Grandpa Pizza (Kinda)
Last Updated April 20, 2020![](/assets/images/grandpa_pizza.jpg)
I know this isn’t a traditional pizza at all but it tasted good.
Dough
Modified from Serious Eats
Ingredients
Note: I used a 12-inch (113 square inches) round pan. If your pan is not this size use middle school geometry to scale the ingredients accordingly to the area of your pan.
- 125g bread flour
- 40g water
- 4g active dry yeast
- 7g salt
- 10g evoo (plus 20g more for pan)
- 250g discard sourdough starter (if you don’t have this, add another 125g each of bread flour and water)
Instructions
- Heat water to about 100 degrees and add yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add all ingredients to bowl of stand mixer with bread hook attachment. Mix for 6 minute until a smooth dough forms. You will need to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour remaing evoo into the pan and spread it until it completely covers the bottom of the pan.
- Add dough to the center of the oiled pan and press it outwards towards the edges until it is somewhat flat. It won’t reach the edge of the pan yet but that is okay, don’t tear it.
- Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and proof at room temperature for 3 hours.
- After dough is proofed, you should be able to stretch it out to the edges of the pan. After shaping let it rest for 20 minutes.
Sauce
Ingredients
- Tbsp evoo
- 3 cloves roughly chopped garlic
- 1/2 28-z can (so 14 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
- (optional) red pepper flakes, I prefer to just top with Calabrian chilis at the end
Instructions
- Heat oil over low and add garlic and red pepper flakes if using.
- Cook gently until garlic just starts to brown, then add tomatoes.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes, occasionally crushing tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. If sauce looks too thick, add some water.
Putting it all together
Toppings
- 8-10oz mozzarella, I like mixing fresh and regular (not fresh?) if I have both
- Sauce (above)
- 2 sweet Italian sausages
- About 1/2 c mixed breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, chopped parsely, and finely diced onion toasted for a few minutes (I think this makes it a grandpa pizza)
- 1/2 c fresh grated Parmesean
- Fresh torn basil
- Calabrian chilis
Assembly/Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to its highest temperature (mine is 550 degrees)
- When sauce is ready and dough has rested, completely top the dough with the mozzarella
- Add dollops of sauce on top of the cheese. Make sure either cheese or sauce gets spread to the edges of the dough (you can see in the picture above I didn’t do this very well).
- Add sausage, breadcrumbs and Parmesean.
- Bake in oven about 10 minutes until the crust and bottom are golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes, top with basil and Calabrian chilis.
- Slice.
Results
Really good. Would get better toppings coverage out to edge and maybe stick a pizza stone on top of the pizza to brown the top of the crust better. The mix of toppings was perfect.