Pepperoni and Jalapeno Pizza – Tastiest Pizza Ever

This pepperoni and jalapeno pizza is one of my favorite spur of the moment recipes when I’m craving pizza. It combines the intense flavor of crisp pepperoni with the spicy acidity of pickled jalapeno. For this recipe, I’m opting for a pickled jalapeno infused Monterrey Jack cheese, but you can use sliced pickled jalapeno and low-moisture mozzarella with awesome results as well.

The dough only needs to be prepared a few hours in advance but the rise can be slowed down or sped up by tweaking the amount of yeast and honey.

Same-Day Pizza Dough Recipe

Unlike most of my other pizza dough recipes, which I ferment for 24-48 hours in advance, this one only takes a few hours before it’s ready to use. This recipe is made using the following simple ingredients:

• Flour (00 is best, but All-Purpose works fine as well)
• Water
• Active Dry Yeast
• Salt
• Honey
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The benefit of fermentation is improved taste and digestibility, but sometimes you don’t know you’re going to want pizza on a random weeknight 48 hours in advance. So for this recipe, it only requires an initial resting period of 1 hour before forming it into a ball and then an additional 2-3 hours for proofing.

Working With Yeast

The yeast measurements I give in this recipe (see below) are intended for use 4-5 hours after preparation. However, if you plan on making your pizza dough in the morning and eating it 8-10 hours later, you can safely halve the amount. Follow the table below for general guidance.

Hopefully this table gives you an idea of how much yeast you need to use for your pizza dough based on your schedule. Of course, working with yeast is never so simple. Different kinds of yeast, different room temperatures and different amounts of honey or sugar will all affect how fast or slow your dough expands as it rests.

If you haven’t worked with yeast before, you may need to experiment a few times before you get it right.

For example, if you leave your dough to rest for 2-3 hours and you find it’s tripled in size with huge air bubbles coming out of it, you know you need to:

• Use less yeast
• Use less honey or sugar
• Let it rest in a cooler room
• Use the dough sooner
• A combination of all these things

Climate plays a big role as well since yeast is more active under warm conditions. So, if you live in a warm climate, you may not need to use as much yeast or honey. Likewise, if you live in a cold climate, you may need to use more yeast or honey, or let it rest for longer.

These measurements are based on active dry yeast, however if you’re using instant dry yeast you’ll want to use about 20% less than what I’ve listed above.

Caputo 00 Chef’s Flour

Very soft, fine flour makes for a delicate crust

Strong gluten is perfect for long fermentation

High quality, clean milling process

Protein: 13%

“W” Index: W300/W320

H20 Absorbability: 55-57%

Summary

Caputo 00 Chef’s Flour is my preferred flour for making pizza and bakes into the most delicate and refined crust possible. This flour is very strong with a high protein and water absorbability rate that makes it perfect for long fermentation times.

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Related Posts:

• 70% Hydration Pizza Dough Recipe – No More Dry Crust
• 80% Hydration Pizza Dough Recipe – Fluffiest Pizza Crust Ever
• Improved Ooni Pizza Dough Recipe: 65% Hydration, Double Fermented, No-Knead Method
• Why 00 Flour Is Best For Pizza: What It Is & How It Makes A Difference

Raw vs Cooked Pizza Sauce

In the world of pizza sauce, there are generally two varieties: raw and uncooked.

For most kinds of pizza, including Neapolitan and New York City style, raw sauce is most common. This kind of sauce is made using canned or fresh tomatoes and cooking only happens during the brief baking process in the oven.

The benefit of a raw sauce is that it preserves most of the flavor of the tomatoes. Cooking the sauce changes the chemistry of the tomatoes and results in a very different flavor, especially when other seasonings are infused into it.

A cooked sauce, on the other hand, has a much bolder flavor which some people prefer. This kind of sauce can work well with New York and Detroit style pizza.

For this sauce, with its spicy peperoni and jalapeno, I’ve opted for a raw sauce. The pepperoni and jalapeno bring lots of intense flavor so the raw tomato goes with it perfectly.

In this recipe, I use an immersion blender. I recommend using one because I like a smooth sauce, but you can use a potato masher as well. Need an immersion blender? This one works great.

Related Posts:

• Domenic’s Detroit Style Pizza Sauce Recipe
• NYC Style Pizza Sauce – A Pre-Cooked Tomato Sauce For American Style Pizza
• How To Make Pizza Sauce

Jalapeno Monterrey Jack Cheese

This recipe will work with any combination of pizza toppings you like, but I’ve chosen to go with pepperoni, low-moisture Mozzarella and pickled jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese. This particular Monterrey Jack cheese is infused with flecks of pickled Monterey Jack cheese but you if you prefer to use sliced pickled jalapeno from a jar that works great as well.

If you’ve never used Monterey Jack on pizza it’s actually quite good. Monterey Jack is closely related to Mozzarella and follows a very similar production process. I like to use it on pizza because it commonly comes with jalapeno or habanero flavors and often has a higher milk fat content than regular mozzarella. This gives the pizza a great taste and excellent melt on the cheese.

The great part about a pizza recipe like this one is that virtually any combination of cheeses works well. Looking for some inspiration? Try any of the following cheeses below:

• Fresh Mozzarella
• Provolone
• Havarti
• Brick Cheese
• White Cheddar
• Parmigiano
• Pepper Jack
• Fontina
• Gouda

Want more cheese options? Check out my article on the best cheese blend combinations for pizza here.

Jalapeno Monterey Jack Cheese

Domenic Vitulli

Creamy Monterey Jack cheese

Spicy jalapeno peppers

Summary

Jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese is one of my favorite toppings for pizza, especially pepperoni pizza. This cheese pairs especially well with crispy, spicy meat toppings like sausage and pepperoni.

