Homemade Sicilian Pizza

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Dough base

1. 1
   Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer

   💡For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
3. 3
   Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.

   ⚙ ProofingPlastic wraporKitchen towel

   💡Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.

For the Tomato sauce

1. 4
   In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, garlic and oregano with the salt. Don't cook it: the sauce cooks on the pizza in the oven.

   Bowl

To assemble

1. 5
   Generously grease a 30×40 cm pan with olive oil.

   Baking pan
2. 6
   With oiled hands, stretch the dough in the pan, to the edges and into the corners, and Let rise another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F).

   ⚙ ProofingPlastic wraporKitchen towelBaking pan

   💡A generous amount of oil in the pan is what gives pan pizza its crisp, almost fried bottom. If the dough springs back as you stretch it, wait 5 minutes for it to relax and continue.

   💡Let the pizza dough rise for 24 hours in the fridge (a long cold rise) — the dough develops a deeper flavor and an airy texture with big bubbles.
3. 7
   Spread the sauce over all of the dough.
4. 8
   Scatter the mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and olives over the top.
5. 9
   Bake on the bottom of the oven 20–25 minutes, until the dough is golden and crisp underneath and the cheese is bubbling.

   ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
6. 10
   Take out of the oven and add the basil and olive oil.