Pizza & Sandwiches
Grandma Pie Pizza
Description
Unlike a thin-crust Neapolitan-style pie, the thick, deliciously chewy crust of a classic grandma pie is easy to pull off at home. All you need is a sturdy, standard “half-sheet” rimmed baking sheet (steer clear of cookie sheets, which are smaller and less sturdy). Don’t stint on the oil for the pan—it helps create a gloriously crispy, golden crust. Spread with an oregano-spiked tomato sauce and topped with plenty of part-skim (not fresh!) mozzarella, this recipe delivers an old-school pizzeria experience at home.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 canned oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and chopped (optional)
- 1 pound fresh pizza dough, at room temperature
- 12 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
- Place oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 525°F, or as high as the oven will go.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly goldenly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, granulated sugar, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and, if desired, anchovies, using a wooden spoon to break up tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, coat an 18- x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with remaining 1/2 cup oil. Gently stretch dough to cover bottom of pan. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place (about 75°F), free from drafts, until dough has puffed to almost doubled in size, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Using your fingertips, make small indentations about 1 inch apart in dough. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over top of dough, leaving about a 1/4-inch border around edges. Dollop tomato sauce over cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until dough is golden brown and crisp on bottom and sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with basil leaves.
