Authentic NY-Style Pizzeria Pizza

Divide the dough about 2 hours before stretching and assembling. Use a 1/4-inch pizza steel for this method and allow a full 60-minute oven and steel preheat during that window.

Ingredients

Amounts below are for both pizzas. Choose one mozzarella option, not both.

• 16 oz (454 g) prepared pizza dough, divided into two 8 oz (227 g) balls (DeIorio used)
• 1/2 cup strained tomato purée (passata), such as Cento
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus tiny finishing drizzles
• Tiny pinch sugar, optional, after tasting the sauce
• Mozzarella, choose one: 5–6 oz Galbani fresh mozzarella OR about 6 oz shredded low-moisture mozzarella, ideally grated from a block
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
• 2–4 teaspoons yellow cornmeal, for the peel

Instructions

1. About 2 hours before stretching and assembling the pizzas, divide the 16 oz (454 g) prepared dough into two equal 8 oz (227 g) balls.
2. During the last hour of that waiting time, place a 1/4-inch pizza steel on the second-highest oven rack. Preheat the oven at 550°F for a full 60 minutes. If the oven cannot reach 550°F, use its maximum temperature; baking times will vary.
3. Mix the passata, salt, oregano, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Taste and add a tiny pinch of sugar only if needed. Do not cook or blend the sauce; let it sit while preparing the pizzas.
4. Prepare one cheese option. For fresh Galbani mozzarella, tear thin slices into pieces and press them between paper towels. If time permits, dry the pieces on fresh towels for 15–30 minutes. For low-moisture mozzarella, grate from a block if possible; use about 3 oz per pizza. The shredded option does not need the fresh-mozzarella drying step.
5. After the 60-minute preheat, switch the oven to HIGH broil for 5 minutes before the first pizza. Return the oven to 550°F before launch, or its maximum temperature if lower.
6. Stretch one dough ball into a thin 11–12-inch round. Lightly dust the peel with 1–2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal, place the dough on it, and make sure the dough slides freely.
7. Top with 1/4 cup sauce, either 2.5–3 oz dried fresh mozzarella or about 3 oz shredded low-moisture mozzarella, 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Scatter the cheese with gaps so the tomato remains visible. Check that the topped pizza still slides on the peel, then launch it onto the steel.
8. Bake for 3 minutes, rotate the pizza 180 degrees on the steel, and continue baking until the underside is deeply browned and the top is done. Judge doneness by the pizza rather than a fixed remaining time.
9. Cool on a wire rack for 2 minutes before cutting. Stretch, top, and bake the second pizza with the remaining ingredients, using the same baking temperature.

Notes

• The steel is the recommended surface for this method. Do not shorten the full 60-minute oven and steel preheat; the 5-minute HIGH broil comes before launching the first pizza.
• Optional finish only: if the bottom is ready but the top needs more color, use HIGH broil for 30–60 seconds, watching closely. Return to the baking temperature before launching another pizza.
• Use 1/4 cup sauce per pizza, rather than 1/3 cup, to limit moisture. Dry fresh mozzarella and leave gaps between the pieces.
• Use prepared pizza dough. Baking times vary by oven; after rotating, continue until the underside is deeply browned and the top is done.