Pepperoni Mozzarella, House Red Sauce Recipe

Activate yeast

Pour the warm water into a small bowl, stir in the sugar, then sprinkle the active dry yeast on top. Let sit undisturbed for 5–7 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, the yeast may be inactive — start over with fresh yeast.

Mix dough

In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, add the foamy yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a shaggy dough forms and most flour is hydrated.

Knead

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 6–8 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If dough is very sticky, sprinkle up to 1–2 tablespoons more flour while kneading.

First rest

Shape dough into a ball, coat lightly with a drizzle of olive oil, place it in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rest at room temperature for 30–40 minutes until slightly puffy. This short rise is sufficient for small pizzettas.

Divide and shape

After resting, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into 4 equal pieces (about 130–150 g each). Shape each piece into a tight ball and let them rest 5 minutes before rolling to relax the gluten.

Sauté garlic

While the dough is resting, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant — do not brown.

Simmer sauce

Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 8–12 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Finish sauce

If you prefer a smoother sauce, pulse briefly with an immersion blender or mash with the back of a spoon. Keep the sauce warm or at room temperature until assembling.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes so the stone/sheet is thoroughly heated.

Shape pizzettas

On a work surface lightly dusted with cornmeal, take one dough ball and press from the center outward with your fingers to form an 8-inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for a rim. You can also use a rolling pin for a thinner crust. Repeat for remaining dough balls, keeping shaped rounds on parchment or a well-dusted peel/board.

Sauce and toppings

Spread about 3–4 tablespoons of house red sauce evenly over each dough round, leaving the rim bare. Sprinkle roughly 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella on each pizzetta, then arrange 6 pepperoni slices per pizzetta (more or fewer to taste).

Bake

Slide the pizzettas (on parchment or floured peel) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, rotating halfway through if needed, until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Final touches

Remove the pizzettas from the oven. Immediately scatter 2 fresh basil leaves on each hot pizzetta, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan per 2 pizzettas (or 1/8 cup across all, divided), and drizzle each with a small amount of olive oil (about 1/4 tsp per pizzetta).

Rest and serve

Let the pizzettas rest 2 minutes to set, then slice or serve whole. Serve hot for brunch with optional crushed red pepper and extra basil.