Tony Gemignani’s St. Louis

Makes one 14-inch pizza; 16 small squares
In the late 1990s I went to St. Louis for the first time in my life to perform at Camp Quality, a camp for kids with cancer. The kids spend a week having all kinds of fun experiences, including pizza throwing, cooking, eating, and generally clowning around. There were two things I knew I needed to taste while I was there: a Budweiser and a St. Louis pizza.
That's how I discovered Imo's, the place that makes the definitive St. Louis–style pie.
It's cracker-thin and cut into squares because it's so thin that triangular slices would collapse under the weight of the toppings (or, according to Imo family legend, because founder Ed Imo was a linoleum tile cutter and squares were what he knew). To make the crust extra thin, I start with a smaller dough ball than usual, roll it very thin and larger than the usual 13 inches diameter, dock it, and then trim it down to 13 inches and flatten the edges.
A true St. Louis pizza is made with a decidedly sweet, oregano tomato sauce and a special cheese called Provel. A creamy white blend of provolone, Swiss, and Cheddar that's virtually unknown outside St. Louis, Provel is a processed cheese that melts in that same gooey, guilty-pleasure way that Velveeta does. No wonder our kitchen staff is addicted to grilled cheese sandwiches made with it.
INGREDIENTS
1 (8-ounce/225-gram) ball Master Dough Without Starter (see accompanying recipe)
9 parts flour mixed with 1 part semolina, for dusting

St. Louis Tomato Sauce
4.2 ounces (120 grams/1/2 cup) ground tomatoes, preferably Tomato Magic or DiNapoli
4.5 ounces (125 grams/1/2 cup) tomato paste, preferably SuperDolce
3 tablespoons (55 grams) Simple Syrup (see accompanying recipe)
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of fine sea salt

4 ounces (115 grams) Sweet Fennel Sausage (see accompanying recipe) or 1 ounce (30 grams) sliced pepperoni, preferably in natural casing (optional)
7 ounces (200 grams) Provel cheese, shredded (2 cups)
Grated Parmesan cheese, for dusting
Dried oregano, for dusting
Garlic Oil (see accompanying recipe), for drizzling

INSTRUCTIONS
Roll out the dough into a 14-inch round, press the edges gently to flatten them, and then dock the surface of the dough.
Move the dough to the peel. As you work, shake the peel forward and backward to ensure the dough isn't sticking.
Spoon the tomato sauce onto the center of the dough. Then, using the back of the spoon in a circular motion and working outward from the center, spread the sauce evenly over the surface, leaving a 3/4-inch border. The sauce will weigh down the dough, keeping it flat as it bakes.
The dough may have contracted as it was moved, so pull the edges as necessary to restretch it into a 14-inch round. Baking the crust without the cheese will make for a crispier crust.
Slide the pizza onto the top stone. Bake for 4 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a cutting board (or work directly on the peel if there is room to set it on the work surface). If you are using sausage, pinch nickel-size pieces and scatter them evenly over the top; if you are using pepperoni, arrange the slices evenly over the sauce. Sprinkle the Provel evenly over the pizza.
Return the pizza to the top stone and bake for 3 minutes. Lift the pizza onto the peel, rotate it 180 degrees, and then transfer it to the bottom stone. Bake for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the bottom is browned and crisp and the top is golden brown.
Transfer the pizza to the cutting board. Make 3 evenly spaced cuts through the pizza in one direction (to make 4 strips of equal width), turn the pizza 90 degrees, and repeat in the other direction, to make 16 squares. Finish with a dusting of Parmesan and oregano and a drizzle of garlic oil.
Master Dough without Starter
INGREDIENTS
4.5 grams (11/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
70 grams (1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) warm water (80°F to 85°F)
453 grams (3-1/2 cups) flour with 13 to 14 percent protein, preferably All Trumps, Pendleton Flour Mills Power, Giusto's High Performer, King Arthur Sir Lancelot Unbleached Hi-Gluten,or Tony's California Artisan Flour
9 grams (1 tablespoon) diastatic malt
225 grams (4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) ice water, plus more as needed
9 grams (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
5 grams (1 teaspoon) extra virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Put the yeast in a small bowl, add the warm water, and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The yeast should dissolve in the water and the mixture should foam. If it doesn't and the yeast granules float, the yeast is "dead" and should be discarded. Begin again with a fresh amount of yeast and water.
Combine the flour and malt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
With the mixer running on the lowest speed, pour in most of the icewater, reserving about 2 tablespoons, followed by the yeast-water mixture. Pour the reserved water into the yeast bowl, swirl it around to dislodge any bits of yeast stuck to the bowl, and add to the mixer.
Mix the dough at the lowest speed for about 1 minute, until most of the dough comes together around the hook. Stop the mixer. Use your fingers to pull away any dough clinging to the hook, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a bowl scraper or rubber spatula. Check the bottom of the bowl for any unincorporated flour. Turn the dough over and press it into the bottom of the bowl to pick up any stray pieces. If the dough isn't holding together, add small amounts of water (about 1/2 teaspoon to start) and mix until the dough is no longer dry and holds together.
Add the salt and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute to combine.

