Authentic NY Pizza Recipe

Recipe Overview

Mixing*:

• Add lukewarm water (77F) to bowl of stand mixer
• Add flour, IDY, sugar, and mix on low until fully combined, about 90 seconds
• Add oil and mix on speed 2 until absorbed, about 1 minute
• Add salt and continue mixing for 1 more minute
• Turn dough out onto the counter and knead by hand for 1-2 minutes
• Cover and bulk ferment for 30 minutes, performing one stretch and fold halfway through

*At this low of a hydration, hand mixing can be difficult. If you must hand mix, dissolve the yeast into the water, add the flour and sugar, mix until completely combined, mix in the oil, then fully mix in the salt. Cover and rest for 20 minutes, then proceed to steps 5 and 6

Ball:

• Take out a container(s) large enough to hold the dough balls
• Divide the dough into 4 equal dough balls by weight and shape into tight balls, being sure to pinch the bottom seam shut before placing in your container, seam side down, and cover
• Proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature (68F-70F)
• Place the container in your refrigerator and cold proof for 1-2 days
• 3-4 hours before bake time, take the container with the dough balls out of the refrigerator and allow them to proof at room temperature. When it is time to shape they should be plump and pillowy, absent of any large bubbles

Preheat Oven:

• If able, adjust your oven +10 degrees
• Place steel in the middle of your oven
• Preheat oven to 550F Convection Bake if possible, otherwise Bake will do
• Once oven comes to temperature, allow to preheat for 1 hour

Edge Shape:

• Fill a large bowl with flour (all purpose is fine)
• Remove dough ball and place in the bowl with the flour
• Using your finger tips, flatten the dough ball into the flour by gently poking it
• Flip and do the same, keeping it a circle as best as you can
• Flip once more, poke with your finger tips, pick the dough up, and pass it back and forth between your hands to shake off excess flour back into the bowl
• Place the dough onto your lightly floured wooden peel or counter top
• Using your fingers, carefully establish a rim around the perimeter of the dough by poking with your finger
• Once your rim is established, poke from the middle out, avoiding the rim
• Rotate 90 degrees and repeat a few times, pushing out from the middle while avoiding the rim and expanding the diameter of your dough
• Pop any large bubbles that may appear in the rim, but don’t worry about smaller ones
• Flip over and repeat steps 8-10 before flipping back over
• On your pizza peel or counter top, with the outside of your dominant hand placed inside the rim of the dough and your non-dominant hand down on the lower half of the dough, stretch at the rim, pulling from the middle with your dominant hand while your non-dominant hand lightly applies pressure, holding the dough in place
• Rotate slightly as you stretch. The dough should easily slide on top of the peel or countertop. If it sticks, add some flour underneath
• After a few edge stretches your dough should be approximately 10 inches
• Pick your dough up and pass it back and forth between your hands, keeping your hands as close to the edge of the dough as you can - this knocks off excess flour and stretches the dough some.
• Using the first knuckles of your fingers and thumb, take the dough and stretch it from the edge, rotating/tossing as you go, being sure to stretch from the edge and letting the middle follow
• When done properly, the middle to the inside rim of the dough should be an even thickness
• When the dough is approximately 13-14 inches place it down onto a lightly floured wooden peel

Top

• With a spoon or ladle, place approximately 110 grams of pizza sauce* in the middle of your dough and with the bottom of the spoon or ladle, evenly spread it over the dough in a circular motion, leaving about a half inch rim along the perimeter
• With your hands, carefully spread approximately 95 grams of grated whole milk low moisture mozzarella over the sauce, working from around the edge and in.
• Alternatively, place 5 to 6 thin slices of whole milk low moisture mozzarella over the sauce, being sure not to overlap, tearing the slices to fill in the gaps. The thin slices of mozzarella ensure an even layer of cheese and help to avoid grease spots that can happen from uneven clumps of grated cheese
• Top with any other desired toppings

*A tip for knowing how much of an ingredient you are using:

Put the ingredient in its container on your scale and “tare” the scale. Now when you remove an amount of the ingredient, the scale will read “-75g” telling you you’ve removed 75 grams of the ingredient

Bake:

• Launch pizza after the 1 hour preheat - target steel temperature should be approximately 595F
• Immediately turn the broiler to Hi
• After 1.5 minutes turn the oven back to Convection Bake
• Remove the pizza with a metal peel after a 3.5 to 5 minute total bake depending on the capabilities of your oven and preference of doneness
• Place pizza on a cooling rack for 1 minute, then cut either 1 large slice for yourself or 6 slices if you feel like sharing
• Devour immediately or allow the slice(s) to cool for 20 minutes if you’d like to reheat for an authentic slice shop experience

Reheat (optional):

• With your oven still at 550F convection bake, place your slice(s) on the steel
• After a 30-60 seconds (keep your eye on it!), remove from the steel and place it on a cooling rack to cool slightly before enjoying