Entree: United States – Missouri – St. Louis-Style Pizza

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 15 min

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

240 ml warm water (105–115°F / 40–46°C)
4 g active dry yeast
4 g granulated sugar
312 g all-purpose flour
6 g fine salt
30 ml vegetable oil, for the dough; use soybean oil as the specified example
1 tsp additional soybean oil for greasing the pan
240 ml tomato pizza sauce
340 g Provel cheese, shredded or finely chopped
170 g Italian pork sausage, cooked and crumbled
85 g pepperoni, sliced
85 g green bell pepper, thinly sliced
85 g white onion, thinly sliced
85 g button mushrooms, sliced
1 g dried oregano
1 g crushed red pepper flakes
2.5 g garlic powder
1 tbsp cornmeal, for dusting

Instructions

1. Warm the water to 105–115°F (40–46°C). Stir in the sugar and yeast and leave for 5–7 minutes, until foamy.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and 30 ml soybean oil. Mix to form a dough, then knead by hand for 4–6 minutes, until smooth. If needed, adjust with a small amount of water or flour.
3. Shape the dough into a ball, lightly oil it, cover, and rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
4. Cook the sausage in a skillet until fully cooked, breaking it into crumbles. Drain excess rendered fat; measure 170 g cooked sausage for the pizza. Slice the pepper, onion, and mushrooms; shred or finely chop the Provel if needed.
5. Heat the oven to 500°F (260°C), with a pizza stone or inverted heavy baking sheet on the middle rack, for at least 30 minutes. Lightly grease a 14–16-inch pizza pan with about 1 tsp soybean oil, or use a peel dusted with cornmeal.
6. Roll the dough very thin, about 1/8 inch (3 mm), into a 14–16-inch round. Dock it in several places with a fork.
7. Transfer the crust to the hot pan or stone and par-bake for 4–6 minutes, until just set and beginning to brown in spots.
8. Remove the crust. Spread the pizza sauce over it, leaving a small border. Sprinkle on the garlic powder and oregano, then distribute the cooked sausage, pepperoni, bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms. Cover evenly with the Provel.
9. Bake for another 6–9 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the thin crust is crisp and golden. Watch closely near the end.
10. Rest for 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired, and cut into small squares or rectangles. Serves 4.