Italian American › Main Dishes

NY Style Pizza

Serves: 3 · 1 12' Pizza
By Ken Gray Published May 26, 2026
NY Style Pizza

Depending on ingredients used, pizza for dinner can cost around $5 USD per pizza. Adding herbs, cheese, spices in crust would make it your own.

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Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 12' Pizza)

Nutrition Facts
Calories 910
Total Fat 15 g
Sodium 1250 mg
Total Carbohydrates 170 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Protein 31 g
Calcium 60 mg
Iron 6 mg

Instructions

Pizza Dough

  1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
  2. Stir sugar into the water, add yeast, and let it bloom briefly.
  3. Add oil, then pour the liquid into the flour and mix until shaggy.
  4. Knead by hand for 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  5. Divide into dough balls, oil them lightly, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
  6. If you want 14" pies: divide into 2 equal balls.
  7. If you want 3 medium 12" pies: divide into 3 equal balls.
  8. If you prefer a slightly thicker crust, aim for fewer, larger dough balls (2 instead of 3).
  9. Remove from the fridge about 2 hours before stretching and bake on a very hot surface.

Pizza Sauce

  1. Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush them by hand or with kitchen shears.
  2. Stir in olive oil, salt, and any optional herbs or garlic.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  4. Use immediately, or rest it briefly so the flavors settle.

Assembly

  1. Preheat a pizza steel or stone on the upper-middle rack for at least 45 to 60 minutes.
  2. Set the oven to its highest safe setting, usually 500 to 550°F.
  3. Stretch the dough, sauce it lightly, and add mozzarella in an even layer.
  4. Add a light sprinkle of parmesan or pecorino if using.

Bake

  1. Bake on a steel or stone at 500 to 550°F for about 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Turn the pizza once during baking for even browning.
  3. If needed, finish with a brief broil to color the top, but watch closely.

Best results

Keep the sauce thin, the cheese dry, and the toppings light so the slice folds the way a New York slice should.

Notes & Author Comments

Nutrition values are approximate for CRUST ONLY!

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Recipe Techniques and Tips

Mixing and kneading

  • Aim for smooth and elastic, not super tight. Mix until the dough comes together, then knead just to a smooth, slightly tacky ball; you don’t need a perfect windowpane before the fridge.

  • Use short rest periods: mix until rough, rest 10 minutes, then do a brief knead. This lets the flour hydrate and gluten develop with less work.

Cold ferment timing

  • Sweet spot for NY-style is about 24–48 hours in the fridge; 72 hours can give even more flavor if the dough isn’t over-yeasted.

  • Store in a lightly oiled, airtight container or bag with room to expand to avoid drying and sticking.

Before shaping

  • Take dough out 60–120 minutes before baking so it can warm and relax; cold dough fights you and tears more easily.

  • If the ball keeps snapping back, let it rest 10–15 minutes, then try again; that means the gluten just needs to relax.

Stretching technique

  • Keep a thicker rim: press from the center outward and stop about 1 cm from the edge so you don’t degas the crust.

  • Use the “DJ deck” move: rotate the dough on the bench while gently pushing your hands apart, then finish by letting it drape over your knuckles to reach final size without thinning the center too much.

Baking for NY character

  • Use the hottest oven you have with a preheated stone or steel (at least 45–60 minutes preheat) for a crisp bottom and chewy interior.

  • Launch with minimal extra flour and bake until the crust has deep golden spots and the underside is mottled, not pale; rotating once if your oven browns unevenly.

  • I used a flat pan, but insure the pan can handle temperatures above 500 degrees.

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