You’ll fall in love with the truly effortless, no-cook tomato sauce.

Everyone loves pizza, but few of us are known for dishing out the pies in our own kitchen. After all, pizza dough recipes are often fussy — some even need to proof for a full day, which can be discouraging if you want to experiment on a whim. Plus, so many recipes require a special pizza oven, which are often pricy. Luckily, cooking brand Milk Street has developed a pour-in-the-pan pizza recipe that’s elegantly simple but tastes just as exquisite as the fancier fare.

In the cookbook Milk Street Bakes: A Baking Book with 200 Sweet and Savory Recipes, Christopher Kimball explains that he nabbed this approach for pizza dough from an inspiring source: “The crust for this pizza borrows from the Milk Street recipe for a light, open-crumbed focaccia, our re-creation of the focaccia we encountered in Bari, Italy.”

Not only does this pizza have an awesome pedigree, it’s fairly easy: The dough comes together in a stand mixer, then rests on your counter for about four hours. Then, you’ll pour that dough onto a greased sheet pan and coat it with a luscious puree of fresh tomatoes and olive oil. Mozzarella ensures Instagram-worthy cheese pulls, while a sprinkling of fresh oregano brings an earthy vibe. Get ready for your whole kitchen to smell like the pizzeria of your dreams.

Milk Street’s Pour-in-the-Pan Pizza with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Ingredients

2 3⁄4 cups plus 2 1⁄2 tablespoons (398 grams) bread flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
4 1⁄2 teaspoons instant yeast (two 1⁄4-ounce packets)
1 1⁄2 cups water, 100°F to 110°F
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling your hands
1 pound Campari or cherry tomatoes
1 1⁄2 cups whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (170 grams)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Don’t forget to mist the baking sheet with cooking spray. The olive oil alone isn’t enough to prevent sticking; a coating of cooking spray is important to ensure the pizza releases easily. Don’t use fresh mozzarella; it contains too much moisture and will make the surface of the pizza soggy. Likewise, be sure to drain the juices from the tomatoes.
In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, sugar, and yeast on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. With the mixer running, add the water and mix on medium until a sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes; scrape the bowl and dough hook once during mixing. Turn off the mixer and let rest 10 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons salt and mix on medium for another 5 minutes. The dough will be shiny, wet, and elastic.
Coat a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mist a silicone spatula with cooking spray and use it to scrape the dough into the bowl. Flip the dough with the spatula to oil all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 4 to 5 hours.
When the dough is ready, generously mist a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then pour 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil onto the center of the baking sheet. Gently scrape the dough onto the center of the sheet and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the lowest position. If using Campari tomatoes, cut them into quarters; if using cherry tomatoes, cut them in half. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and mash gently with a potato masher. Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and set aside to drain until ready to use.
After the dough has rested, oil your hands and, working from the center, gently push it into an even layer to the edges and into the corners of the baking sheet; be careful not to press out all of the air. It’s fine if the dough does not completely fill the pan, but it should come close.
Drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then toss. Scatter over the dough, leaving a narrow border. Let rest for another 30 minutes. Scatter the cheese over the dough, then sprinkle with the oregano, pepper, and kosher or flaky salt (if using). Bake until the surface of the pizza is golden brown and the bottom is crisped and well browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Slide the pizza from the pan onto a wire rack and cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Variation: Because pour-in-the-pan pizza dough is extremely wet, it’s important to use toppings that are dry, or the pie will bake up with a soggy surface. The following are some of our favorite toppings; we suggest using no more than two in addition to the tomatoes and mozzarella. Scatter the ingredient(s) onto the tomato-topped dough just before adding the cheese. If you are using high-sodium toppings, such as olives or capers, you may wish to skip the salt that’s sprinkled on before baking.