Thin-Crust Pizza Recipe for Two
This deliciously crisp and chewy thin-crust pizza is a standout among recipes for two, crafted with high-protein bread flour and a simple sauce made from pantry staples. Ideal for home ovens, it delivers New York-style pizzeria quality with an overnight rise and a quick bake.
Equipment
- food processor
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Baking stone or inverted baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Pizza peel or similar flat surface
Ingredients
Dough
- 1½ cups (8¼ ounces) bread flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
- ⅔ cup ice water
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
Sauce
- ½ cup canned whole peeled tomatoes drained
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese shredded (1 cup)
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: Combine flour, sugar, and yeast in a food processor. Pulse briefly to mix. While running the processor, slowly pour in ice water and blend until a shaggy dough forms, around 10 seconds. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Knead Dough: Add vegetable oil and salt. Blend until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly oiled surface and knead for 1 minute. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours (or up to 3 days).
- Make Sauce: Blend all sauce ingredients in a food processor for roughly 15 seconds, scraping the sides as needed. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until needed.
- Preheat Oven: About an hour before baking, position a rack 4½ inches below the top heating element and place your baking stone or sheet on it. Preheat oven to 500°F. Meanwhile, let the dough rest at room temperature on a greased baking sheet, covered, for 1 hour.
- Shape Dough: Lightly flour your counter and hands. Flatten the dough into an 8-inch round, keeping the edge slightly thicker. Stretch gradually into a 12-inch circle, turning as you go to maintain the shape.
- Assemble Pizza: Move dough to a floured peel or surface. Stretch slightly more to form a 13-inch round. Spread sauce evenly, leaving a ¼-inch border. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then mozzarella.
- Bake: Slide pizza onto the preheated stone and bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Ice water helps prevent the dough from overheating during mixing.
- If you don’t have a pizza stone, use an inverted heavy baking sheet.
- The dough improves with longer fermentation — aim for the full 24 hours for best flavor.
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