Detroit-Style Pizza

Directions

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in ¼ cup warm water; let stand 5 minutes. In a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar; pulse to combine. Add yeast mixture and remaining water; process until a soft dough forms and rolls around the inside of the bowl, 45-60 seconds. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
2. Punch dough down; let rest for 5 minutes. Grease the bottom of a Detroit-style pizza pan or a dark 13x9-in. baking pan with olive oil. Place dough on pan and gently stretch dough until it starts to spring back; let stand 10 minutes and stretch again until dough almost covers bottom of pan. Cover and let stand until slightly risen and dough reaches the edges of the pan, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 500°. Place pepperoni on top of dough and top with cheese, making sure the cheese touches the edges of the pan. Spoon pizza sauce in 3 strips lengthwise over cheese. Bake on the bottom rack until cheese is bubbly and the edges are dark brown, about 15 minutes.
   Loosen edges of pizza from pan and immediately transfer to a wire cooling rack; let stand 5 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board; cut into squares. Transfer cut pizza back to the wire rack and, if desired, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.