Greek-Style Pizza

Greek-Style Pizza

A Cleveland-style classic featuring a thick, pan-baked crust topped with a seasoned tomato sauce, a generous layer of mozzarella, and a bold finish of crispy pepperoni and oregano.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •450 g (1 lb) bread flour, or all-purpose flour
• •7 g (1 packet) instant dry yeast
• •5 g (1 tsp) granulated sugar
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) warm water, around 40°C / 105°F
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil, plus extra for the bowl and pan
• •400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes, canned, preferably San Marzano
• •3 g (1 tsp) dried oregano, divided
• •2 g (1 tsp) garlic powder
• •3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt, for the sauce
• •280 g (10 oz) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded; whole-milk gives the best melt
• •85 g (3 oz) cup-and-char pepperoni, the small, thick slices that crisp at the edges; substitute with any pepperoni

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1–1½ hours, until roughly doubled.
2. 2 Make the sauce: While the dough rises, combine the crushed tomatoes, half the oregano, the garlic powder, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, mashing any large chunks. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and let cool; the sauce should be thick, not watery.
3. 3 Heat the oven and pan: Place a heavy 35 cm (14-inch) round steel pan or cast-iron skillet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) for at least 30 minutes. A screaming-hot pan is essential for a crisp bottom crust.
4. 4 Shape the crust: Punch down the dough and stretch it to fit the pan, pressing it up the sides about 1 cm (½ inch) to form a shallow rim. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough and tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
5. 5 Par-bake the crust: Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 4 minutes, just to set the base. The crust should be pale and just beginning to dry on top, not browned.
6. 6 Top the pizza: Spread the cooled tomato sauce over the par-baked crust in a thin, even layer, leaving the rim exposed. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce, then arrange the pepperoni slices on top. Finish with the remaining oregano.
7. 7 Bake: Return the pizza to the oven and bake for 10–14 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly and the pepperoni has cupped and crisped at the edges. The bottom of the crust should sound hollow when tapped.
8. 8 Rest and serve: Let the pizza rest in the pan for 2 minutes, then slide it onto a cutting board. Wait another 2 minutes before slicing so the cheese sets and the slices hold their shape. Cut into squares or wedges and serve hot.