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Ohio Valley-Style Pizza

Ohio Valley Style Pizza

Yes, there is such a thing and it's glorious. It has a warm cracker-y crust with cold cheese and pepperoni. This is my rendition.
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Cuisine: American
Keyword: Ohio Valley Style Pizza, Pizza
Prep Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 15''x10'' cookie sheet pan
  • 1 instant thermometer

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup warm water To activate the yeast. If you have one, use an instant thermometer to check the temperature of the water. Too hot and you kill the yeast. Too cold and it won't activate. It's a time saver to cover your bases.
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 2 tsp salt I use kosher, but I like salty things.
  • 1 cup warm water Water amounts are extremely important in this recipe. Be precise. There is a fine line between too much and too little. I find that if the crust is too chewy then I either put in too much water or didn't let it cook long enough.
  • 1 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) You'll need even more for the cookie sheet and the mixing bowl.
  • 1 28 oz Can ground tomatoes Some say you should use 6 in 1 all purpose ground tomatoes. Personally, unless you are trying to recreate a specific recipe, I experiment with different brands.
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 bag pizza cheese mix (provolone and mozzarella) You can find at most grocery stores
  • 1 slice green pepper

Instructions

Dough

  • Pour 2 teaspoons yeast, 2 tsp sugar, and 1/4 cup warm water into a bowl. Be sure the bowl is warm if your house is cold. Water should be ~110 degrees. Walk away for 10 minutes while the yeast activates. You should see bubbles.
  • In another large bowl combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 cups of bread flour, 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk ingredients together.
  • Add the activated yeast mixture and slowly pour 3/4 cup of water. Don’t add all You may not need it all. Begin to slowly work the dough with your hands. You might be tempted to add more water. You mustn't add more water unless necessary. We're going for a cracker-y crust.
  • Knead the dough with your hands for several minutes.
  • Add a little olive oil to your bowl to coat the sides so the dough won't stick and cover with plastic wrap.
    Pizza dough before rising
  • Place in warm area for 6 hours. You can also place do an overnight rise if you prefer to make it in advance.
    Pizza Dough Rising

Sauce

  • In a deep saucepan, combine canned tomatoes, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and brown sugar. If you prefer, you can add a pepper, though I no longer include it in my sauce. Stir the mixture well and let it simmer over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes minimum. The flavors will boost if you do it for an hour.
    Simmering Pizza Sauce

Pizza Making

  • Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes before putting the dough in the oven.
  • Use a 15''x 10'' baking sheet and spread oil around the pan. Be sure to coat the full bottom and sides. Use your hand to move the oil around.
    Oiled Pizza Pan
  • Add your dough to the pan. Press down and gently stretch the dough to cover the pan. You'll be tempted to go quickly and risk tearing the dough. If the dough starts to tear, stop and walk away for five minutes. Then return and continue until the pan is covered. Poke a few holess with a fork to prevent large air bubbles from forming.
    Pizza Dough Stretched
  • Now place the pan into the 500 degrees oven for 7-9 minutes. Start checking at 7. The thinner the dough, the quicker it will cook.
  • After 10 minutes, pull the pan out and reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
  • Now it's time to add the sauce to the half cooked dough. spoon a light layer all around leaving space at the edge for the crust too form. Add a small handful of cheese all around and return to the oven for 3-5 minutes. If the crust has already become rigid, it won't need long at all. If you go too long it will be dry and hard. This pizza is sensitive to humidity levels, and the time in the oven could vary depending on your climate.
  • Pizza is done when it starts to form a light brown color on the bottom. If your pizza is chewy, there's a good chance you undercooked it. This pizza should be slightly hard on the bottom with a cracker-y layer and a soft middle layer. When down, remove from the oven.
  • Add cheese to your taste. I personally like a melted layer with a cold layer on top. I also like pepperoni and you could add as much as you like.
    Mixed Mozzarella and Provolone plus Pepperoni
  • Now enjoy your pizza and think about what you would do to improve.
    Ohio Valley-Style Pizza

Notes

This is a recipe to be perfected. The crust is extremely sensitive to water content and is likely something you'll get better at over time.