.

While the oven preheats, assemble the pizza by evenly spreading around ¾ of a cup of the sauce over the pizza dough, leaving the crust uncoated.

Evenly spread the mozzarella cheese over the pizza, again, leaving the crust uncoated.

Top the pizza with the pepperoni slices and place it in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Remove the pizza from the oven, cut it into 8 slices, and serve with red pepper flakes and Parmigiano.

Buon Appetito!