Prideful Pizza

Prideful Pizza is a loaded flatbread pizza with crispy edges, a tender center, and toppings that stay in place because they are layered thoughtfully. The trick is getting the crust golden and firm on the bottom while the cheese melts and the toppings warm through, all in a home oven.

Ingredients for Prideful Pizza

All-purpose flour and instant yeast build a tender, chewy dough that rises quickly. Olive oil enriches the dough and helps it brown. Salt seasons the dough and strengthens the gluten. Warm water activates the yeast and brings everything together. Tomato sauce is the base layer that protects the crust from soaking up moisture from the toppings. Mozzarella cheese melts and binds everything together. Parmesan cheese adds a sharp, salty edge that cuts through the richness. Fresh basil brings brightness and aroma at the end. Red pepper flakes add heat, while garlic deepens the savory flavor.

Why This Prideful Pizza Works

The dough is mixed and stretched thin so it bakes quickly at high heat without burning. A hot oven and a preheated baking sheet make the bottom of the crust crisp and golden before the toppings have time to dry out.

Tomato sauce goes directly on the dough before the cheese, creating a barrier that keeps the crust from getting soggy. The cheese then sits on top and melts into the sauce, sealing everything together. Toppings are spread over the cheese so they warm without overcooking.

Fresh basil is added only after the pizza comes out of the oven, so it stays bright and doesn’t turn dark and bitter from the heat.

Mistakes To Avoid

Stretch it thin, about 1/4 inch, and use your fingers to work it into the corners of the pan.

Sauce that is spread too thick or layered under the cheese will make the crust soggy and heavy. Use 1/2 cup for a 13-by-9-inch pizza and spread it in a thin, even layer.

Adding basil before baking turns it dark and mushy and kills the fresh flavor. Tear it and scatter it over the hot pizza the moment it comes out of the oven.

An oven that is not hot enough or a baking sheet that is not preheated will bake the toppings before the crust has time to crisp. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 15 minutes and preheat the sheet inside it.

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Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water and 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute.
2. Knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. It should be slightly sticky but hold together.
3. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes until it is puffy and relaxed.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat it for 5 minutes.
5. Oil a piece of parchment paper lightly. Turn the dough onto it and stretch it gently with your fingers into a thin rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, fitting the size of your baking sheet. Let it rest for 2 minutes.
6. Spread tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a thin border on all sides. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
7. Mix minced garlic with red pepper flakes and scatter over the cheese. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
8. Carefully slide the parchment paper and pizza onto the preheated baking sheet. Bake at 450°F for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is golden brown on the bottom and the edges are firm and the cheese is melted and bubbling at the edges.
9. Remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and scatter fresh basil over it while the pizza is still hot.
10. Let the pizza rest for 1 minute, then cut into squares and serve warm.