Pepperoni and Four Cheese Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza dough:

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 4 cups premium flour
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup store-bought or homemade pizza sauce (see recipe below)
• 340 g thinly sliced ​​mozzarella
• 1 cup chopped pepperoni

Four Cheese Pizza:

• 340 g thinly sliced ​​mozzarella
• 110 gr. grated fontina cheese
• 110 g crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 tbsp. grated pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 jar (100 g) of sauce pesto

Tomato salad with basil:

• 0.5 l red grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 0.5 l yellow grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 16 thinly sliced ​​fresh basil leaves, plus more if needed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pizza sauce:

• 3 cans (425 g) of pureed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken concentrate
• 1-2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 crushed cloves of garlic
• Salt and ground black pepper
• A pinch of sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8-10 chopped fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Pizza dough: Pour active dry yeast into 1.5 cups of warm (not lukewarm) water.
   
   Fit a shortcrust pastry attachment to a stand mixer and combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running at low speed, pour in the olive oil and mix well. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix well.
   
   Lightly spray a separate bowl with olive oil and place the dough on top. Form it into a ball and turn it over several times to coat it with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour, or refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
   
   Preheat oven to 260°C.
2. Pizza sauce: Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into a frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chopped onion and stir. Cook until the onion is soft, 4-5 minutes.
   
   Add the chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
   
   Add the pureed tomatoes and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a pinch of sugar. Add the dried oregano and basil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Preparing the pizza dough:
   
   Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll one part out as thinly as possible and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
   
   For a traditional pepperoni pizza: Spread sauce on a pizza crust. Top with slices of mozzarella and pepperoni.
   
   For the Four Cheese Pizza: Drizzle the crust with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour the pesto over the surface and spread evenly. Add the mozzarella, fontina, goat cheese, and pecorino romano cheese.
   
   Bake both pizzas until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Tomato salad with basil: While the pizzas are baking, heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
   
   Add the garlic and stir, gently frying it for about a minute and removing from the heat before it browns too much (it should be golden). Pour the mixture into a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil, and some salt and pepper. Stir, then taste and add more basil and salt if needed.
   
   Top the Four Cheese Pizza with a tomato-basil salad. Slice and serve.