When we were dreaming up The Book of Pizza, we knew the cookbook wouldn’t be complete without a true New York slice. This recipe sets out to capture the best, real-deal version: It’s built on well-fermented dough that’s made with bread flour for just enough chew and strength to support a thin, foldable slice with a no-dip tip. Once the dough has undergone its first rise, it can be chilled for up to three days, making it easy to slot into real-life schedules. To recreate the slice-shop experience at home, we recommend re-crisping the cut slices on a baking stone or steel before serving (a cast iron pan works in a pinch).
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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.
Cover and let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into two equal pieces (about 300g per piece).
Form each piece into a tight ball and place seam-side down in a lightly greased container.
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.)
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, make the sauce.
To make the sauce: Open and strain the tomatoes; discard the liquid or save for another use.
Using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender, pulse the tomatoes just a few times to a coarse consistency.
Stir in the salt and sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Evenly spread about 1/2 cup (130g) of the sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2" border, then distribute about half of the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the sauce.
To bake: Use the peel to transfer the pizza onto the steel or stone, then bake for 5 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.
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.
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. Sprinkle the pizza with more Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and oregano to taste. Cut the pizza into sixths, two “super slices,” or one “mega slice,” and serve hot.
Repeat the shaping, topping, and baking process (steps 10 through 17) 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.
Storage information: Wrap leftover slices of pizza in aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for several days.
Tips from our Bakers
You’ll have about 1 1/4 cups (325g) of the sauce leftover after topping the two pizzas. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
