1ball pizza doughstore bought or homemade (rise on a counter 2-6 hours in advance for best fluffy pizza crust results)
1tbspflourall-purpose
1tspolive oilsubstitute ghee or unsalted butter
1.5cuppizza saucesubstitute pasta sauce with a sprinkle of salt and pepper in it
2cupsmozzarella cheeseshredded
6ozpepperonisliced (more or less as desired)
1tspparsleyfresh chopped (optional, garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven with pizza baking stone in it, to 475 degrees F (or whatever pizza stone temperature is safe for the one you’re using). Don’t forget to let the dough stay out so it comes to room temperature before using it!
Create a work area to prepare pizza dough for stone baking. Sprinkle half the flour on the work surface (large cutting board, etc.) and put half the flour to the side of the board to use as you stretch the dough.
Stretch pizza dough. (Beginners – see the pizza dough stretching tutorial on Sip Bite Go for more tips.) I like to first push the ball of pizza dough against the floured cutting board, so it can pick up flour all over. Then, pinch the outside 1” of pizza dough, in a circular motion, to outline the crust and help form a circle shape. (don’t force a perfect circle, so you don’t get holes). Switch between pressing the center of the dough against the cutting board, and using the back of your knuckles to stretch the dough from underneath, pulling it outwards in a circular motion. Add a little extra flour as you stretch it to a larger size, so it retains the bigger circle shape. (sometimes I use a rolling pin at the end to really further flatten the dough evenly)
Half-bake pizza crust on stone. Carefully remove pizza stone from the oven and prepare the crust quickly. Brush half the olive oil on the top of the pizza stone. Add the stretched pizza dough on top. (Exactly how to transfer pizza to hot pizza stone isn’t a full-on-science… you don’t need a pizza peel, and adding a sprinkle of cornmeal to the top of the pizza stone is optional. I usually just pick up the stretched dough and hold as much of it as possible between my hands and arms, then stretch it out carefully a bit more by pushing it in a circle shape around the hot pizza stone.) Brush the remaining olive oil on the outside inch of the pizza dough crust (this will make a tasty crust). Bake pizza dough “naked” for 8 minutes on the middle or top oven rack. When done, remove it from the oven, and leave the oven on.
Add toppings. Leave an inch around the outside of the dough for the crust when you assemble toppings. First, add dollops of pizza sauce on the parbaked dough and spread it around. Then top with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices.
Bake stone crust pizza in the oven at 475°F for 8-12 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and starts to bubble, and the bottom pizza crust is golden brown.
Let pizza cool and serve it. Transfer pizza-stone pizza to a cutting board, sprinkle cooked pizza with some fresh parsley, slice and serve it when cool enough to eat.