The Gravesend Upside-Down Square Assembly
Chapter 2 — The Sauces & Toppings
To understand the Gravesend square, you must first respect the architectural genius of the Italian-American diaspora. Inverting the assembly isn't a gimmick; it's a calculated act of culinary engineering that protects a highly hydrated, 24-hour fermented dough from a sweet, heavily reduced tomato gravy. By shingling low-moisture mozzarella directly onto the parbaked crust, you forge an impermeable lipid barrier that allows the crumb to remain as soft as a cloud while the undercarriage aggressively fries in a blue steel pan. This is exactly what Brooklyn tastes like—a masterclass in texture and thermodynamic precision.
Before you start
Combine water, yeast, sugar, malt, and flour for a short rest.
In a stand mixer, whisk the ice-cold water, yeast, sugar, and malt, then add the flour until a shaggy mass forms. Cover and autolyse for 20 minutes to hydrate.
Knead in the salt and oil, then cold-ferment for 24 to 48 hours.
Add the salt and olive oil, kneading on medium-low for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth. Transfer to an oiled, airtight container and refrigerate; this slow enzyme activity is non-negotiable for flavor and extensibility.
Sweat the garlic, toast the paste and oregano, then simmer the tomatoes.
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, sweat the garlic in 3 tablespoons of olive oil for 60 seconds. Add the tomato paste and oregano, cooking until it darkens to rust, then pour in the crushed tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick and jammy, then cool entirely.
Stretch the cold dough into a heavily oiled pan and let it proof.
Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a 12x18-inch blue steel pan, turn the dough to coat, and gently dimple it toward the corners. Let it rest covered for 45 minutes to relax the gluten, then push to the edges and proof for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours until aerated and jiggly.
Ingredients
- high-gluten or bread flour680 g
- ice-cold water442 g
- extra-virgin olive oil24 g
- fine sea salt13 1/2 g
- granulated sugar10 g
- diastatic malt powder7 g
- instant dry yeast3 1/2 g
- ground or crushed tomatoes28 oz
- tomato paste6 oz
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- garlic4 med clove
- dried Sicilian oregano1 1/2 tsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- low-moisture whole milk mozzarella16 oz
- Pecorino Romano1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Preheat a baking steel at your oven's maximum temperature.
One hour before baking, place a baking steel on a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 550F.
- 02
Bake the naked dough to set its structure before topping.
Place the pan directly onto the hot baking steel for 7 to 9 minutes until the dough rises significantly and takes on a pale blonde color.
- 03
Shingle the sliced mozzarella over the hot crust to waterproof the dough.
Immediately lay the cheese evenly across the parbaked dough, overlapping slightly and leaving only a scant 1/4-inch border at the edges.
- 04
Dollop and spread the cooled, reduced tomato sauce over the cheese.
Use the back of a ladle to spread about 1 1/2 cups of the thick sauce in a visible but controlled layer; do not drown the pie.
- 05
Dust with Pecorino, drizzle with oil, and bake until caramelized.
Add the Pecorino Romano and a crosshatch of olive oil, then return the pan to the steel for 10 to 14 minutes until the cheese is molten and the edges pull away deeply browned.
- 06
Transfer the pizza immediately to a wire rack to preserve the fried undercarriage.
Do not let the pie cool in the pan or trapped steam will destroy the crispness. Pry it up with a firm spatula, cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and cut into 8 squares.
Notes
Carbon steel is mandatory for the correct thermal transfer.
A 12x18-inch blue carbon steel pan is the canonical tool, frying the dough aggressively in the oil. If unavailable, dark anodized aluminum is acceptable, but avoid glass or light aluminum.
The mozzarella must be sliced, never shredded.
Shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents and leaves microscopic gaps where sauce can penetrate and ruin the crumb.
The baker's percentages are engineered for a home oven.
The low yeast count (0.5%) allows for a slow, 24-hour cold ferment without overproofing, while diastatic malt (1%) ensures proper browning even when maxing out at 550F.