Stop the mixer, pull the dough off the hook, and add the oil. Mix the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer from time to time to pull the dough off the hook and scrape down the sides of the bowl, until all of the oil is absorbed. The dough won't look completely smooth.

Use a bowl scraper to transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface, then knead it for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth. Cover the dough with a damp dish towel and let rest at room temperature for 60 minutes.


Using a dough cutter, lift the dough into a large bowl, press it down slightly, and rub a little water over the top. Cover with a double layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and put it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix for 30 seconds on the lowest speed to degas the dough, removing any air bubbles.
Move the dough to the work surface and use the dough cutter to cut the dough into halves or thirds (depending on the weight called for in each recipe). Weigh each piece, adjusting the quantity of dough as necessary.
You may have a little extra dough.
Form the dough into balls. Set the balls on a half sheet pan, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Or, if you will be baking the balls on different days, place each ball on a quarter sheet pan. Wrap the pan(s) airtight with a double layer of plastic wrap, sealing the wrap well under the pan(s). Put the pan(s) in a level spot in the refrigerator and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Sweet Fennel Sausage
Makes 2 pounds (910 grams)
Along with my Calabrese Honey Sausage, this one gets used throughout my menus and all through this book. Both are flavored with a bit of honey, which adds a subtle sweetness and also helps keep the meat juicy as it cooks. Buy medium-grind pork, or even better, buy pork shoulder and ask the butcher to double grind it, first through a 1/2-inch die and then through a 3/8-inch die. Many people, including a lot of professionals, are surprised when I tell them that I never use cooked sausage in a pizza (unless it's a sliced cooked link). Raw sausage, when added in the quantity and piece size I call for, cooks perfectly in the time allotted.
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 tablespoons (9 grams) fennel seeds
1-1/2 tablespoons (9 grams) anise seeds
1 teaspoon (4.5 grams) fine sea salt
2 teaspoons (4.5 grams) freshly ground black pepper
2-1/2 tablespoons (37 grams) cold water
2 pounds (910 grams) medium-grind pork shoulder
2 tablespoons (42 grams) honey
INSTRUCTIONS
Grind the fennel seeds lightly in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, leaving some texture. Transfer them to a small bowl. Repeat with the anise seeds but grind them a bit finer, then add to the bowl.
Neither spice should be ground to a powder. Add the salt and pepper and stir in the water. Adding water will help to incorporate the spices evenly into the pork.
Put the pork into a large bowl and top with the spice mixture. Using your hands, work the spices evenly into the meat. Add the honey and mix again.
Cook a small amount of the sausage in a small skillet or a microwave and taste. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until cold, or for up to 2 days before using.
For longer storage, wrap the sausage airtight and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

GARLIC OIL
Makes 1/4 cup (60 grams)
Garlic oil is one of my favorite "secret ingredients" for finishing pizzas. It's quick and easy to make, but it's best made at least an hour in advance. The longer you leave it, the more the garlic flavor infuses into the oil, so I recommend making it a day ahead, at the same time you make your sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 teaspoons (5 grams) minced garlic
1/4 cup (55 grams) extra virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the garlic and oil in a small bowl. Cover and store in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Simple Syrup
Makes 1/3 cup (95 grams)
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (58 grams) water
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir to mix. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Use immediately, or transfer to a covered container and