From the telly to your belly, recreating recipes from television
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SKIP TO: RECIPE
This week, we’re heading stateside for a slice of Brooklyn’s finest, and recreating the New York style pizza from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. At Bite Club, there's nothing we love more than celebrating food on screen, and nobody does it quite like the 99th precinct. From Terry’s yoghurt obsession, to the anything and everything that Hitchcock and Scully put in their mouths, and of course, our biggest rival, Charles Boyle’s Brooklyn based pizza blog.
Characterised by its foldable slices and thin, chewy crust, the New York slice it’s the ultimate grab and go meal for the city that never sleeps. Unlike its Italian cousin, the Neapolitan pizza, New York style pizza is made with bread flour, which has a higher gluten, and higher protein content, making a sturdier, more bread like dough than it's Italian predecessor.
For the best results, you gotta use a pizza stone, which helps to give you that perfectly crisp base, by mimicking the intense heat of a pizzeria oven. If you plan on becoming a frequent dough spinner, it's worth picking one up, but otherwise, just flip a large baking tray upside down, and use it as a faux stone. Ideally, have a pizza peel handy, it’s your best friend for sliding those pies in and out of the oven like a pro. This is a brilliant and affordable set that has everything you need!
If you haven't watched our video on how to whip this up, do go check it out (and show it some love!) We hope this one would make Charles Boyle proud… and maybe just a little jealous.
Nine-Nine! 🍕🚨
NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA
Features in Brooklyn 99: Series 4, Episode 5 "Halloween IV"
INGREDIENTS (makes 4 pizzas)
500ml lukewarm water
7g instant dried yeast
1 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Additional flour for shaping
Fine semolina for baking
SAUCE
400g tin of chopped, peeled tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp dried oregano
TOPPINGS
Parmesan, optional
Mozzarella cheese, firm & low moisture
Pepperoni and hot honey, optional
METHOD
Preparing the dough
Begin by placing the yeast and sugar into a measuring jug, then pour in the warm water. Leave the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes, it should start to foam slightly on the surface.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt, stirring to combine.
Pour the yeast mixture it into the bowl with the flour and salt. Add the olive oil, then mix everything together until a rough dough begins to form.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead it in a stand mixer, or by hand, for 8–10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth, elastic, and stretches easily without tearing. nb: The dough will be sticky- avoid adding extra flour! A dough scraper will help you work with sticky dough.
For better flavour, cold proof...
When the dough is ready, divide it into four equal portions and shape each one into a ball.
Lightly grease a large airtight container and place the dough balls inside, ensuring they are not touching. Seal the container and refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours and up to 72 hours to allow it to slowly ferment and develop flavour.
Before you plan to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for 1–2 hours. This will make it easier to stretch and shape.
Alternatively...
Once kneaded, place the dough in a greased tray, cover loosely, and leave to proof in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Then, divide it into four equal portions and shape each one into a ball.
Shaping the dough
Place a pizza stone, or a large inverted baking tray, near the top of your oven and preheat the oven to its highest temperature, around 270 °C, for at least 30 mins.
When the dough is ready, and the oven is pre-heated, lightly dredge each ball in flour and place it on a well-floured work surface. Using your fingertips or knuckles, begin pressing and stretching the dough from the centre outwards.
Use the “gravity method” to continue stretching the dough; gently lift and rotate it so that gravity helps pull it into shape, leaving a slightly thicker rim around the edge to form the crust.
Sprinkle a little fine semolina onto a pizza peel, then place the stretched dough round on top.
Topping & baking
Mix together all the ingredients for the pizza sauce. There’s no need to cook the sauce.
Spread about 1–2 tablespoons of sauce over the dough, use less than you think you’ll need!
Next, sprinkle the pizza with a little grated parmesan cheese, followed by grated mozzarella, top with pepperoni if using.
Transfer the pizza carefully to the preheated oven using the peel. Bake for about 4 minutes, then rotate the pizza using the peel, to ensure it cooks evenly. Continue baking for a further 3 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Keep an eye on it!
Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack, optionally drizzle any pepperoni pizzas with hot honey.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Slice and enjoy!
