Ingredients
Meatballs and Sauce
- 1 recipe Italian-American meatballs in red sauce, prepared through step 5, including sauce
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium bunch fresh basil leaves, divided
Pizza
- 1 recipe New York–style pizza dough, divided into 3 balls, proofed, and ready to stretch and top
- 1 pound grated full-fat dry mozzarella cheese (450 g; about 4 cups)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 ounces (45 g) finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: Set aside 1/2 cup of the meatball mixture. Form the remaining mixture into small balls, roughly 3/4 inch in diameter, and place them on a plate in the refrigerator to chill.
- Preheat Oven and Baking Steel: Place a Baking Steel on the top rack of your oven directly beneath the broiler, then preheat the oven to its highest possible temperature to create a very hot baking surface.
- Brown Reserved Meatball Mixture: In a medium saucepan over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil until shimmering. Add the reserved meatball mixture, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Simmer Sauce with Basil: Stir in the prepared red sauce and half the basil leaves to the browned meat mixture. Bring it to a simmer, allowing flavors to meld.
- Cook Meatballs in Sauce: Gently add the small meatballs into the simmering sauce one at a time. Cook without moving them for about 2 minutes until they start to set, then carefully turn and continue cooking, stirring gently and occasionally, until fully cooked, about 3 minutes more. Remove meatballs using a slotted spoon, minimizing sauce transfer, and discard the cooked basil.
- Stretch and Shape Dough: On a lightly floured surface, turn out one dough ball. Press it gently into a rough 8-inch circle, leaving the outer inch higher to form a crust edge. Stretch the dough over your knuckles into a 12- to 14-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a wooden pizza peel.
- Top the Pizza: Turn the broiler on high. Spread about 2/3 cup of the meatball sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2- to 1-inch border. Distribute a third of the grated mozzarella evenly on the sauce. Add a third of the cooked meatballs on top. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and kosher salt to taste.
- Bake the Pizza: Slide the pizza onto the preheated Baking Steel and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted with some browned spots and the crust is golden brown and puffed.
- Finish and Serve: Transfer the hot pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle with 1/2 ounce Romano or Parmesan cheese. Slice and serve immediately.
- Repeat for Remaining Dough: Repeat steps 6 through 9 using the remaining dough balls, sauce, cheese, meatballs, basil, olive oil, salt, and Romano or Parmesan cheese to make two more pizzas.
Notes
- Using a Baking Steel and broiler on high heat simulates the effect of a pizzeria oven for a crispy, well-cooked crust.
- Form meatballs small to ensure they cook quickly and evenly on the pizza.
- Using full-fat mozzarella provides the best melting texture and flavor.
- Be careful not to overload the pizza with sauce or toppings to ensure even cooking.
- Reserve some sauce and cheese to finish each pizza with additional Romano or Parmesan for an extra flavor boost.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
