Take one bite into a giant slice of a New York-style pizza pie, so thin and pliable you can fold it in half, and savor the simple layers of tomato sauce and cheese in that pizza crease. You’ll be instantly transported in time and space to the quintessential neighborhood pizzeria in the city that never sleeps.
Few home ovens can fully replicate those in an actual New York pizza joint, where pizzas can stretch up to 25 inches and bake at temperatures over 500°F. Instead, to make this New York-style pizza recipe at home, we scale down the pie’s overall size, and we cook it longer under lower temps.
What is New York-style pizza?
A thin, floppy crust defines New York-style pizza. In most pizzerias, the dough is hand-stretched, but at home, rolling out the dough can be an easier technique to pin down. Either way, make the crust thin enough that a large, wide slice can be folded in half lengthwise and eaten one-handed while on the go. Keeping the toppings simple and light increases the portability.
The New York-style thin crust plays counterpoint to the dense, doughy base of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, which has layers of heavy toppings and requires a knife and fork to get down. New York-style also differs from other regional pizza styles, like thin yet ultra-crispy slices from St. Louis, squares of twice-baked pizza from Detroit and Philadelphia’s cheese-free tomato pie.
New York-Style Pizza Ingredients
- Active dry yeast: Making the dough from scratch gets this homemade pizza closer than any store-bought crust to the real deal. To be sure the yeast will do its job, make sure to proof it before making the dough (here’s how to proof yeast).
- Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour, which is just fine for a great pizza crust. You could opt for other types of flour like bread flour, to give even more structure and strength to the pizza dough. Ultimately, you want a flour that leaves a baked crust with a chewy, leather-like texture that folds without cracking.
- Tomato sauce: No need to go fancy on the sauce; simply pop open a can without extra seasoning or flavors. Save your favorite homemade marinara sauce for pasta.
- Shredded mozzarella: For a bubbly, golden topping, grate from a block of whole-milk mozzarella yourself. You’ll get better results than with packaged shredded cheese, whose added starch prevents consistent melting.
Directions
Step 1: Mix the dough
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a large bowl that fits a stand mixer, combine the oil, salt, proofed yeast and 1 cup flour, then beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough.
Editor’s Tip:Â You can also mix the dough by hand. It will just take a bit more elbow grease than a stand mixer.
Step 2: Knead and rise
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead it for six to eight minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place it in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top.
Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise in a warm place for about one hour, until it’s doubled.
Step 3: Shape the crust
Preheat the oven to 475°. Grease a 14-inch pizza pan. Roll out the dough to fit into the pan, pinching the edge to form a narrow rim. Cover the crust loosely with a damp tea towel, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: You could bump the oven temperature to 500° or even 550° to more closely approximate a commercial deck oven, but you should be ready to pull the pie as soon as the crust and cheese become golden and bubbly. If you have an extra-large pizza stone, preheating and baking directly on it will help to capture the quintessential New York-style texture.
Step 4: Add the toppings
Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, spooning it over the surface and using the back of the spoon to smooth it into an even layer. Top the sauce with the mozzarella and Romano cheeses, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes.
Step 5: Bake the pizza
Bake on a lower oven rack for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Slide the pizza from the pan onto a cutting board, and let it stand for five minutes. Slice and serve.
New York-Style Pizza Variations
- White pizza: Leave off the sauce, and add more cheese like fresh mozzarella or ricotta. Consider drizzling a little olive oil over this sauce-free pie before sprinkling on the fresh basil.
- Make it super or less cheesy: For the classic pizza, just sprinkle cheese over a simple, uncooked tomato sauce. For an all-cheese variation, a little fresh mozzarella atop the aged shreds gives bonus creaminess.
- Other toppings: Other thinly sliced toppings, such as pepperoni, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onion, roasted bell pepper and olives, can be added for variety. Just stick with one additional topping per pie to keep from overloading the thin crust.
How to Store New York-Style Pizza
Leftover pizza can be refrigerated for up to four days. For thin oversized slices, place a piece of parchment or waxed paper on a large plate, set the slice on top, and wrap it in the paper before stacking on and wrapping the next slice. The same stack could be sealed in an airtight container and frozen for longer storage.
How do you reheat New-York style pizza?
There are a lot of ways to reheat pizza, but as we do with many pizza recipes, we recommend reheating New York-style pizza in the oven. Bake it at 375° for 10 minutes on a foil-lined baking sheet. If you can’t wait to dig in, try reheating your pizza over the stove in a cast-iron skillet. Add a few drops of water around the pizza, and place a lid on top of the skillet. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes. The steam from the water warms and melts the cheese on the slice, while the bottom heats just enough to still be pliable.
New York-Style Pizza Tips
How do I achieve the ideal pizza crust texture?
An ideal pizza crust texture relies on a few basic ingredients, so ensure they are in their proper state. Proof the active dry yeast in just-warm water, and add the specified amounts of oil and salt. Work in the flour a bit at time, and knead just until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. If you’re still looking to improve on the crust’s texture, swap in bread flour (with at least 12% protein) and cook at a higher temperature for your next pie. Using just the basic toppings will give the crust its desired floppiness without making it soggy.
What’s the secret to slicing New York-style pizza like a pro?
The secret to slicing New York-style pizza like a pro is simple: Wait. One of the biggest homemade pizza mistakes is slicing into a hot pie too soon. Letting the pizza sit for five minutes after you pull to from the oven makes all the difference between a molten mess and perfect slices. Before you make the first cut, place the pizza on a hard cutting board that you can press against with a sharp, sturdy pizza wheel. Cut into the closest edge of the crust with a quick whack, completely slicing through it. Then push the wheel across to the opposite edge in one fluid motion, repeating the movement until you’ve formed the desired number of slices.