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Old World Pepperoni

Any kind of pepperoni will work well for this pizza, but “old world” pepperoni, if you can find it, usually works best.

Old world pepperoni is not really from the “old world” at all, in fact it’s entirely an American invention. However, this kind of pepperoni follows some of the same methods used in traditional European salami and sausage which gives it a more authentic taste and texture.

When it’s all said and done, “old world” pepperoni is simply a higher quality pepperoni that typically comes in thicker slices and real animal sausage casing. This causes the pepperoni to “curl” or “cup” under high heat which catches grease and cheese within it.

If you haven’t tried old world pepperoni, you should definitely give it a try on your next pepperoni pizza.

Related Post: What Is Old World Pepperoni? Why It Makes A Difference & Pizza Recipe

Bridgeford Old World Pepperoni

Domenic Vitulli

“Old World” style pepperoni sticks

Pepperoni cups and curls when baked

Animal casing (not artificial)

Summary

Old world style pepperoni is the best kind of pepperoni to use on pizza and Bridgeford makes it as good and tasty as anyone else. This pepperoni comes in sticks so you can cut them as thick or as thin as you like.

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Vermont Smoked Uncured Pepperoni

Domenic Vitulli

Smoked and uncured

No antibiotics or hormones

Natural beef casing

Gluten Free

Summary

If you like pepperoni but don’t like highly processed meats, this pepperoni stick is perfect for you. While not marketed as “old world” style this high quality pepperoni fits the bill and is made in a way similar to a high end salami or sausage. This pepperoni also comes unsliced which means you can cut it as thin or as thick as you like. I like this pepperoni in thick slices which helps it cup and curl in the oven.

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Pepperoni Jalapeno Pizza

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Ingredients

  

Pizza Dough

• 145 g Flour (All Purpose or 00)
• 3/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (or slightly less instant dry yeast)
• 102 ml Lukewarm Water
• 4.5 g Fine Salt
• 0.5 tsp Honey
• 0.5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pizza Sauce

• 400 ml Can of whole peeled tomatoes (we’re only going to use a small amount)
• 1/4 tsp Fine Salt
• 1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pizza Toppings

• 50 g Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese
• 50 g Jalapeno Monterrey Jack Cheese
• Sliced Pickled Jalapeno (optional, or if you can’t find Jalapeno cheese)
• Pepperoni of your choice
• 2 pinch Dried Oregano
• Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese (a small amount grated or shredded under Mozz and Monterrey Jack)

Instructions

 

Preparing The Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, pour water and add dry yeast. Stir gently then add honey and incorporate everything well. Set bowl to the side as you measure out the dry ingredients.
  
• In a separate bowl, add the flour and salt and mix them together.
  
• Using a stuff spatula or wood spoon, add the flour mixture into the bowl of water. I recommend adding small amounts of flour at a time as you mix, this will make sure all of the flour is fully hydrated.
  
• When the ingredients are roughly mixed and all of the dry flour has been hydrated by the water, cover the bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes have passed, put the dough on a clean counter. Cover your hands lightly in olive oil and pat the top of the dough. Now, stretch and fold the dough over onto itself over and over again for 1-2 minutes. At the end, pull the dough ball towards yourself on the counter to make the skin tight and smooth.
  
• Place the dough ball in a lightly floured plastic container or baking pan covered in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
  

Preparing The Sauce

• If you have an immersion blender, add the oil and salt to the open can of tomatoes and blend. If not, empty the can into a mixing bowl and and crush them with a potato masher. We’ll only be using a few spoonfuls of sauce for this pizza so the rest can go into a plastic container for later.
  

Par-Baking The Crust

• 2-3 hours later, Dump the proved dough onto a pile of semolina flour (AP flour will work too) and start working the dough into a disk using the flat side of your fingers. Be gentle and don’t poke holes into the dough with your fingertips. Flip the dough over on the flour pile as you work to prevent it from sticking to your hands or the counter. I recommend not using a rolling pin for this step for best results but if you prefer to roll it out feel free.
  
• When your dough is stretched out to an approximately 12 inch disk, using a lightly floured pizza peel, transfer it to a pizza stone that’s been preheated at your oven’s maximum temperature for at least 1 hour.
  
• 1-2 minutes later, the top of the crust should be bubbling up but still completely white. Take it out and place it on a cooling rack for topping.
  

Topping The Pizza

• Add 1-2 large spoonfuls of sauce to the center of the pizza crust and work it in circles around the entire pizza. Feel free to push the sauce right up to the end of the crust.
  
• Add dried oregano and a few fingers full of grated pecorino or parmesan cheese.
  
• Add mozzarella and jalapeno monterrey jack cheese to your preference. The amounts I’ve listed here are just suggestions, but in my opinion less is more. I like to have equal parts cheese and uncovered sauce for best results.
  
• Add pepperoni – as with the cheese, less is more.
  

Baking The Pizza

• Slide the topped pizza back onto the hot baking stone and leave it in the oven for another several minutes.
  
• When the pizza is finished, the cheese will be completely melted with a few brown bubbles forming. The underside of the crust should be browned slightly (not blackened) as well.
  
• If your crust is overdone before the cheese is ready, try par-baking the crust less next time. If the cheese is overdone before the crust is ready, next time try par-baking the crust longer.
• Slide the pizza onto a cooling rack and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. When it’s cooled, slice it up and serve.
  

Related Posts:

• What Is Old World Pepperoni? Why It Makes A Difference & Pizza Recipe
• 70% Hydration Pizza Dough Recipe – No More Dry Crust
• Ooni vs Roccbox: Which Is The Best Pizza Oven & Why

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