Servings: 4 people
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough (Makes 8 dough balls—freeze extras!)
- 3.5 lbs 1.6 kg high-gluten flour (or "00" flour for a softer crust)
- 33.6 oz 1 liter room-temperature water (~63% hydration)
- 0.3 oz 8.5g fresh yeast (or 0.1 oz active dry yeast)
- 2 tbsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the Sauce (Lucali’s secret: simplicity)
- 1 can 28 oz San Marzano tomatoes (D.O.P. certified)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar balances acidity
- 1 garlic clove minced (optional—Lucali keeps it pure)
For the Toppings
- 3 oz low-moisture mozzarella thinly sliced
- 1.5 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella torn
- Fresh basil leaves
- Grated Grana Padano or Parmesan
- Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
Instructions
Make the Dough (24+ Hours Ahead)
- Mix & Knead – In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add olive oil, then gradually mix in flour and salt. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
- Bulk Ferment – Cover with plastic wrap, rest at room temp for 45 minutes.
- Divide & Cold Ferment – Cut into 8 dough balls (~10 oz each), coat with olive oil, and refrigerate for 6+ hours (up to 48 hours).
Prepare the Sauce (No Cooking!)
- Crush Tomatoes – Hand-crush San Marzanos (or pulse in a food processor for a smoother texture).
- Season – Stir in salt and sugar. Lucali’s magic? No cooking—raw sauce preserves brightness.
Assemble & Bake (Lucali’s Signature Technique)
- Preheat Oven – Crank to 500°F (260°C) with baking steel/stone on the lowest rack.
- Roll the Dough – Flour a surface, then roll with a wine bottle (Lucali’s trick!) into a 14-inch circle.
- Sauce It – Spread 3 oz sauce in a spiral motion, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Cheese Layers – Add low-moisture mozzarella first, then buffalo mozzarella (for gooey pockets).
- Bake – Slide onto steel/stone. Bake 10–15 minutes until crust blisters.
- Finish Like Lucali – Top with fresh basil, grated Grana Padano, and a drizzle of EVOO.
Notes
Pro Tips from Mark Iacono
- "Roll, don’t stretch" – Lucali’s dough is rolled thin for crispness.
- "Less is more" – Overloading toppings = soggy crust.
- "Buffalo mozzarella? Pat it dry!" – Excess moisture ruins the bake.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
