Cook Time: 10 to 12 minutes
To make the Pizza Dough Poolish: Combine flour, water, and yeast in a small glass bowl, stirring until combined (it will be sticky like cake batter). Cover with plastic wrap, poke 1 or 2 holes in the plastic, and set aside for 15 to 18 hours.
To make the Pizza Dough: In a stand mixer, combine flour, cornmeal, and malt and mix on low. In a small bowl, whisk warm water and yeast (it should have small bubbles; if not, the yeast is dead). With the mixer on low, slowly add ice water, reserving a little. Add warm water mixture, using reserved ice water to loosen any remaining yeast in the bowl, and mix for 15 to 20 seconds. Add pizza dough poolish and mix on low until all ingredients start coming together, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the mixer as necessary. Continue mixing until dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Scrape dough
from the dough hook, add salt, and mix for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the dough hook, then continue mixing until dough is smooth and has no grittiness from cornmeal or salt.
Transfer dough to a work surface and knead for about 2 minutes. Cover and let rise for 20 to 25 minutes. Divide into 3 280-gram balls.
To make the Sauce: Using an immersion blender, combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper. Add whole peeled tomatoes and continue blending until no longer whole, about 1 minute. Stir in basil. Refrigerate overnight.
To make the Pepperoni Roses: Fold 1 slice of pepperoni in half over the rim of a small plastic cup (a children’s medicine cup works well). Add 11 to 13 more slices, overlapping them and working around the cup. Overturn the cup onto a baking sheet, standing rose right-side up. Repeat with remaining pepperoni, making 8 roses. Set aside in the freezer (freezing helps roses retain their shape).
To make the Garlic Oil: Combine garlic and oil and set aside overnight.
To make the Basil Pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, combine basil, Dry Jack cheese, spinach, pine nuts, and garlic and process for 1 minute. With the food processor running, slowly add oil, then continue processing until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl, add mayonnaise, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a squeeze bottle.
To prepare the Pizza and Garnishes: Preheat a convection gas oven to 485°F. Stretch 1 dough ball to cracker thin and parbake. Remove from oven and top with whole milk Mozzarella cheese, covering entire dough. Add 1/3 cup or 3 ounces sauce, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Add giardiniera, Provolone, if using, and sausage. Arrange Cheddar around rim and bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Turn and bake for 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the same oven, bake pepperoni roses to desired crispness, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove roses to a paper towel-lined pan to absorb excess oil.
Use a spatula to loosen the rim of the pizza and to check for doneness. If not firm or brown enough, remove pizza
from the pan and place directly on the deck of the oven for about 1 minute, turning as necessary. Remove pizza to a cooling rack, cut into triangles and squares, and return to cooling rack.
Garnish with oregano, pepperoni roses, fresh Mozzarella, and peppadew peppers. Drizzle with garlic oil, then add pesto in zigzag lines. Grate Romano cheese on top. Serve pizza on an elevated serving platter, preferably on a screen or cooling rack.
Recipe courtesy of Eddie Stalewski, Mercurio’s, Pittsburgh, Penn.
2024 Real California Pizza Contest, Protein Category Winner
