Detroit-Style Pizza

For the dough

10.5 ounces unbleached bread flour (organic preferred)

0.15 ounce (about 1 teaspoon) instant yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt

7¾ ounces (about 1 cup minus 1½ teaspoons) water

For the sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Dash red pepper flakes

1 (16-ounce can) high-quality crushed tomatoes (organic preferred)

½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder

½ teaspoon granulated onion powder

1½ teaspoons granulated sugar (or 1 packet not-artificial, sugar substitute)

Salt, to taste

12 ounces brick cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes (see note)

5-6 ounces uncured (no nitrate or nitrite added) sliced pepperoni

Add the flour, yeast, and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add water, and process until dough forms a ball that rides around the processor's bowl; about 30 seconds. Continue processing for 30 seconds more (the dough will feel warm at this point). Remove the processor's cover.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-large bowl and, using your hands, spread it all around the bowls' interior. Leave the oil on your hands and transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, form into a tight ball, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

While the dough rises: Place a medium sauce pan over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, but not smoking, add minced garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder and sugar. Bring to a low simmer and cook until reduced to about 1½ cups, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Once the dough has risen, place the oven rack in the center position and begin heating to 500 or 550-degrees. Make the Pizza: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bottom of a Detroit-style 10-by-14-by 2.5-inch pan and spread around the bottom and up the sides. Add the dough to the pan and stretch and pat until it reaches all the way to and slightly up the pan's sides. Press down on the dough to remove any large air bubbles trapped underneath.

Lay half the pepperoni evenly over the dough. Top with cheese, distributing it evenly all the way to the pan's edges and then distribute the remaining pepperoni evenly over the cheese. Spoon the sauce going left-to-right on the 14-inch side in 3 even rows.

Bake until the edges are dark brown, almost black and bubbly and exposed cheese on top is starting to lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack; do not set on a kitchen countertop.

Run a thin metal spatula all the way around the edges of the pan to loosen the pizza. Using a spatula, carefully lift it out and slide it onto a cutting board. Cut pizza into squares and serve. Serves 6.

Nutrition values per serving: 546 calories (47 percent from fat), 28.5 g fat (13.6 g saturated fat), 43.5 g carbohydrates, 7.4 g sugars, 2.1 g fiber, 28.3 g protein, 51 mg cholesterol, 1,477 mg sodium.

Note: Can't find brick cheese? Try whole milk mozzarella or Monterrey Jack cheese.

SaltSense: Pepperoni delivers 35 percent of the sodium in this pizza. Consider using a vegetable replacement, like sautéed mushrooms or green peppers. Or, simply using half the pepperoni.

Based on J. Kenji López-Alt's Detroit-Style Pan Pizza Recipe from seriouseats.com.