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48-hour fermented sheet-pan pizza

A chewy sheet-pan pizza with a crisp, browned base, made with a small amount of yeast and a two-day rest in the refrigerator.

By Jared Veldheer

Published

Servings
6 servings; one 13-by-18-inch pizza, cut into 12 squares
Total time
About 51 hours, including 48 hours in the refrigerator and time to warm and stretch the dough
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A rectangular pepperoni pizza slice on a lunch tray with green salad, pasta salad, apple slices and a small toy turtle.
Monday's pizza tray. We made fermented dough and a couple test batches of pourable batter.

I'll take the chew

This is the pizza dough I prefer. The 48-hour ferment gives it the chew I'm looking for, and the bottom gets a good crisp edge in the pan.

On Monday, I made this alongside a couple test batches of pourable pizza batter. About 75% of the kids who tried both picked the batter version. Pretty wild. I still like this one better, but I'm glad we tried both. The batter is a great option when you need pizza the same day.

I used Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Pizza Flour and LloydPans sheet pans. You can find the pans on Amazon. I think the pan makes a big difference. Give the dough its two days, then check the bottom when you bake. Melted cheese doesn't tell you whether the crust is ready.

Watch it in the kitchen

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Home recipe

48-hour fermented sheet-pan pizza

The Lunch Lady · Jared Veldheer

Servings
6 servings; one 13-by-18-inch pizza, cut into 12 squares
Prep time
About 25 minutes of active work
Cook time
About 20 to 30 minutes
Total time
About 51 hours, including 48 hours in the refrigerator and time to warm and stretch the dough

Equipment: Kitchen scale, stand mixer with dough hook, covered dough container, 13-by-18-inch rimmed metal sheet pan and small saucepan if making the sauce. A ¼-teaspoon measure is useful for the small yeast amount.

Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go.

Dough

Pizza toppings

Use this instead of the prepared sauce above. Measure 1¼ cups for the pizza.

Homemade pizza sauce, optional; makes about 1½ cups

Instructions

Mix the dough two days ahead

  1. Mix the flour and cool water with the dough hook on the lowest speed for about 1 minute, until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and rest for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the instant yeast and honey. Mix on low for 1 minute. Add the salt and mix on low for 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the 15 g olive oil and mix another 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth, supple and slightly tacky. Follow your mixer's recommended dough speed; don't keep kneading to make it dry.
  3. Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled surface, give it two gentle folds and gather it into a ball. Put it in a lightly oiled container with room to expand and cover. Rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 48 hours. Leave it covered and undisturbed during the cold ferment.

Warm and stretch the dough

  1. Take the covered dough out of the refrigerator about 2 hours before you want to bake. Let it warm for about 60 minutes so it stretches more easily.
  2. Coat the bottom and sides of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed metal pan with the 20 g olive oil. Turn the dough into the pan and gently press it about three-quarters of the way to the edges. If it pulls back, stop and let it relax.
  3. Cover loosely and rest for 15 minutes, then press it all the way into the corners. Rest another 20 to 30 minutes, until relaxed and slightly puffy. A cold kitchen can take longer. You want an even sheet of dough, not a tall, pillowy focaccia.
  4. During the rest, heat the oven to 450°F conventional or 425°F convection, with a rack in the lower third. Make the sauce now if using the homemade version.

Make the sauce, if using

  1. Drain the tomatoes over a bowl and keep the juice. Crush or briefly pulse the tomatoes, leaving a little texture.
  2. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until brick red. Keep the garlic from burning.
  3. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 8 to 12 minutes until thick enough to mound on a spoon. Add reserved tomato juice a tablespoon at a time if it gets too thick.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt. Add the small amount of sugar only if the tomatoes need it, then taste again. Keep the salty cheese and pepperoni in mind.

Par-bake, top and finish

  1. Dimple the dough with oiled fingertips and press down any large bubbles. Par-bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking from 8 minutes, until the center is set and the underside begins to turn light golden. Lift a corner to check. Dark pans and convection ovens can finish sooner.
  2. Spread 1¼ cups thick sauce over the crust, leaving a narrow rim. Add the mozzarella and optional pepperoni evenly.
  3. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling with browned spots and the base is crisp and well browned. If the cheese gets ahead of the bottom, loosely tent with foil and keep baking. The base needs to be cooked through, not pale and soft.
  4. Rest for about 5 minutes, then cut into 12 squares and serve.

Recipe notes

  • Plan for 48 hours in the refrigerator after mixing, plus time to warm, stretch and bake. The pourable pizza batter is the same-day option.
  • The small yeast amount is intentional. A full packet changes how this dough ferments over two days.
  • Use the specified 13-by-18-inch pan for this batch. Give dough that keeps shrinking back another 10 minutes of rest instead of forcing it and tearing it.
  • Weigh the flour and water for the most consistent dough. Cup measurements are approximate.
  • Use 1¼ cups of the homemade sauce on the pizza. Too much sauce makes it harder to get a good crust.
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