Bring the pizza dough to room temperature by letting it sit, covered, for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat your oven to its highest temperature (500-550°F / 260-290°C) with a pizza stone or steel inside for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

Generously dust your pizza peel with semolina flour or cornmeal.

Gently stretch the dough with your hands from the center outwards until it reaches your desired thickness, leaving a slightly thicker crust edge.

Transfer the stretched dough to the dusted pizza peel.

Apply a thin, even layer of pizza sauce, avoiding the crust edges.

Distribute the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.

Arrange the pepperoni slices evenly across the pizza.

Drizzle the crust edge with a small amount of olive oil (optional).

Ensure the pizza can slide freely on the peel by giving it a gentle shake. Carefully slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone or steel in the oven.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly caramelized.

If desired, turn on the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese and crust, watching very closely to prevent burning.

Carefully remove the pizza from the oven using the peel.

Allow the pizza to cool for 1-2 minutes before slicing and serving.