New York Style Pizza Recipe
- Luis
- Last Updated on October 31, 2023
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
New York style pizza is high amongst the most loved thin crust pizza for many people and it is not at all hard to see why. The flavor is excellent and the crust is crisp and tender.
This is definitely one of the best pizza dough recipes and will serve you well every time that you prepare it. It takes a bit of time, a full day to be exact, but the result will blow you away and because it can be made the day before, it is an excellent time-saver as well.
This New York-style pizza dough recipe will quickly become your go-to for pizza nights and events with family. It is simple to prepare, easy to store and tastes absolutely delicious. This pizza crust is also the perfect vessel for a variety of toppings so don’t be afraid to get creative!
The secret to this dough is the order in which the ingredients are mixed as well as the proofing method. This recipe uses the cold ferment method which allows the flavor to develop amazingly and turns a normal dough into the best pizza dough every time.
New York pizza dough recipe
This pizza dough recipe will show you that making pizza dough doesn’t need to be something that takes you forever, even if the proofing can take more time, and that baking pizza in your own house is a lot of fun especially when the whole family gets involved!
Cooking and Preparation Times
- Cooking time: 15-20 min per pizza
- Prep time: 1 day
- Mixing the dough: 15 min
- Rising of the dough: 12-24 hours
- Final preparation for baking: 1-2 hours
Pizza Dough
Ingredients
- 300g lukewarm water (not boiling, you must be able to touch it without burning)
- 5g instant yeast
- 5g white sugar (this does not add flavor, it only helps to activate the yeast)
- 11g salt
- 28g extra-virgin olive oil (for dough)
- 40g extra-virgin olive oil (extra for when the dough is rising)
- 340g bread flour (for dough)
- 68g bread flour (extra if the dough is too wet and to flour your working surface with)
Method
Measure out all your ingredients beforehand using a scale to ensure accuracy.
Combine the lukewarm water with the yeast and sugar in a separate bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the yeast to activate for 5-7 min until the mixture has started to foam (do not leave it for too long as it can die if left like this).
In a stand mixer, add the salt at the bottom of a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour on top of that, as well as the active yeast mixture, and mix the dough until everything is combined with the flour, and then add the olive oil as well (this is done to ensure the dough is properly hydrated).
On medium speed, mix the pizza dough with the dough hook attachment for 4-5 min until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and is no longer sticking to your hands.
In a large flat container, add some of the extra olive oil and keep spreading it around until the inside of the bowl is covered.
Separate the dough into equal-sized balls, add the dough balls to the container, seal it and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, take out the dough 1-2 hours before you need to use it and allow it to come to room temp.
Ingredients
New York-style pizza dough
Pizza sauce
Cheese
Pizza toppings
Final preparation
Switch on the oven to 290 degrees C (550 degrees F) at least 1 hour before you need to start baking to ensure that it is heated up when your dough is ready to bake.
As soon as the dough is done proofing, spread some flour on a clean, dry surface and place the dough onto the lightly floured work surface (do not add too much flour to the surface as it will make the dough very dry).
Cover each dough ball that is not being used lightly with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, or keep them in the sealed container until you need them.
Put the baking sheet, pizza stone, or pizza pan in the oven to heat up so that it is ready for when you need to bake your pizza.
Start stretching out your dough by starting in the middle and pushing it to the outside, do not use a rolling pin, use your hands, and keep turning it every now and then. Keep adding small amounts of flour to the surface to prevent your base from sticking and tearing.
When your pizza dough is evenly rolled out to where it is thin but not so thin that you can’t comfortably pick it up, you will place your rolled-out dough on the baking sheet, pizza stone, or pizza pan (add a small amount of flour before placing the pizza base on to prevent it from sticking) and add your pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings, and bake your pizza for 4-6 minutes or until the base is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
You can use a pizza peel to make it easier to remove the hot pizza after it has baked, but remember that when using a pizza peel, you should be careful not to scratch the surface of your baking sheet, pizza stone, or pizza pan.
