Detailed, tested recipes from our instructors — yours to try at home, completely free
A timeless favourite perfected by Chef Maria Rossi — crispy crust, tangy sauce, and perfectly cupped pepperoni.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water with the sugar and yeast. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 5-8 minutes until it becomes frothy and bubbly on the surface — this confirms your yeast is active. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast may be expired; discard and start again with fresh yeast.
Add the olive oil to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour and salt. Create a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or your hand, stir the mixture in a circular motion from the centre outward, gradually incorporating the flour until a shaggy, rough dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes using the heel of your palm, pushing the dough forward, folding it back on itself, and rotating a quarter turn. The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic, and springs back when you poke it with your finger. It should feel slightly tacky but not stick aggressively to your hands. If it is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time; if it is too dry, wet your hands slightly as you knead.
Shape the dough into a tight ball. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm spot (around 24-27°C) for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. A good warm spot is your oven with just the light on, or on top of your refrigerator.
While the dough rises, prepare the sauce. Pour the drained San Marzano tomatoes into a bowl and crush them by hand or with a fork — you want a chunky-smooth consistency, not a perfectly smooth purée. Some texture is desirable and adds character to the finished pizza.
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 60-90 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned — burnt garlic will make your sauce bitter. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and sugar. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the raw tomato taste has mellowed into a rich, savoury depth. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature before using.
Place your pizza stone or a heavy baking sheet (turned upside down for a flat surface) on the middle rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to the highest temperature it will go — ideally 260-290°C (500-550°F). Allow at least 30-45 minutes for the stone to fully heat through. This step is essential; an insufficiently heated stone will result in a pale, undercooked base.
Punch down the risen dough gently and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. On a lightly floured surface, press one dough ball flat with your fingertips, then use your hands to stretch it outward from the centre, leaving a slightly thicker rim around the edge for the crust. Rotate the dough as you stretch to maintain an even circle. Aim for roughly 30cm (12 inches) in diameter. If the dough springs back stubbornly, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again — the gluten needs time to relax.
Transfer the stretched dough to a piece of parchment paper or a well-floured pizza peel. Spread a thin, even layer of pizza sauce over the surface, leaving about 1.5cm of bare dough around the edge for the crust. Less is more with sauce — about 3-4 tablespoons per pizza. Too much sauce will make the centre soggy.
Distribute the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce. Arrange the pepperoni slices in a single layer on top of the cheese. Space them about 2cm apart; they will expand slightly as they cook and their edges will curl upward, forming those beloved crispy cups that collect tiny pools of rendered fat.
Slide the pizza (on its parchment paper if using) onto the preheated stone or baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden, the cheese is bubbling and has developed golden-brown spots, and the pepperoni edges are curled and crispy. If the top is done but the bottom is pale, move the pizza to the lowest rack for the final 2 minutes.
Remove the pizza from the oven using a peel or large spatula. Let it rest on a wire rack or cutting board for 2-3 minutes — this brief rest allows the cheese to set slightly, making it easier to slice without all the toppings sliding off.
Grate a generous amount of fresh Parmesan over the hot pizza. Scatter a few torn fresh basil leaves on top and finish with a light drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil. Slice into 8 pieces using a sharp pizza wheel or a large chef's knife rocked from tip to heel.
A luxurious white pizza celebrating four Italian cheeses — developed by instructor James Chen.
This recipe uses a slower fermentation with less yeast and cold water. The result is a dough with significantly more flavour and a lighter, more open crumb structure — the kind of crust that has large, irregular air bubbles and a subtle, complex taste that you simply cannot achieve with a quick rise.
In a large bowl, combine the 00 flour and salt. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the cold water and stir in the olive oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix with a stiff spatula or dough scraper until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy and rough — that is perfectly fine at this stage.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes. This autolyse period allows the flour to fully hydrate and begins gluten development without any kneading. After the rest, perform a series of stretch-and-fold movements: reach under one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this four times (one full rotation). Cover and wait 30 minutes, then repeat the stretch-and-fold process two more times at 30-minute intervals.
After the final stretch-and-fold, cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 18 hours and up to 48 hours. The longer the cold fermentation, the more complex the flavour. When you are ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for 60-90 minutes. Divide into two equal pieces and gently shape each into a smooth ball without deflating the air bubbles that have formed during fermentation.
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook very gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft and just barely turning golden at the edges. You want infused, mellow garlic flavour — not the sharp bite of raw garlic or the bitterness of burnt garlic.
Pour in the heavy cream, add the nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the cream has reduced by about one-third and coats the back of a spoon. The consistency should be like a thin béchamel — spreadable but not runny. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly before using. You will have enough for two generous pizzas.
Proper cheese preparation is essential for a quattro formaggi pizza. Tear the fresh mozzarella into rough pieces and lay them on paper towels to drain for at least 15 minutes — fresh mozzarella contains a lot of moisture that will make your pizza watery if not managed. Crumble the gorgonzola into small, pea-sized pieces. Cut the fontina into 1cm cubes. Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano using a Microplane or the finest side of a box grater. Keep all four cheeses separated until assembly, as they go onto the pizza in a specific order.
Preheat your oven with a pizza stone or steel to the highest temperature setting — ideally 270-290°C (520-550°F) — for at least 45 minutes. Gently shape each dough ball into a round using your fingertips and palms, stretching from the centre outward while preserving the airy rim. The dough should be thin in the centre and slightly puffy around the edge. Transfer to a floured peel or parchment paper.
Spread a thin layer of the garlic cream base over the dough, leaving a 2cm border. Distribute the fontina cubes first (they need the most direct heat to melt properly), followed by the torn mozzarella pieces, then scatter the gorgonzola crumbles across the surface. Reserve the Parmigiano-Reggiano for after baking.
Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone and bake for 10-13 minutes until the crust is golden and charred in spots, the cream base is bubbling, and the cheeses have melted into a gorgeous, molten landscape of white, gold, and amber.
Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately shower it with the finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano — the residual heat will soften it into a delicate, savoury layer. Drizzle the raw honey in thin lines across the surface (the sweet-salty contrast with the gorgonzola is extraordinary). Top with a handful of fresh arugula, a scattering of toasted walnuts if using, a few cracks of black pepper, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and a final drizzle of your best olive oil. Slice and serve immediately while the cheese is still molten and stretchy.
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