Caprese New York-Style Pizza

Recipe by The Book of Pizza
Not Yet Reviewed

Caprese salad is nearly perfect in its simplicity: juicy tomatoes, milky fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, and good olive oil. Yet the authors of The Book of Pizza couldn’t help but pizza-ify this iconic summer dish, and the result is a caprese pizza that’s both refreshing and craveable. The recipe employs a few smart tricks to help this pie reach maximum potential. Salting the fresh tomatoes simultaneously draws out excess moisture and seasons them thoroughly. Using pesto rather than tomato sauce gives the pie an herbal punch. And stirring a splash of cream into torn mozzarella (a trick we learned from chef Abra Berens) creates a rich, burrata-like texture.  

Prep
30 mins
Bake
8 to 13 mins
Total
12 hrs
Yield
two 13” pizzas
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Instructions

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  1. To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast and stir to combine, then add the oil and water. Mix to combine, then knead by hand until you have a rough but cohesive dough.   

  2. Cover and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.  

  3. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into two equal pieces (about 300g per piece).   

  4. Form each piece into a tight ball and place seam-side down in a lightly greased container.   

  5. Cover tightly and let it rest at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours. The dough is now ready to be used, or it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. (Let refrigerated dough rest at room temperature while your oven preheats, at least 1 hour.)  

  6. To prepare the oven: Arrange racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Place a baking steel or stone on the lower rack and preheat the oven to 500°F for at least 1 hour. While the oven preheats, prepare the toppings.  

  7. To prepare the toppings: In a small bowl, combine the fresh mozzarella and heavy cream. Set aside. 

  8. In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes and salt and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Drain the tomatoes and pat dry to remove excess moisture. 

  9. To shape the pizza: Working with one piece at a time, place the dough on a generously floured work surface. Without distorting the round dough, flip it over so that both sides are coated with flour. Use your fingertips to gently depress the center of the dough (avoiding the outer edge), pressing out the gas and beginning to flatten and expand the dough into a round.   

  10. Continue using your fingertips to press the center of the dough outward until you have an 8" round. Gently grab the dough on the east and west sides, careful to position your grip over the edge crust, and tug the dough in an east-west direction. Rotate the dough and repeat the tug. Continue rotating and tugging until the dough round measures about 10" in diameter.   

  11. Lift the pizza from the work surface and use your knuckles to gently stretch the dough into a 12" round. Use two hands at once to gently move the dough in a circle, allowing gravity to do most of the work for you. If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, then try again. If the dough is at all sticky, use more flour. Return the dough to the floured work surface and give it a few more east-west tugs until the round measures 13" in diameter.   

  12. Lightly dust a peel or an overturned baking sheet with semolina and transfer the dough to the peel. If the dough retracts when transferring it to the peel, gently reform it. Shimmy the dough on the peel to ensure it’s not sticking; if it is, lift the edge of the crust and add more semolina.  

  13. Evenly spread about half of the pesto (6 tablespoons or 85g) over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2" border, then sprinkle about half the shredded mozzarella (3/4 cup or 3 1/2 ounces) on top. Evenly top with about half of the drained tomatoes. 

  14. To bake: Use the peel to transfer the pizza onto the steel or stone, then bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Check the bottom of the crust — it should be spotted and charred in places, and the edge crust should start to have some color. If not, rotate the pizza and bake for another 1 to 2 minutes.   

  15. When the bottom has sufficient color, use the peel to transfer the pizza to the top rack, switch the oven to broil, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until well charred in spots. (Don’t walk away — pizza can go from perfectly charred to burnt quickly.) Home ovens vary substantially, so use the visual cues and your own preferences to gauge when you’ve achieved the perfect bake.  

  16. Use the peel to remove the pizza from the oven and slide it onto a wire rack to cool briefly while the stone or steel reheats. Spoon over about half of the fresh mozzarella-cream mixture, distributing evenly, and top with some of the basil leaves, as desired. Drizzle with oil, then cut the pizza into six slices, two “super slices,” or one “mega slice,” and serve hot. 

  17. Repeat the shaping, topping, and baking process (steps 9 through 16) with the second piece of dough and remaining toppings. Enjoy slices hot or re-crisp on a stone or steel for a true slice-shop experience. 

  18. Storage information: Wrap leftover slices of pizza in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for several days.   

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