St. Louis-Style Pizza

Method

1. 1

   For the Pizza Dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, yeast, and sugar. Pulse 5 times to combine. Add shortening and pulse until the shortening is fully integrated, 5 to 10 times. With the machine running, stream in the ice water and process just until the dough begins to come together into a ball, about 15 seconds.

2. 2

   Transfer dough to a work surface and press dough into a coherent mass if necessary. Knead briefly until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide dough in half and shape each half (about 200 g each) into a ball. Grease dough balls well using cooking spray or vegetable oil, then transfer each ball to a greased deli container or zipper-lock bag and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours, and up to 5 days.

3. 3

   For the Tomato Sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk tomato paste and water until smooth. Add sugar, salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.

4. 4

   Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

5. 5

   For the Homemade Provel Cheese: In a medium bowl, add Provolone, cheddar, and Swiss cheeses and mix well; set aside.

6. 6

   In a medium saucepan, combine milk, liquid smoke, and sodium citrate, and set over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sodium citrate is fully dissolved and the mixture begins to steam.

7. 7

   Reduce heat to low and add cheese gradually, 1 handful at a time, whisking mixture constantly until fully melted and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. It will likely become too thick to stir with a whisk. Switch to a spatula to fold it like an omelet over itself as it melts, preventing scorching and ensuring a consistent texture and flavor. When the cheese is a cohesive mass, like a thick nacho cheese, remove from heat.

8. 8

   Transfer cheese to a plastic wrap–lined container. Let it cool uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.

9. 9

   For the Romano and Oregano Topping: In a small container with a lid, such as a Mason jar, combine Romano and oregano, seal container, and shake well to combine. For a cheese-shaker texture that's more integrated and easier to sprinkle over your pizza, pulse mixture 2 to 3 times in a spice grinder. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Stir or shake before each use to redistribute oregano.

10. 10

    For Baking the Pizza: One hour before baking, set a baking stone or steel on the middle rack of an oven and preheat oven to 500℉ (260°C). While oven preheats, shred the prepared Provel cheese on the large holes of a box grater and return grated cheese to refrigerator.

11. 11

    When ready to bake, place 1 dough ball in center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Place a second large sheet of parchment over dough and, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a thin 12-inch round. Do not add flour—it should not be necessary. (If you're struggling, lightly grease the parchment.) If dough becomes difficult to roll and shrinks back, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes before trying again. (Optional: For a professional-looking dough round, after rolling the dough into a 12-inch round, trim the edges, using a 12-inch plate or pizza pan as a guide.) Thoroughly dock the surface of the dough by lightly pricking all over with a fork (This prevents the dough from bubbling while baking.)

12. 12

    Remove top layer of parchment from dough round and loosen dough from bottom layer of parchment. Using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet, transfer the dough round onto the baking stone or steel. Bake until the bottom of dough is set, 3 minutes, then remove it from oven.

13. 13

    Add 1/3 cup sauce to center of par-baked crust, then use a pastry brush or the back of a ladle to distribute it evenly from edge to edge. (Don’t leave any crust exposed. This style of pizza does not have a rim.) Sprinkle on about 1 cup shredded Provel. Finally, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon Romano and oregano topping over the entire pizza.

14. 14

    Return prepared pizza to oven and bake until crust is browned on bottom and cheese is fully melted and beginning to brown in places, about 6 minutes.

15. 15

    Remove from the oven and remove any burnt bits hanging onto the edges of the pizza. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into a four-by-four grid. Repeat with remaining pizza, started at step 11. Serve.

Nutrition

calories

342 kcal

fatContent

18 g

fiberContent

2 g

sugarContent

5 g

sodiumContent

780 mg

proteinContent

14 g

cholesterolContent

41 mg

carbohydrateContent

32 g

saturatedFatContent

10 g

unsaturatedFatContent

0 g

Indicative values from the source, for the original recipe.

Reviews