South Shore Bar Pizza with Lacy Cheese Edge

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic South Shore bar pizza: ultra-thin, pan-baked, and delightfully crispy.
• Sauce to the very edge and a lacy, caramelized cheddar halo around the rim.
• Fast, no-cook sauce and an easy overnight dough that’s nearly foolproof.
• Equally great topped with cup-and-char pepperoni or classic New England linguiça.

Grocery List

• Produce: Optional: 1 small yellow onion (for linguiça-and-onion variation)
• Dairy: Low-moisture mozzarella, sharp white cheddar, Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan)
• Pantry: Bread flour, instant yeast, kosher salt, sugar, neutral oil, olive oil, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, garlic powder, black pepper
• Meat (optional): Pepperoni or linguiça sausage (thinly sliced)

Full Ingredients

Dough for Two 10-Inch Pizzas

• Bread flour: 320 g (2 2/3 cups)
• Warm water (95°F): 186 g (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
• Instant yeast: 1/2 tsp (about 1.6 g)
• Sugar: 2 tsp (8 g)
• Kosher salt: 1 1/4 tsp (7 g)
• Neutral oil (in dough): 1 1/2 tsp (7 g)
• Neutral oil (for pans): 3 tbsp (45 ml), divided (1 1/2 tbsp per pan)

No-Cook Bar Pizza Sauce

• Crushed tomatoes: 1 can (14 oz/400 g)
• Tomato paste: 1 tbsp (15 g)
• Olive oil: 1 tbsp (15 ml)
• Dried oregano: 2 tsp
• Garlic powder: 3/4 tsp
• Kosher salt: 3/4 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/4 tsp

Cheese Blend & Toppings

• Low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded: 7 oz (200 g)
• Sharp white cheddar, coarsely shredded: 5 oz (140 g)
• Dried oregano (finish): 1 tsp (1/2 tsp per pizza)
• Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan), finely grated: 2 tbsp (10 g), for finishing
• Optional: Pepperoni 4 oz (115 g) or linguiça 5 oz (140 g), thinly sliced

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix and Cold-Ferment the Dough

In a bowl, whisk flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water and 1 1/2 tsp neutral oil; mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3–5 minutes until smooth. Divide in half (about 250 g each), shape tight balls, lightly oil, and place into two covered containers. Refrigerate 24 hours (up to 72 for deeper flavor).

Step 2: Stir the No-Cook Sauce

In a bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth. Chill until needed so the sauce thickens slightly; this helps keep the crust crisp.

Step 3: Preheat and Prep the Pans

Place a baking steel or pizza stone on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 525°F (or the hottest your oven safely allows) for 45–60 minutes. Oil two 10-inch, dark, straight-sided pans with 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil each, coating the bottom and a thin film up the sides.

Step 4: Pan-Stretch the Dough

Remove dough from the fridge 45–60 minutes before baking. Place one dough ball into each oiled pan. Press outward with oiled fingertips to about 1/2 inch from the edge, then rest 10 minutes. Finish pressing all the way to the edge and slightly up the sides. If the dough resists, rest another 5 minutes and try again. The oil should pool lightly under the dough—that’s where the crisp comes from.

Step 5: Sauce to the Edge

Spread about 1/3 cup (80 g) sauce per pizza evenly from the center all the way to the pan’s edge. Bar pizza is intentionally sauced edge-to-edge—no exposed crust.

Step 6: Build the Lacy Cheese Ring and Add Toppings

For each pizza, scatter a thin ring of cheddar around the outer 1/2 inch, letting some touch the oiled pan side—this forms the lacy, caramelized halo. Distribute the remaining cheddar and the mozzarella over the center. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp dried oregano per pizza. Add pepperoni or linguiça. Tip: For linguiça, briefly brown slices in a dry skillet (2–3 minutes) to render a little fat and boost flavor.

Step 7: Bake, Unmold, and Finish

Set the pans directly on the preheated steel/stone. Bake 12–14 minutes, rotating once, until the edges are deep golden and the cheddar ring is crisp and lacy. For extra color, broil 30–60 seconds. Cool 2 minutes in the pan, then run a thin spatula around the edge to release. Transfer to a wire rack for 1 minute to vent steam. Sprinkle with Pecorino, slice into wedges or squares, and serve hot.

Pro Tips

• Cheddar at the perimeter is key—make sure it contacts the oiled pan edge to create the signature lacy ring.
• Use low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella; fresh mozzarella will weep and soften the crust.
• A baking steel/stone dramatically improves bottom crispness; without one, bake on the oven floor for the first 3 minutes, then move to the middle rack.
• Keep sauce and cheese cold until topping to reduce moisture and preserve crunch.
• If your oven tops don’t brown quickly, finish with a brief broil—watch constantly.

Variations

• Pepperoni Cup-and-Char: Use natural-casing pepperoni; place slices close together toward the rim so they curl and pool flavorful oil.
• Linguiça & Onion: Thinly slice linguiça and quick-sauté. Add a small handful of very thin onion half-moons before the cheese for a classic New England tavern vibe.
• Cheese & Oregano House Pie: Skip meat, add an extra 1 tbsp Pecorino after baking, and a final shake of oregano.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Dough: Refrigerate 24–72 hours; for longer storage, freeze dough balls after 24 hours (lightly oiled and wrapped) up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature 45–60 minutes before use. Sauce: Refrigerate up to 7 days or freeze up to 3 months. Leftover pizza: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat on a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, covered, 3–5 minutes, or in a 425°F oven for 6–8 minutes (or air fryer 375°F for 4–5 minutes) until the bottom re-crisps.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1/4 of recipe (cheese pie): 700 calories; 30 g protein; 68 g carbohydrates; 33 g fat; 4 g fiber; 1,350 mg sodium. Add 150–200 calories per serving for a generous pepperoni or linguiça topping.