Detroit-Style Pizza with Tempeh “Sausage” and Calabrian Chiles

Ingredients

• 400 g bread flour (about 3 1/4 cups)
• 280 g warm water (about 1 1/4 cups), ~95°F/35°C
• 7 g instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 10 g fine salt (1 3/4 tsp)
• 20 g olive oil (1 1/2 Tbsp), plus more for the pan
• 225 g tempeh (8 oz), crumbled into pea–lentil sized bits
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil (avocado/canola/grapeseed)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed (optional but excellent)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or chili flakes)
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
• Black pepper
• 340 g sharp cheddar, coarsely grated (12 oz)
• 240 ml tomato sauce (1 cup), warmed if you like
• 2–4 Tbsp Calabrian chiles/peppers (chopped or paste, drained if oily)
• 1–2 tsp olive oil (to finish, optional)

Instructions

1. In a bowl (or stand mixer), mix warm water and yeast until combined. Add flour and mix until no dry spots remain. Cover and rest 10 minutes (this jump-starts gluten).
2. Add salt and olive oil. Knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic; it should feel tacky but not soupy. If it’s very sticky, dust in 1–2 Tbsp flour.
3. Cover and rise until puffy and about doubled, 60–90 minutes at warm room temp. (Overnight option: cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours; bring to room temp 60 minutes before using.)
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high. Add neutral oil, then tempeh. Spread it out and let it sizzle.
5. Cook 6–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you see deep golden spots and crisp edges and it smells nutty/roasty.
6. Add soy sauce, sugar, fennel (if using), oregano, smoked paprika, garlic, and black pepper. Toss 30–60 seconds until glossy and the seasoning clings; it should look lacquered, not wet. Cool on a plate (don’t pile it in a bowl or it’ll steam).
7. Heat oven to 500–550°F (260–290°C). Position a rack in the lower third.
8. Generously oil a 10x14-inch Detroit-style pan (about 2 Tbsp oil).
9. Put dough in the pan and gently press it toward the corners. If it springs back, cover and rest 10 minutes, then press again. Cover and proof 20–30 minutes until airy and relaxed.
10. Scatter tempeh evenly over the dough.
11. Add Calabrian chiles/peppers in small dots so the heat is distributed.
12. Cover with cheddar, pushing extra cheese all the way to the pan edges (this is how you get the lacy, crisp “frico” edge).
13. Bake 12–18 minutes until the top is bubbling, the edges are deep brown and crisp, and the center looks set and springy (not jiggly). You should smell toasted cheese.
14. If the cheese is browning before the dough sets, move the pan up one rack. If the top is pale, finish 1–2 minutes under the broiler—watch closely.
15. Rest the pizza 2 minutes in the pan, then run a thin spatula/knife around the edges and lift the pizza onto a cutting board.
16. Spoon warm tomato sauce into 2–3 “racing stripes” across the top.
17. Rest 3 more minutes (this keeps the crumb from compressing), then cut into squares and serve.

Notes

Cheese note: sharp cheddar gives classic Detroit vibes; a 50/50 mix of cheddar + low-moisture mozzarella is also great for melt. Tempeh note: the key is browning hard until crisp-edged; pale tempeh tastes bland. Make-ahead: dough can be cold-fermented 12–24 hours for better flavor; tempeh crumbles can be cooked up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat slices on a sheet pan at 425°F/220°C until the edge re-crisps.