Classic Bakery-Style Pizza

Create the foundation of your pizza: In a small bowl, gently combine warm water and yeast. Allow this mixture to rest until the yeast becomes soft and forms a smooth, creamy foam, approximately 5 minutes. In a separate bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer, blend flour and salt together until well combined. Gradually pour in the yeast mixture, continuing to mix until a smooth dough forms, taking around 7 minutes.

Prepare the baking surface: Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a tight ball and gently place it in the prepared bowl, ensuring it's fully coated. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, roughly 30 minutes.

Simultaneously prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine crushed tomatoes and pizza sauce until they are perfectly blended.

Preheat your baking surface: Generously grease a heavy-gauge 12x17-inch rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Press the dough into the prepared surface, making sure it's evenly spread. Use a fork to prick the dough all over, creating small holes. Arrange mozzarella cheese slices on top of the dough; cover with 1 cup of your prepared sauce. Sprinkle Pecorino Romano cheese over the sauce, followed by a drizzle of olive oil. Allow this pizza to rise in a warm area until it's puffy and slightly inflated, taking around 1 hour.

Preheat your oven: Set the temperature of your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place the pizza on the center rack in the preheated oven and bake until the edges are very dark brown, but the top is not burnt, taking 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing into squares.