Name: Pizza Americano
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 24 h
Yield: 2 pizzas
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 500g bread flour; 330ml water; 8g salt; 3g yeast; 200g tomato sauce; 250g mozzarella; 100g pepperoni; 80g sweet corn; 1 tsp chilli flakes; Hot sauce

Pizza Americano is Italy's interpretation of what American pizza looks like — loaded with pepperoni, sweet corn, sometimes hot sauce and extra cheese. It is unapologetically indulgent. Not traditional, not refined, but absolutely delicious and one of the most popular orders in Italian pizzerias, especially with younger crowds. If you want maximum flavour with minimum restraint, this is your pizza.

🧂 Ingredients

Dough (2 balls)

500g bread flour (12%+ protein)
330ml water (66%)
8g sea salt
3g instant yeast
10ml olive oil

🛒 Recommended Products

Fresh Mozzarella →

Extra Virgin Olive Oil →

King Arthur Bread Flour →

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Topping per pizza

120g tomato sauce (seasoned with garlic + oregano)
150g mozzarella, grated or torn
100g pepperoni, sliced
80g sweet corn, drained
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
Drizzle of hot sauce
Dried oregano

👨‍🍳 Instructions

Make the dough

Use bread flour for a stronger, chewier crust that holds up under the loaded toppings. The extra protein handles the weight of all the ingredients without going soggy.

Season the sauce

Mix crushed tomatoes with minced garlic, dried oregano, a pinch of sugar and salt. A slightly sweeter, more robust sauce works better here than the delicate raw Neapolitan style.

Stretch

Stretch dough to 30–32cm — slightly bigger and thinner than Neapolitan style to handle the generous topping load.

Layer the base

Spread a generous layer of tomato sauce. Add mozzarella first, then layer everything on top of it so the cheese acts as glue.

Load the toppings

Scatter corn evenly across the pizza. Lay pepperoni slices to cover the surface. Sprinkle chilli flakes if using. Do not hold back — this pizza is meant to be loaded.

Bake

Bake at 250°C for 10–12 minutes. The pepperoni should have crisped at the edges and rendered its fat. The cheese should be deeply golden in spots.

Finish

Drizzle with hot sauce immediately after baking. Scatter dried oregano. Serve in wide slices, American style.

💡 Pro Tips

Cup-and-char pepperoni curls into cups that hold rendered fat — much better than flat pepperoni
Sweet corn is non-negotiable on a true Americano — do not skip it
A drizzle of honey after baking adds the classic American sweet-savoury balance
Use smoked mozzarella (scamorza) for an extra depth that complements the pepperoni

Pizza Americano