Vodka Sauce Pizza

For the dough

1. Place water in a bowl large enough to hold both the water and all the dry ingredients and still have room to spare. Mix together dry ingredients in another bowl.
2. Add dry ingredients to water a bit at a time and mix thoroughly to form a dry rough mass.
3. Pour the oil over the dough, mix again to scrape off any dough residue stuck to side of the bowl, and place the rough shaggy dough onto a work surface.
4. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes.  If the dough is too sticky, place a clean bowl inverted over the dough and wait 30 minutes before resuming.  Return to kneading (just make sure to knead for at least a total of 5 minutes).
5. Place the bowl over the dough once more and let sit for 30-40 minutes to warm up before forming the dough ball.
6. After 40 minutes pull the dough towards its end repeatedly to form a smooth ball.  Pinch the seam side and place the dough ball seam side down into an oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 12 but ideally 24 hours before using. 

For the vodka sauce

1. Drain the crushed plum tomatoes.  Save the juice for another use. 
2. In a large pan saute the onions in olive oil for 3 minutes over medium-low heat. Once soft add in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more until lightly golden. Add the red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for 30 seconds more.
3. Add the white wine and vodka to the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Let the alcohol cook out for 2 minutes or so then add in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer then turn heat to medium-low.
4. Add in the cream and stir to combine. Let cook for 5 minutes then taste test. Add a bit of kosher salt if required, but not too much because the pizza gets topped with salty Pecorino Romano cheese. Turn off the heat and set the vodka sauce aside.

For the vodka pizza

1. Take the dough out of the fridge 2 hours prior to using. Do not uncover the bowl. Oil the bottom of a 12 by 16 Grandma pizza sheet pan (or standard half sheet pan) with 3/8's cup of olive oil. You need to use a lot of oil!
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it into the pan. With your fingertips begin pressing the dough into the corners of the pan. You will not be able to do this in one attempt.  Place plastic over the pan and let the dough warm up. 
3. After 45 minutes remove the plastic and try to stretch it again to the size of the pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and repeat process one more time until the dough has completely filled the pan.  Cover the dough one more time and set aside.  Preheat oven to 450f and set one rack to the lowest level of the oven and one to the highest.
4. Mince the garlic and add to a bowl with 3 tablespoons of olive oil to create the garlic oil.
5. Remove the plastic from the pan and if required press the dough into the edges.  Starting at a corner, press the dough down slightly to lock the dough into the corner and begin to layer the mozzarella cheese in an overlapping shingle pattern, leaving the outside 1/4 to 1/2 inch uncovered.  Make sure the dough is layered completely with the mozzarella slices. 
6. Next, add the vodka sauce to the pizza.  You can use 45-degree lines or spoon the sauce all over.  Leave some open areas.  Don’t coat it all.  Drizzle the garlic oil and garlic pieces all over the pizza.
7. Place the pizza onto the lowest rack and cook for 12 minutes rotating the pan 180 degrees after 6 minutes. 
8. After 12 minutes remove the pizza from oven and check the bottom for browning. If the pizza is well-browned, bake on the top rack for 6 more minutes. Otherwise, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for 6 more minutes.
9. After 18 minutes of baking remove the pizza and sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano cheese. Bake for 2 minutes more on the top oven rack.
10. If the vodka sauce pizza is not crisp enough on top, you can broil for 30-60 seconds.  Watch very carefully though!
11. The total cooking time will be approximately 20-22 minutes.  Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the hand-torn basil the cut and serve.  Enjoy!