Why this formula works
The full 105 g tomato layer keeps the pizza juicy, while dry mozzarella and non-overlapping pepperoni protect the base. Burrata is drained and added after a short rest, so its cool center stays creamy instead of flooding the oven. Twenty-five grams of hot honey is enough to gloss every slice without turning the pizza into dessert.
Honest timing
| Active preparation | 20 min |
| Hydration / proof / preheat | 1 h |
| Cooking / baking | 8 min |
| Elapsed total | 1 h 28 min |
Ingredients
- mature room-temperature pizza dough ball250 g (8.8 oz)
- thick, lightly salted pizza tomato sauce105 g (3.7 oz)
- whole-milk low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated110 g (3.9 oz)
- cup-and-char pepperoni, sliced 2 mm thick80 g (2.82 oz)
- fresh burrata, well chilled and drained125 g (4.4 oz)
- hot honey with clearly declared ingredients25 g (0.88 oz)
- red chili flakes0.5 g
- fresh basil leaves8 g (0.28 oz)
Equipment
- pizza steel or stone
- pizza peel
- small sieve
- box grater
- digital scale
- pizza wheel
Exact method
- 1. Place a steel or stone on the lower-middle rack and preheat the oven at maximum heat for a full 60 minutes.
- 2. Drain the burrata in a sieve for 15 minutes, then return it to the refrigerator. Coarsely grate the mozzarella; spread it on a clean towel for 10 minutes if the surface feels damp.
- 3. Open the dough from the center to 28–30 cm, preserving a 1.5–2 cm rim. Move it to a lightly dusted peel and verify that it slides freely.
- 4. Spread all 105 g tomato sauce to within 1.5 cm of the rim. Add mozzarella in a loose, even layer.
- 5. Arrange pepperoni in one layer with small gaps. Overlapping pieces steam and release one large grease pool instead of developing crisp cups.
- 6. Bake at 250–300°C / 482–572°F for 5–8 minutes, rotating once, until the underside is browned and the pepperoni edges curl.
- 7. Rest the pizza on a rack for 60 seconds. Set the cold burrata in the center and tear it into four connected folds so the cream spreads without covering the whole crust.
- 8. Drizzle the hot honey in fine lines, then add chili flakes and torn basil. Cut into six slices and distribute burrata across the slices as you serve.
How to know it is ready
- Pepperoni edges are crisp and curled, but the centers are not burnt.
- The base supports the 105 g sauce and cheese when a slice is lifted.
- Burrata remains cool-creamy inside while its outer folds warm on the pizza.
- Hot honey forms a thin gloss, not a sticky puddle.
Troubleshooting
- Wet center: drain burrata and mozzarella more thoroughly before reducing the tomato.
- Soft pepperoni: keep slices in one layer and use strong top heat only after the base has set.
- Overly sweet result: weigh 25 g hot honey; do not pour directly from an uncontrolled bottle.
- Burnt honey: it was added before baking; every gram belongs on the finished pizza.
How to adapt the base recipe
- For a milder base, omit the separate chili flakes but retain the measured hot honey.
- For extra heat, add 8–12 g thin fresh jalapeño rings after baking; do not double the honey.
- For 35 cm, use a 300–320 g dough ball, 135 g tomato, 140 g mozzarella, 100 g pepperoni, 150 g burrata and 32 g hot honey.
Storage and food safety
Best immediately. Refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 2 days. Before reheating, lift off the burrata, crisp the pizza in a hot skillet or oven, then return the cold cheese. Never leave the dairy-and-meat topping at room temperature overnight.
Allergens
Gluten (wheat), Milk Depending on the selected product, may also contain: Mustard, Sulphites.
Always verify every label and cross-contact risk; brand formulations can change.