What is Brooklyn Style Pizza? A Personal Pizza Love Story
The first time I had a real slice of Brooklyn-style pizza, I was standing in the heart of Brooklyn itself, at a tiny, slightly worn-down pizza joint that had been there for what felt like centuries. There was nothing fancy about the place. No frills, no fluff, just the comforting scent of dough baking in an oven. It was a rainy day, and I’d missed my train back home, but none of that mattered once I bit into that slice. It wasn’t just pizza—it was an experience.
So, what is Brooklyn style pizza, you ask? It’s a lot like that: simple, no fuss, and it sticks with you long after you’ve eaten it.
The Soul of Brooklyn Style Pizza
Brooklyn-style pizza is about as unpretentious as it gets, but don’t mistake that for boring. It’s the kind of pizza you could have at 2 a.m. after a long day or with a glass of wine on a lazy Friday night. It’s the middle ground between New York’s chewy-crusted slices and the ultra-thin, delicate offerings of the Neapolitans.
Brooklyn style has that perfect balance: a thinner crust than traditional New York pizza but thick enough to give you something to chew on. And it’s crispy—oh, it’s crispy. The kind of crisp where you can hear the crunch as you fold the slice in half, as any true Brooklynite would do.
In Brooklyn, pizza isn’t fancy. It’s wide slices that you fold and eat while walking down the street, a drip of sauce making its way down your wrist if you’re not careful. It’s a pizza built for living—foldable, transportable, and utterly satisfying.
How Brooklyn Style Pizza Fits Into My Home
I’m not from Brooklyn, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to recreate the experience in my own kitchen. After all, cooking at home is where we weave together the things we love from the places we’ve been. Brooklyn-style pizza has found a home here because it’s simple, honest, and it feeds a crowd.
I’ve learned a few things about making it, and it’s all about balance. The dough has to be thin but not too thin. The toppings need to be there but not weigh everything down. And don’t even get me started on the bake. It needs heat—serious heat. Not your leisurely 350°F, but a blazing 500°F or higher if you can manage it.
A Slice of Simplicity: How to Make Brooklyn Style Pizza at Home
Making pizza at home has always been a sort of therapy for me. Kneading dough is like solving a puzzle, the way it stretches and gives under your hands, transforming from sticky to silky smooth. Here’s how I make Brooklyn-style pizza when I’m in the mood for something a bit crispy and foldable but not fussy.
Ingredients:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (or 2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Cornmeal (for dusting, if you’re feeling fancy)
Toppings (but remember, less is more):
- Your favorite pizza sauce (I’m a fan of a simple crushed tomato, garlic, and olive oil combo)
- A generous handful of shredded mozzarella
- Pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, or whatever’s in your fridge that needs a good home
Method:
- Start with the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Give it a few minutes to bubble and froth—it’s alive, after all. Then stir in your flour, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Mix until it comes together, then knead on a floured surface for about 8-10 minutes. It should be smooth, elastic, and a little springy.
- Let it rise: Toss the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with a dish towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 ½ hours. It should double in size and make you smile when you see it.
- Preheat your oven: While the dough is rising, crank up your oven as high as it will go—500°F is a good starting point. If you have a pizza stone, even better, but a good baking sheet will do just fine.
- Shape the dough: Punch down the dough, divide it in two (you’re making two pizzas here), and roll each one out into a thin circle—about 12-14 inches in diameter. You want it thin but not so thin that it tears when you move it.
- Top it simply: This isn’t a deep-dish pizza that needs layers of toppings. Keep it simple. A thin spread of sauce, a scattering of cheese, and maybe a few slices of pepperoni or a handful of veggies. The crust is the star here.
- Bake: Slide your pizza into the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes. You want that crust golden and crispy, with the cheese bubbling in all the right places.
- Slice and fold: Cut it into big slices, fold them in half, and let the pizza remind you why simplicity is sometimes the best thing in the world.
Final Thoughts: Why Brooklyn Style Pizza Feels Like Home
You might think pizza is just pizza, but there’s something different about Brooklyn style pizza. It’s got that no-nonsense charm that feels like home to me—something warm and simple but incredibly satisfying. It’s the kind of pizza that makes you feel like you’re part of a tradition, even if you’re halfway across the country from Brooklyn.
So, next time you’re in the mood for a slice, why not try making Brooklyn style? The process itself is half the fun, and once you hear that first crunch of the crust, I promise you’ll be hooked.