One of the things I miss most about my adopted hometown (besides the engineer, obviously), is one of the best pizza places I have ever run across. And I've lived in New York.
So today, I tried to recreate it. The three things I wanted to capture were the flaky, seasoned crust, the rich, slightly spicy sauce, and fresh basil all over the top.
I adapted a couple of recipes that I came across online, and ended up with something that almost satisfies the craving.
The whole recipe makes two pizzas, but believe me, invite a few friends over, and you won't have any trouble putting away both of them.
For the crust:
Sprinkle 1 tsp instant yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm water. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes.
In a mixer (with paddle attachment), combine 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 4 tbs "italian seasoning".
Drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil.
Pour in yeast/water mixture and beat until just slightly sticky.
Form dough into a ball and put into a large mixing bowl drizzled with olive oil. Toss to coat dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place for several hours (if you won't be using the dough for 24+ hours, just put in the fridge).
For the sauce:
Melt 2 tbs. of butter in a large skillet and add 4 tbs. olive oil. Saute 1 cup chopped onion, 2 minced cloves garlic, and 1/2 cup chopped celery in butter/oil, until soft and transparent. Blend until smooth.
Add 16 oz. tomato sauce and 12 oz. tomato paste to blended vegetables. Combine completely.
Add 4 tbs. grated parmesan, 2 tsp. basil, 2 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, 2 bay leaves, 2-4 tbs. crushed red pepper (to taste), 2 tsp. ground fennel seed, and 1/2 bottle dry red wine. Stir.
Allow to simmer for 30-60 minutes. Remove bay leaves before using.
Assembly:
Use half of the dough for each crust. Stretch to cover a pan brushed with olive oil.
Top with sauce, mozzerella, and toppings of choice (I cannot recommend fresh basil highly enough!).
Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is bubbly. Remove pan from oven, brush exposed crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder.
Return to oven to bake until crust is golden brown (broil if necessary).
Pair with a great Zinfandel.
Eat until you can't breathe! Or, you know, show some restraint. I've heard that works too.
