Pepperoni pizza is the benchmark of American pizzerias — and the home oven version improves dramatically when you choose natural-casing pepperoni that cups and crisps at the edges, collecting pools of rendered spice oil.
Sauce (makes enough for 3 pizzas)
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Assemble
Stretch dough, spread a thin sauce layer, cover with shredded low-moisture mozzarella. Layer pepperoni slices — thick-cut natural casing works best. For cup-and-char, tuck pepperoni between cheese and sauce so edges curl upward in heat.
Bake
Bake at 500°F on steel or stone for eight to ten minutes. Finish under broiler briefly for extra char on pepperoni cups. Rest two minutes before slicing to set the cheese.