Brick-Oven Pizza (Brooklyn Style)
Brick-Oven Pizza (Brooklyn Style) features a thin, hand-stretched crust topped with homemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and classic Italian seasonings before being baked at a high temperature until perfectly crisp and lightly charred. The result is a delicious pizza with a chewy interior, crispy edges, and authentic pizzeria flavor that's perfect for pizza nights, parties, and family dinners.
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
- 3½ cups bread flour
- 1¼ cups warm water (110°F/43°C)
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
For the Pizza Sauce
- 1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toppings
- 12 ounces (340 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Dried oregano, for sprinkling
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Optional Toppings
- Pepperoni
- Italian sausage
- Mushrooms
- Bell peppers
- Red onions
- Black olives
- Fresh spinach
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the bread flour, olive oil, and salt. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 500–550°F (260–290°C) with a pizza stone or steel inside for at least 45 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce by combining the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Punch down the dough and stretch it into a 14- to 16-inch round.
- Transfer the dough to a pizza peel or parchment paper dusted with cornmeal.
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the dough.
- Add the mozzarella evenly, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling with lightly browned spots.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and drizzle with olive oil.
- Top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of oregano.
- Slice into large wedges and serve immediately.
Notes
- Bread flour creates a chewier crust than all-purpose flour.
- A pizza stone or steel helps achieve a crisp bottom crust.
- Fresh mozzarella should be drained well to prevent excess moisture.
- Less sauce results in a crispier pizza.
- High oven temperatures produce authentic pizzeria results.
- Fresh basil should be added after baking.
- Allow the dough to come to room temperature before stretching.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.