Detroit-Style Pepperoni Pizza

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 lb brick cheese or whole-milk mozzarella, cut into small cubes
• 5 oz cup pepperoni
• 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Salt, to taste

Before you cook

• Cut the brick cheese into small cubes.
• Mince the garlic.
• Oil a 9x13-inch rectangular steel or metal pan generously.

Steps

1. Whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add the warm water and olive oil to the dry ingredients.
3. Mix and knead the dough for 8 minutes, until smooth and slightly sticky.
4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 hour, until doubled.
5. Stir the garlic, oregano, and sugar into the crushed tomatoes and season with salt.
6. Press the risen dough into the oiled pan, stretching it to the corners.
7. Cover the dough and let it rest in the pan for 30 minutes, until puffy.
8. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
9. Scatter the cubed cheese evenly over the dough, pushing it all the way to the edges of the pan.
10. Arrange the pepperoni over the cheese.
11. Spoon the tomato sauce in two or three stripes across the top, leaving cheese visible between them.
12. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheese edges are deeply caramelized and the crust is golden.
13. Run a thin spatula around the edges to loosen the pizza from the pan.
14. Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing into squares.