Thin Crust Pizza

Why this recipe works New York–style pizza is something special: It has a thin, crisp, and spottily charred exterior, and it’s tender yet chewy within. But with home ovens that reach only 500 degrees and dough that’s impossible to stretch thin, the savviest cooks struggle to produce parlor-quality pies. In pursuit of the perfect crust at home, we made the dough fairly wet so it was easy to stretch. This also allowed it to retain moisture. This dough was the perfect candidate to knead in the food processor—wet but not too loose. The blade’s rapid action turned the dough elastic in just about a minute (after a brief rest). This dough was easy to stretch, but it puffed in the oven and was a little bland. The solution was to employ a slow, cold fermentation by chilling the dough in the refrigerator for a day or so instead of letting it rise on the counter. This kept the bubbles in the dough tighter, and it created more flavor via the prolonged production of sugar, alcohol, and acids. Adding oil and sugar to the dough encouraged more crunch and color, but the oven rack placement really gave us the crust we were looking for. Most recipes call for placing the pizza on the bottom rack, close to the heating element. That browns the bottom but dries out the crust. Situating the baking stone on the highest rack mimicked the shallow chamber of a commercial pizza oven, in which heat rises, radiates off the top of the oven, and browns the pizza before the interior dries out. Shape the second dough ball while the first pizza bakes, but don’t top the pizza until right before you bake it. If you add more toppings, keep them light or they may weigh down the thin crust. The sauce will yield more than is needed in the recipe; extra sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.

MAKES: two 13-inch pizzas

RESTING TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

RISING TIME: 24 hours

BAKING TIME: 16 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 26½ hours, plus 5 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: food processor, baking stone, pizza peel

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE DOUGH

• 3 cups (16½ ounces) bread flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1⅓ cups (10⅔ ounces) ice water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1½ teaspoons salt

FOR THE SAUCE AND TOPPINGS 

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated fine (½ cup)
• 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 5 pulses. With the processor running, slowly add ice water and process until the dough is just combined and there is no dry flour remaining, about 10 seconds. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. Add oil and salt to the dough in the processor and process until the dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears the sides of the bowl, for 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, for about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
3. For the sauce and toppings, process tomatoes, oil, garlic, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in a clean and dry work bowl of the food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup and add reserved tomato juice until the sauce measures 2 cups. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce and set aside the remaining sauce for another use.
4. One hour before baking, adjust the oven rack to be 4 inches from the broiler element, place a baking stone on the rack, and preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Press down on the dough to deflate it, then transfer the dough to a clean counter, divide it in half, and cover the pieces loosely with greased plastic wrap. Pat one piece of dough into a 4-inch round (keeping the other piece covered). Working around the circumference of the dough, fold the edges toward the center until a ball forms.
5. Flip the ball seam side down and, using your cupped hands, drag it in small circles on the counter until the dough feels taut and round and all seams are secured on the underside. If the dough sticks to your hands, lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Repeat this process with the remaining piece of dough. Space the dough balls 3 inches apart, cover them loosely with greased plastic wrap, and let them rest for 1 hour.
6. Heat the broiler for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, generously coat one dough ball with flour and place it on a well-floured counter. Gently flatten it into an 8-inch round using your fingertips, leaving 1 inch of the outer edge slightly thicker than the center. Use your hands to gently stretch the dough into a 12-inch round, working along the edge and giving the disk quarter turns.
7. Transfer the dough to a well-floured pizza peel and stretch it into a 13-inch round. Using the back of a spoon or a ladle, spread ½ cup of tomato sauce in an even layer over the surface of the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle ¼ cup of Parmesan evenly over the sauce, followed by 1 cup of mozzarella.
8. Carefully slide the pizza onto the baking stone and return the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until the crust is well browned and the cheese is bubbly and partially browned, for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza halfway through baking. Transfer the pizza to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Heat the broiler for 10 minutes again. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, sauce, and toppings, returning the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit when each pizza is placed on the stone.