Recipe Notes
This is a basic New York-style pizza dough recipe and it can be topped with a wide variety of different toppings.
You have to ensure not to add too much sauce to your base as it will become soggy and you can use frozen, grated cheese or partially frozen grated cheese to top your pizza with if you are concerned that your cheese will burn before your crust starts to get crispy.
Can I freeze my New York-style pizza dough?
Yes, you absolutely can freeze your pizza dough and it will keep for up to 4 weeks!
As soon as you have mixed your dough, put it in the fridge as normal for 24 hours. After a day, place the dough balls on parchment paper, cover them loosely with plastic wrap, and freeze them for around 2-3 hours or even overnight.
You can now wrap them individually with plastic wrap after they have frozen or even just store them in zip-lock bags.
When you are ready to use your dough, place it in the fridge for 12-24 hours and then allow it to come to room temperature like you normally would. Your dough will now be ready to use and will taste delicious every time.
Topping variations
Although your pizza can be topped with anything, here are some suggestions for you to try out and build off of:
Classic cheese pizza
This pizza style consists of a pizza sauce with a tomato base and it is spread at the bottom of the base. This gets topped with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano as well as shredded mozzarella.
Be sure to use a whole cream milk, low-moisture mozzarella and shred it right before topping your pizza as this will keep your pizza from getting soggy.
Classic white pizza
This delicious pizza gets brushed with olive oil and on top of that you put full-cream-milk ricotta, you can either spread it or dollop it, and sprinkle grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, and shredded mozzarella. You will add freshly ground black pepper.
Just like the classic cheese pizza, make sure that you use full cream milk, low-moisture mozzarella and shred it right before topping your pizza. You can also add sliced deli ham, diced up and sprinkled onto the pizza right before you add the mozzarella. You can also add some snipped chives after the pizza comes out of the oven.
This will very quickly become your favorite pizza recipe and you will be making it every chance you get. It goes well with a wide variety of different sauces and toppings and you can let your imagination soar when coming up with new flavor combinations.
If you are looking for another fun recipe to try out, take a look at this Grandma pizza recipe. This recipe will creep inside your heart and pretty soon you will have it mastered which means pizza night is about to become a lot more fun!
Disclaimer: Note that the food images displayed on this website are for illustrative purposes only. They are not indicative of the actual dishes or presentations you should expect during the classes. We strive to provide the best culinary experience, but the appearance of dishes may vary. Always refer to class descriptions and details for accurate information on what to expect.
Frequent Asked Questions
What makes NY pizza dough different?
New York-style pizza dough is slightly thicker than Neapolitan-style pizza, it is sturdy, but not cracker-like, and instead it features a tender chew.
What kind of flour do you use for New York pizza dough?
It is recommended that you use a good bread flour for your dough and Gold Medal Unbleached Unbromated flour or Caputo Americana has been said to be some of the best to use for New York-style pizza and many others.
What is the secret to New York pizza?
Oil and sugar are two key components in New York pizza. When oil is added to the dough it covers the granules of flour the dough is rolled in. This lowers the amount of gluten that is formed and keeps the dough from becoming tough and chewy.
When it gets cooked, it uses deck ovens that cook at extremely high temperatures and some are even decades old. The idea is that like a cast-iron skillet, the oven absorbs cheese and sauce vapors into its walls and then imparts it onto new pizzas that are cooked.
Can you buy New York-style Pizza dough?
Yes, you can purchase the dough. Usually, the dough will be made fresh and shipped to your front door but there are also shops that take orders and you can pick up your dough on the day.
How long can I ferment New York-style pizza dough?
To obtain the best flavor and texture from your dough it is important that you cold fermented dough for as long as possible, but not longer than 3 days.
If you ferment it for too short of a time, the flavor will not develop enough and the same goes for proofing it in your kitchen counter in a warm area.
