Pepperoni Pizza Recipe (Pizza Steel Plate - Restaurant Method, Sydney)
This is a restaurant-style pepperoni pizza designed for cooking on a pizza steel plate at high heat. It focuses on fast service, consistent results, and a crisp base with bubbling cheese and cupped pepperoni.
Why Pizza Steel Works So Well
Pizza crust is simply better cooked on steel. Steel is a natural conductor that transfers heat far more efficiently than a ceramic baking stone, so the base cooks faster, crisps harder, and develops better char and blistering.
A 10mm thick pizza steel stays searingly hot even when fresh dough hits the surface, pushing more heat energy into the crust for that crisp, restaurant-style finish. This is how you can chase the performance of very high temperature pizza ovens while using a home oven.
With an Australian-made steel plate, you can achieve charred and blistered dough pockets and a tastier base without needing a time-consuming and expensive wood-fired oven.
Yield
1 x 12 to 13 inch pizza
Ingredients
Dough (1 pizza)
- 250 g high-protein pizza flour (00 or strong bread flour)
- 160 ml cold water
- 5 g sea salt
- 2 g instant dry yeast
- 5 ml olive oil
Tip: For best restaurant results, use a 24 to 48 hour cold fermented dough.
Sauce
- 80 to 100 g crushed tomatoes (San Marzano style if available)
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
- Small drizzle of olive oil
Keep the sauce uncooked for a fresh, bright flavour.
Toppings
- 120 g low-moisture mozzarella (grated or sliced)
- 18 to 22 slices pepperoni
- Optional: pinch of dried oregano or chilli flakes
Equipment
- Pizza steel plate (10 mm thick recommended)
- Home convection oven or commercial-grade oven
-
Infrared thermometer (recommended)
Oven & Steel Setup (Important)
- Steel preheat: For best results, heat the Pizza Steel for at least 30 minutes at 240 degrees C.
Important: Only use fresh pizza dough. Already cooked dough will burn on a fully heated steel.
Method (Service Workflow)
1. Stretch the dough
- Bring dough to room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes before baking.
- Stretch to 12 to 13 inches by hand.
- Avoid using a rolling pin to keep air in the crust.
2. Build the pizza
- Lightly flour the peel.
- Spread tomato sauce thinly, leaving a small border for the crust.
- Add mozzarella evenly.
- Top with pepperoni slices. They will crisp and curl in the oven.
3. Bake on the pizza steel
- Launch the pizza onto the hot steel.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Rotate once if needed for even colouring.
4. Finish and serve
- Optional: Drizzle a small amount of olive oil after baking.
- Slice immediately.
- Serve hot on pre-warmed plates.
Restaurant Tips (Sydney)
- On humid days, reduce dough hydration by 2 to 3% to keep handling consistent.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella to prevent a watery centre.
- Slice pepperoni cold for cleaner slices and easier portion control.
Pizza Steel Care and Storage
- Clean the steel daily with a scraper.
- Avoid soap and water where possible.
- Do not wet your pizza steel or immerse it in water. Clean it with high-temperature cooking oil.
- If your steel has corner holes for grip and hanging, use them for easy storage.
Fun Pizza Night Tip
Make pizza night a build-your-own competition. Set up a topping station and let everyone style their own pizza. Try classic red sauce versions, or go Bianco with mascarpone, mayonnaise, or olive oil as the base.
