Make Pizza Dough: Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar, garlic powder, dry milk in a bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Mix everything with a wooden spoon, and then add the water and oil to the dry ingredients.
Stir until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass. Take the mixing bowl to the mixer, attach the dough hook, and knead on medium-low speed until smooth and elastic. The dough is ready when the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is sticky and sticks to the sides of the bowl, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough leaves the side of the bowl. This will take about 5- 7 minutes. You can Knead the dough by hand, which will take about 7 – 10 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 1- 2 hours or until it doubles in size. You can leave the dough to rise in the refrigerator overnight.
After the dough has risen, punch it down, divide it into 2, and roll each dough into a ball. If you are not ready to use the pizza dough, coat it with olive oil and place it in the freezer bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. (Check below for how to freeze the pizza dough)
Make the Pizza Sauce: In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients for the sauce in and mix to combine. Cook the sauce on medium heat for about 10 minutes and allow it to cool before using.
Preheat the oven to 425° F and place the rack in the lower part of the oven. If you are using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat.
Shape the pizza.
First method Roll the dough on a floured board with a rolling pin or floured hands into any shape by rotating and often turning so that the dough does not stick to the board. If the dough resists rolling, rest for a few minutes and try rolling again.
Second method: use half of your dough, place it on a floured work surface, and with your knuckles, begin to punch down a thin layer in the center working your way out to create a crust. Pick up your dough, place it over your closed fists, and rotate it around, gently stretching to 10” to 12” without tearing the dough.
Putting it together:
Dust a pizza pan with cornmeal and place the stretched pizza dough onto the pan. Press the dough to form a disc and turn the edges on themselves to create a rim. Spread your tomato sauce over the top, leaving a 1-inch border for the crust. Add the cheese, sliced pepperoni and brush the edges with olive oil.
Bake Pizza on the bottom rack of a 425°F oven for 14-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Bring the pizza out and brush the edges with garlic butter. Slice into 8 slices and serve immediately. Cover leftover pizza and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.