Recipe – Ooni Pepperoni Pizza
Ingredients
| For the Dough (makes 3-4 pizzas) | For the Pizza Sauce |
| 368g lukewarm water | 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil |
| 18 grams salt | 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped |
| 3.5g active dry yeast, or 2.6g instant dried yeast | 800g canned whole plum tomatoes |
| 613g “00” flour, plus extra for dusting | 2 tsp sugar, heaped |
| For the Pizza | 1 tsp salt |
| 70g mozzarella cheese per pizza | Handful of basil leaves, roughly torn |
| 8 slices of pepperoni sausage per pizza | Pinch of freshly ground black pepper |
| Freshly ground black pepper to taste |
Directions
Step 1 – Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and add the active dry yeast, using a whisk to thoroughly mix until blended. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt together, then pour it into the water. If using a mixer, fit the mixer with the dough hook and pour the flour and yeast mixture into the mixer bowl. Turn the machine on at a low speed for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it’s firm and stretchy. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. Continue mixing by hand until the pizza dough comes together in a ball. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes, until it’s firm and stretchy.
Step 2 – Once the dough is ready, cover with a dish towel and leave to rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours.
Step 3 – To make the pizza sauce, place the oil in a pan over medium heat. When warm, add the garlic and cook until softened but not brown (not more than a minute).
Step 4 – Pour the can of plum tomatoes into a bowl and use a masher or fork to break them apart and crush them down. Pour the tomatoes into the pan. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, or until the flavour has deepened and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Step 5 – When the dough is ready, divide it into 3 or 4 equal pieces, depending on the size of pizza you’re making (either 12- or 16-inches wide). Place each piece of dough in a separate bowl or tray, cover with a dish towel and leave to rise in a warm place for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Step 6 – When the dough is ready, place the first dough ball on a lightly-floured surface, flour your hands and use your fingertips to press the dough into a small, flat disc. Working from the centre, push the dough outwards while spreading your fingers, making the disc slightly bigger. Pick up the dough and gently pinch it all around the edge, allowing gravity to pull it downwards into a circle. Neapolitan-style pizza bases are very thin, so you should be able to see through the base when you hold it up to the light. Take care when doing this, as you don’t want it to tear.
Step 7 – Fire up your Ooni pizza oven. Aim for 500˚C (932˚F) on the stone baking board inside. You can check the temperature inside your Ooni quickly and easily using the Ooni Infrared Thermometer.
Step 8 – Using a small amount of flour, dust your Ooni pizza peel. Lay the first pizza base out on your pizza peel. Using a large spoon or ladle, spread some sauce evenly across the pizza base. Top with the pepperoni, then the mozzarella, torn into pieces.
Step 9 – Slide the pizza off the peel and into your Ooni pizza oven and cook it for 1 to 2 minutes, turning every 20 seconds to ensure an even bake.
Step 10 – Once cooked, remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle the pizza with some torn basil leaves and add the pepper. Serve straight away!
Note: Make more dough than you need, or just want to have some on hand? No problem. The best time to freeze your homemade pizza dough is after the first rise (after it’s doubled in size). Once your dough has doubled in size, divide it into equal dough balls. Make sure you’ve put a light layer of olive oil into your containers to prevent the dough from sticking. Place the dough balls into separate containers with lids, and place in the freezer. You can freeze your dough balls for up to 3 months.
Note: The pizza sauce freezes well for quick and easy use. Just place the sauce in sealable freezer-safe bags, remove all of the air, then lay them flat in the freezer. They’ll be great for up to six months. To use, defrost overnight in the fridge or use your microwave setting. If you find that the sauce has thinned out at all, give it a quick reheat on your stovetop until warmed through.
