Pepperoni, Goat Cheese, Arugula and Hot Honey Sheet Pan Pizza
I think my ‘if you could only eat one thing forever’ meal would be pizza. Yes, my answer is definitely pizza every time; especially if said pizza comes with a glass of wine alongside it.
Perfect for dinner, pizza never disappoints as a quick lunch (fresh and steaming hot or pulled straight from the fridge as you run out the door) and lets be honest, cold pizza for breakfast just hits different. So there you have it, versatile, tasty and perfect to eat any time of day. Personally, I’m team pineapple on pizza but we can save that debate for another day.
For years and years, we made homemade pizzas on the weekend (and often still do). I’ve played around with dozens of dough recipes over the years. I still love the Mark Bittman classic pizza dough recipe but in the last few years, I lean on my sourdough starter for sourdough pizza crust. We have an attachment on our barbecue for a pizza oven and its been a fun (sometimes slightly frustrating) process to nail down perfect wood fired pizza.
My only complaint is that as the cook, I rarely get to sit down and actually enjoy pizza night. Typically, I’m standing at the kitchen island pumping out pizzas, dotting the dough with pepperoni slices or swatting away hands trying to steal the mozzarella. Once the pizzas come out of the oven, everyone clamors to the table to grab their slice and I’m standing in the kitchen, assembling the next pie.
Detroit-style pizza caught my eye because it reminded me of the square Little Cesars pizzas of my childhood. In all seriousness, one large pizza, that could feed a crowd (or just my hungry teens) was the answer to my pizza complaints. Besides, a slightly thicker chewy crust that’s golden brown and filled with little air pockets making it airy and light is exactly the kind of pizza I want to eat. Detroit-style pizza often has a cheese layer under the sauce and often includes pickled jalapeños in the toppings.
For the Salt and Stone version, I had to come up with a little nod to our Pacific Northwest vibes. I dressed up the pizza with a few surprises, adding some excitement to the flavors. The pizza crust is focaccia-like in that its a little thicker than standard pizza dough with lots of luscious air pockets to keep it nice and light. The dough is stretched into a rectangle to make a nice big slab pie. This recipe includes classic pepperoni and a few thin slices of jalapeño. The addition of salty crumbled goat cheese and drizzle of hot honey are the perfect compliments to the savory pepperoni and spicy peppers. The peppery bright arugula rounds out the flavors, and is the perfect addition to the pizza.
As always, swap and trade ingredients to make this pizza all your own. If jalapeño and hot honey are too much heat for your preference, skip the jalapeños or swap the hot honey for a drizzle of regular honey. If you can’t find hot honey in the grocery store, make your own at home. Simply put a half cup of regular honey in a small sauce pan with a few slices of jalapeño (seeds included). Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Discard jalapeño slices and save hot honey in a jar with a lid. The arugula is optional, but before you ditch the ingredient, give it a try. It’s a lovely bright bite against the richness of the pizza.
However you ultimately make your pizza, I hope you enjoy it with some of your favorite people and a tasty beverage. I love Two Mountain Winery’s Show Pony, a smooth flavorful red blend, perfect for sipping on while making pizza.
Sheet Pan Pizza with Pepperoni, Goat Cheese, Hot Honey and Arugula
For the Dough:
580 grams all-purpose flour (4 1/2 cups)
18 grams Kosher salt (1 tablespoon)
5 grams instant yeast (1 teaspoon)
480 grams cool water (about 2 cup2)
18 grams honey (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon softened butter
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, honey and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Slick the dough with a teaspoon of olive oil. Cover the bowl with an airtight lid. Let rise overnight or for 10 to 12 hours at room temperature.
Using lightly oiled hands or a flexible bowl scraper, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it towards the center. Shape it into a rough ball.
Grease a 9x13 rimmed baking sheet with the softened butter and a teaspoon of olive oil. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, flipping at least once so the dough is lightly coated in oil. Gently pull and press the dough into the shape of the baking sheet. It won’t fully stretch at first, and that is just fine. Make a loose rectangular shape with the dough and then cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise again, at room temperature, for two hours.
For the Pizza:
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
2 ounces sliced pepperoni
1 small jalapeño, seeds removed, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups arugula greens
2 tablespoons hot honey*
Pinch of flakey seat salt
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Uncover the dough and gently stretch and pull until it evenly covers the baking sheet. Par-bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Spread the sauce on the crust, leaving a small border around the edges. Spread about half the shredded mozzarella over the dough followed by half the crumbled goat cheese. Evenly scatter the pepperoni and jalapeño slices (if using) across the cheese layer along with the dried oregano. Top with the rest of the shredded mozzarella and goat cheese.
Bake the pizza for an additional 10 minutes, watching closely until the pizza is golden brown along the edges, the cheese is beautifully melted and when the pizza is lifted from the tray, the crust is golden brown underneath. Baking time is subject to your oven and how quickly the crust baked the first time through the oven. The best thing to do is watch the pizza closely and pull it from the oven when you see that it's brown and crispy on the bottom and the cheese is melted.