Heirloom Pan Pizza

Mastering the Grandma Pizza Dough

Creating the perfect pizza starts with the dough, and for Grandma pizza, a well-made, cold-fermented dough is paramount. While this recipe provides both mass and volume measurements, using a kitchen scale for mass is highly recommended for unparalleled accuracy and consistency in baking. Our baker’s percentages for this dough are: 64% hydration, 0.4% instant yeast, 2% fine sea salt, 3.4% olive oil, and 1.2% sugar. These percentages allow you to easily scale the recipe up or down depending on your needs. To use them, simply divide your total flour weight by 100, then multiply that number by the desired percentage for each ingredient.

1. Begin by accurately weighing or measuring 406 grams (3 1/4 cups) of bread flour, 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) of instant yeast, 8 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons) of fine sea salt, and 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar. Combine these dry ingredients thoroughly in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate, even larger bowl, pour 260 grams (9 ounces) of cold water. Gradually add the mixed dry ingredients into the cold water, mixing continuously until a shaggy, rough mass of dough forms. Ensure all the dry bits are incorporated.
3. Next, pour 14 grams (1 tablespoon) of olive oil over the dough. Continue to mix the dough in the bowl, scraping down the sides to integrate all the oil and any remaining flour residue.
4. Transfer the rough dough mass onto a clean, spacious work surface. A plastic cutting board, granite, or marble countertop works exceptionally well. Begin the kneading process. To knead effectively, fold the dough over itself, then press down and away with moderate force. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat this folding and pressing motion. Continue kneading for a minimum of 5 minutes. If the dough becomes excessively sticky, simply cover it with plastic wrap or an inverted clean bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes. This rest allows the dough to relax and become easier to handle. Resume kneading, ensuring you achieve at least 5 minutes of total active kneading time, then gently form it into a ball.
5. For Grandma pizza, a perfectly smooth dough ball isn’t strictly necessary, so don’t stress over minor imperfections. To form the ball, gently fold the dough tightly onto itself, creating a seam at the bottom. Rotate the dough and fold again, repeating this about 20 times. Finally, pinch the seam closed. Place the formed dough ball, seam-side down, into an oiled container. Cover the container tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours for a crucial cold fermentation. For optimal flavor development and easier handling, aim for 24-48 hours of cold fermentation if your schedule permits.

Dough Preparation for Baking

7. Approximately 2 hours before you plan to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator to allow it to warm up to room temperature. This makes it more pliable and easier to stretch. Prepare your sheet pan by generously coating the bottom with 3/8 cup of olive oil – you’ll need plenty to create that desired crispy bottom. Carefully transfer the dough from its container into the oiled pan. Using your fingertips, gently begin to press and stretch the dough towards the edges and corners of the pan. It’s unlikely you’ll achieve a full stretch on the first attempt.
8. Cover the sheet pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes. This rest period allows the gluten to relax, making the dough much easier to stretch further. After 45 minutes, remove the plastic and continue stretching the dough to fill the pan completely. Depending on the dough’s warmth and elasticity, you might need to repeat this stretch-and-rest process one more time to achieve full pan coverage.

Assembling and Baking Your Perfect Grandma Pizza

1. Open one 28-ounce can of whole San Marzano or other high-quality plum tomatoes. In a large bowl, use your hands to crush the tomatoes thoroughly.
2. After hand-crushing, carefully strain the tomatoes to remove excess juice. You want to be left with a thick, pulpy tomato concentrate with minimal liquid, as too much moisture can make the crust soggy. Save the drained juice for another culinary purpose if desired. Season the crushed tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt and mix well. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 3 finely minced cloves of garlic to create your aromatic garlic oil. This oil will be drizzled over the pizza just before baking, adding a burst of flavor.
4. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C), ensuring one oven rack is set to the lowest level and another to the highest. As your oven heats, take a moment to perform any final stretches of the dough in the pan, ensuring it completely fills the space. Remember to keep it covered with plastic wrap between stretches to prevent drying.
5. For the cheese, it’s highly recommended to use pre-sliced mozzarella from your local deli or supermarket for convenience and even melting. If you’re slicing a block yourself, partially freezing it beforehand can make slicing much easier. You’ll need approximately 12-16 ounces of sliced mozzarella. The exact weight is less crucial than ensuring the entire dough surface is adequately covered.
6. Now that your dough is perfectly stretched and your ingredients are prepared, it’s time for the final assembly before baking.

7. Begin layering the mozzarella cheese. Start by pinning a corner of the dough with your hands, then place the first slice of cheese down, applying light pressure. This helps to secure the corner and prevent excessive movement of the dough during baking. Continue to layer the remaining cheese slices in an overlapping shingle pattern, leaving about a 1/4 to 1/2-inch border of dough uncovered around the edges.
8. Next, distribute the strained, hand-crushed tomatoes randomly over the cheese layer. Resist the urge to over-sauce the pizza; the tomatoes will naturally spread out as they cook, creating the characteristic “upside-down” pattern of Grandma pizza.
9. Generously drizzle a couple of tablespoons of your prepared garlic oil all over the pizza. If you’re a garlic lover, feel free to add more! Carefully place the pizza into the preheated oven on the lowest rack. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through (after 6 minutes) to ensure even cooking. After the initial 12 minutes, use a spatula to gently lift a corner of the pizza and check the bottom crust. If it’s beautifully browned and crisp, proceed to the next step.
10. If the bottom is perfectly browned, move the pizza to the top oven rack and continue baking for an additional 6 minutes. If the bottom is still too blond, leave it on the lowest rack for the remaining 6 minutes. After a total of approximately 18 minutes of baking, remove the pizza from the oven. Immediately sprinkle a few tablespoons of Pecorino Romano cheese evenly over the hot pizza.

11. Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Sicilian oregano over the pizza. If using dried Sicilian oregano, crumbling it between your hands before sprinkling enhances its aroma and flavor. Return the pizza to the top rack of the oven and cook for a final 2 minutes. For an extra crispy top, if desired, you can briefly broil the pizza for 30-60 seconds, but watch it *very* carefully to prevent burning. Normally, broiling isn’t required.
12. After approximately 20-22 minutes of total baking time, your perfect Grandma pizza is ready! Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving to allow the cheese to set and the flavors to meld.

Alternative Dough Preparation: Using a Kitchen Aid Mixer

While this guide emphasizes the traditional hand-mixing method to demonstrate that you don’t need special equipment, a stand mixer can certainly simplify the dough preparation process. If you prefer to use your Kitchen Aid mixer, follow these straightforward steps:

1. In a large bowl, mix all your dry ingredients (bread flour, instant yeast, fine sea salt, and sugar). Transfer about half of this dry mixture along with all the cold water into your Kitchen Aid mixer bowl.
2. Attach the dough hook to your mixer. Mix on low speed (level 1) for 1 minute to combine. Then, gradually begin adding the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl.
3. Once all dry ingredients are added, slowly drizzle the 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the mixing bowl. Continue mixing on speed level 1 for another 4 minutes, or until the dough gathers around the dough hook and starts to pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Remove the dough from the mixer. Give it a brief hand knead for about 1 minute to ensure uniformity, then cover it and let it rest for 40 minutes. After resting, form the dough into a smooth ball, place it in an oiled proofing container, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours for cold fermentation. It’s as simple as that!