So, you took a trip to New York City got a taste of that famous NYC pizza and now you’re ready for more. But you don’t want to have to play a trip to the Big Apple each time that pizza craving starts to gnaw at your belly, right?
Well, have you thought about trying to make some NYC-style pizza at home?
I know, the thought of doing this seems blasphemous. But sometimes you really need a slice of that hot cheese covered dough and nothing else hits the spot.
So here’s the thing. I’m going to give you some tips on how to cobble some ingredients together to get yourself through that craving until you can actually plan a trip back to New York.
Sure, it won’t taste as good as the real thing, but it’s good in a pinch.
How To Make New York-Style Pizza Dough
Probably the most important part of this recipe is getting the dough just right. As you already know, NYC pizzas have a thin crust.
So, what you need here is just your classic pizza dough that is stretched out enough to be a thin crust pizza.
The essentials here are:
- water
- flour
- salt
- instant yeast
- olive oil
After you get your pizza dough ingredients mixed up, you have got to let the dough proof (or rise/ferment) for at least 24 hours in your refrigerator. You can go up to a max of 72 hours with this.
Your end goal here is a light and flavorful crust that is crispy, but that also folds easily so you can eat it like a real New Yorker.
NYC Pizza Dough Recipe
If you’re ready to try out making this pizza dough, then let’s get started! Here’s what you will need for this one. And keep in mind that this makes enough for four 14-inch pizzas – yum!
You will need a mixing bowl.
Ingredients
- 6 cups flour, all-purpose or bread 28 oz (796 grams)
- 2 1/4 cups water 17.4 oz (493 grams or mls) Luke cold
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast (3.5 grams)
- 2.5 teaspoons salt (15.6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (11.8 ml)
Directions
- Place water in mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix salt and yeast (and sugar if using) into flour
- Combine flour/salt/yeast mixture into water and mix until all the flour has been incorporated.
- After flour has been totally incorporated, add oil and knead for about 4 to 5 minutes
- Test final dough temperature, which should ideally be between high 70s to low 80s (optional)
- Divide dough into 4 equal pieces (using a digital scale if possible; each ball should weigh 11.5 oz [~326 grams]), shape into a ball, and place in greased, sealed quart-sized container or oiled/greased freezer bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 72 hours
When you’re ready to use the proofed dough to make your pizzas, I suggest that you get out some pizza stones to bake your pizzas on.
Here’s how to use that pizza dough to bake some pizzas at home.
- Take the dough balls out of the refrigerator within 1 hour or less of baking and allow the dough to come to room temperature. (the dough will tend to blister more if the dough has not been allowed to come to room temperature.
- Place your pizza stone in oven and preheat at 550 degrees (depending on thickness of your stone and your oven’s power) for at least 1 hour
- Open each dough ball using care not to degas, transfer to a pre-floured pizza peel (or on parchment paper), and top with your favorite sauce, cheese, or other toppings.
- Transfer pizza from peel to oven or slide parchment paper onto preheated pizza pan/stone and bake for 4 to 6 minutes each until browned on top and cheese has melted but not burned.
How To Stretch A Pizza Dough For Thin Crust Pizza
When it comes time to stretch out that pizza dough, it can be a daunting tasking. If you want to see how the pros do it, then check out the video below from the NY Pizza School.
Tips For The Perfect NYC-Style Pizza
For your sauce, get a can of peeled tomatoes and crush them by hand. Spread a couple tablespoons of sauce on the pie, stopping a half-inch or so from the edge (your crust). Top with a half teaspoon of dried oregano flakes.
The cheese is simple: shred a block of medium-moisture mozzarella (avoid anything that’s sitting in water), but if you want to get fancy, sprinkle on some freshly grated parmesan. The cheese should be applied in an even layer, until the sauce is still slightly visible but not completely covered.
Get The Crust Just Right With The Best Pizza Stone For Home Oven
There’s no denying that you’re going to end up with a better crust on your pizza if you use a pizza stone instead of a baking sheet in your oven.
You’ll find a lot of top rated baking stones on the market, but how you do know which one is the best for a crispy pizza crust?
That’s where we come in. Check out our list below for our favorites when it comes to the best pizza stone for the money.
Updated: 2023-10-21 at 16:15 / Affiliate disclosure / Images by Amazon Product Advertising API
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