INGREDIENTS
Dough
- 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons (8 g) dried yeast
- 2 tablespoons (29 g) lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) melted butter
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) flour
- Olive oil, for greasing the pan
Sauce
- 4 cups (975 g) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 whole onion, peeled
- 4 cups (950 ml) water
Toppings (choose one)*
- Thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
- Anchovies
- Cooked Italian sausage
Seasoning Toppings
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
*Deep dish pizzas from the time only had one topping, so to be historically accurate, use cheese OR anchovies OR sausage
DIRECTIONS
- For the dough: Scald the milk by heating it to around 180°F (82°C). Remove it from the heat and whisk in the salt and sugar. Set it aside to cool until it is lukewarm.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast to the lukewarm water.
- Once the milk has cooled to lukewarm, add it to the yeast mixture along with the melted butter and about half of the flour.
- Using the dough hook, mix until it’s all combined, then add the rest of the flour a little at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. You’re looking for a smooth dough that isn’t sticky. You may not need all of the flour, so stop adding once you get that smooth, non-sticky texture.
- Once it has come together, knead the dough for a few minutes in the mixer or on an unfloured surface by hand. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- After the dough has doubled, uncover it and punch the dough down. Shape it back into a ball, then return it to the bowl, cover it again, and place it in the fridge for 1 hour.
- For the sauce: Pass the crushed tomatoes through a conical sieve. In a large pot, mix all of the sauce ingredients together except for the water, then stir the water in last.
- Simmer the sauce for 2 to 3 hours until it has thickened to a consistency that you like.
- To assemble: While the sauce simmers, take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Stretch and/or roll it out into a circular-ish shape that will be large enough to cover the bottom and go up the sides of a 12-inch cake pan. I made mine about 2 inches (5 cm) high, but pictures from the 1940s and early 1950s look like they’re more like 1 inch (2.5 cm), so do whatever you like here. Cover the pan and let the dough rise until the sauce is ready.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
- Cover the bottom of the pizza with the topping of your choice, then cover that with the sauce. Sprinkle on plenty of grated Parmesan cheese, a couple of generous pinches of oregano, freshly ground black pepper, and a few drops of olive oil scattered all over.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is done.
- Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve it forth.