Detroit Style Pizza

Method

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1. Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and 1 tablespoon of the oil and mix to a wet, sticky dough. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.

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2. Pour 3 tablespoons of oil into a 20 x 30 cm dark metal baking pan and turn the dough out into it. Stretch it towards the corners, letting it rest for a few minutes if it springs back.

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3. Cover and leave to rise for 45 minutes, until puffy.

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4. Heat the oven to 250°C / 480°F with the rack on the lower shelf. Mix the sauce ingredients together.

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5. Scatter the cheese over the dough, pushing it right to the edges and into the corners against the pan. Lay the pepperoni on top.

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6. Bake for 12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the edges are dark. Spoon the sauce over the top in two or three stripes.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

7. Bake for 3 minutes more. Run a knife round the edge to loosen the crust, lift out onto a board and cut into squares.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Use a dark metal pan. It browns the base and edges better than glass or a light aluminium one.
• Push the cheese all the way to the edges. That is what makes the crisp crust.
• Put the sauce on late. It keeps the cheese from browning when it is baked on top.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• A crisp salad
• Cold lager
• Garlic knots

Storage & Reheating

Keep leftover squares in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in a 200°C oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp the base.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.