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Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) has its own thriving pizza scene. Thick, rectangular pan-cooked crusts are what define many of the most popular pies in this region.
When creating our go-to NEPA-style dough recipe, we turned to Jim Mirabelli, the owner and chief pizza officer at NEPA Pizza Review, a guide...
Method
Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer bowl. Mix on low speed for 7-10 minutes until all ingredients are integrated, dough is smooth and the sides of the mixing bowl are clean.
Leave the dough in the mixing bowl, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow it to rest (bulk ferment) at room temperature for 2 hours.
Portion dough into 450-gram pieces
Shape the dough into smooth balls and place in a covered proofing container (or individually in covered containers or bowls).
Allow to rest at room temperature for 3 hours, or until dough balls have doubled in size and are not resistant to stretching.
Grease a high-sided rectangular pizza pan (ideally, 10x14 inches) liberally with shortening or butter. Place dough evenly in the pan and gently press it into the corners without creating a raised-edge crust. The crust should be uniform and flat. If the dough resists stretching to the corners, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then gently stretch again.
Cover dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow to rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
When you’re ready to cook, follow instructions for Old Forge-style Cheese Pizza to make a truly Northeastern Pennsylvania-style treat, or use your own favorite topping combinations to make something delicious!
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