What Makes New York-Style Pizza

A New York slice should fold without collapsing. It has a crisp underside, a tender interior, restrained sauce, and enough structure to support a generous diameter.

Build for a longer bake

Compared with Neapolitan dough, New York-style dough often uses strong flour and a slightly lower hydration. A small amount of oil improves tenderness, while sugar can help browning in a domestic oven.

Cold fermentation develops flavour and makes the dough easier to stretch thin. Use a larger dough ball than you would for a 12-inch Neapolitan pizza.

Bake on steel or stone

Preheat for at least 45–60 minutes at the oven’s maximum temperature. A steel transfers heat quickly and is particularly effective for the crisp, browned base this style needs.

Watch: Frank Pinello and Gozney on New York pizza

Let the pizza rest on a rack briefly before slicing so steam does not soften the base.