Cheesy Sesame-Crust Pizza with Herb Tomato Sauce
🕒 Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins (includes dough proofing) | 🍽 Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the Dough (makes 1 large pizza):
2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
¾ cup warm water (about 110°F / 45°C)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
For the Crust Coating:
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
For the Tomato Sauce:
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
Salt & black pepper, to taste
For the Toppings:
1½–2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: Fresh or dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, or black pepper
Instructions
1. Make the dough:
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Knead into a soft, elastic dough (about 8–10 minutes by hand or 5 in a mixer).
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, or until doubled.
2. Prepare the sauce:
In a small pan, heat olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant.
Add crushed tomatoes, herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10–15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Shape & prep the crust:
Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a pizza stone or baking sheet inside.
Roll out dough into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper.
Brush outer crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
4. Assemble the pizza:
Spread tomato sauce evenly over the dough.
Top generously with mozzarella. Add a sprinkle of oregano and black pepper.
Carefully transfer to hot baking surface and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
5. Serve & style:
Slice on a wooden board. Lift a slice to showcase that gooey cheese pull.
Let a few strands of cheese stretch across the board, with a couple sauce drips and herb sprinkles for that “homemade magic” look.
🧀 Tips for That Perfect Cheese Pull:
Use low-moisture mozzarella for extra stretch.
Let the pizza sit for 1 minute before slicing — then lift slowly and let gravity do the work.
A touch of olive oil brushed on the cheese before baking gives it that golden, melty finish.