Letting the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight results in a chewy crust with a slight tang. Letting it sit for up to three days adds even more texture and complexity.
Dough
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water (90 to 105 degrees)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
- extra-virgin olive oil
Toppings
- one, 14-ounce can peeled whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano, rumbled
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 lbs buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 32 large basil leaves, torn into pieces
Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the yeast with 1/2 cup of the warm water and the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups of warm water, the 4 cups of flour and the kosher salt and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface a nd knead, adding dlour as necessary. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and brush all over with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for up to 3 days.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then punch down and divide into 4 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Rub each ball with oil and transfer to a baking sheet. Cover the balls loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for 1 hour.
Prepare the toppings: Meanwhile, set a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing at least 45 minutes for the stone to heat. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill set over a medium bowl or pulse them in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Stir in the oregano and 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
On a lightly floured surface, stretch one ball of dough into a 13-inch round; transfer to a floured pizza peel, adding flour where the dough sticks. Spread 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over the dough to within 1 inch of the edge. Spread one-fourth of the cheese over the pizza and drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil. Season with sea salt and pepper and slide the pizza onto the stone. Bake until the bottom is charred and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes. Scatter one-fourth of the basil on top and let stand for 3 minutes before serving. Repeat with the remaining doughs and toppings.
Source: Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2008.
