If you can’t find smoked mozzarella, look for smoked gouda or regular gouda. You’re just looking for something with a bit more “pizzazz” than regular mozzarella.

Ingredients

• 8-10 oz pizza dough
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup freshly shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
• 4 oz pepperoni, sliced moderately thin
• 1 egg + 1 tbsp water, whisked together
• 1-2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat your oven, with a pizza stone on the lowest rack, to the highest setting (typically 500 degrees) for at least an hour. Alternatively, preheat your pizza oven to 700 degrees.
2. Bring the pizza dough out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before you’re ready to stretch it out. Let it rest on a floured countertop (or cutting board) under a dish towel to keep it from drying out.
3. When you’re ready to make the pizza, stretch out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10-12 inch round, allowing the dough to rest for a few minutes if it springs back. *Optional: I prefer to place the dough on parchment paper and then trim the excess paper off around the dough – I think it’s easier to handle than cornmeal on the pizza peel.
4. Top the dough with the tomato sauce, leaving a 1-inch border for the crust. Scatter the shredded smoked mozzarella evenly over the pizza, followed by the fresh mozzarella and pepperoni.
5. Gently brush the crust area with the egg wash. Sprinkle the everything bagel seasoning evenly over the crust.
6. Using a pizza peel or cookie sheet, transfer the pizza to the oven. For a standard oven at 500 degrees, the pizza will likely take 12-13 minutes. For a pizza oven at 700 degrees, it’ll take 5-6 minutes. Rotate 180 degrees halfway through so that the crust browns evenly.
7. Remove from oven and set the pizza on a cooling rack set on the counter. Sprinkle the grated parmesan over the top of the pizza. Let it cool for a few minutes, and then cut and enjoy.