To Make the Dough in a Stand Mixer: Combine flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Stir to combine, then add water. Mix on low speed until dough comes together into a rough ball, then shut off mixer and let rest for 10 minutes. Continue mixing at medium-low speed until dough forms a smooth, silky ball, about 10 minutes longer. (It should stick to the bottom of the bowl as it kneads rather than riding around the edges.) Remove dough hook, form dough into a tight ball, set in the bottom of the mixer bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until dough has roughly doubled in volume, about 2 hours. The dough can be made up until this point, tightly covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator 2 to 3 hours before baking (depending on how warm it is in your area).
To Make the Dough by Hand: Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add water and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough ball of dough has formed. Set aside for 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto a countertop and knead until a smooth, silky ball has formed, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to a bowl, form a tight ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until dough has roughly doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
1. While the dough is proofing, make the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions, a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. The sauce can be made 48 hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using on the pizza.
2. Pour 2 heaping tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a 10-inch x 14-inch Detroit-style anodized aluminum pan, transfer the dough to the pan and turn to coat in oil. Press down on dough and spread it toward the edges. You won't be able to get it all the way to the edges; this is okay.
Spread it as much as you can without tearing, then cover tightly in plastic and set aside for 30 minutes to allow dough to relax. Return to dough and stretch it out again. It should be able to reach the edges this time. If not, let it rest a little more and try again. To get the dough to stay in the corners, stretch it up beyond the corners so that it pulls back into place.
3. About 45 minutes before baking the pizza, turn the pizza oven on high. After 5 minutes, turn both the bottom and the top knobs down to the second notch and place an oven thermometer all the way to the right side directly in the middle. Heat the oven until the oven thermometer registers about 500-550 degrees and an infrared thermometer pointed at the pizza stone registers anywhere from 550° F to 600° F.
4. Press down on dough with your fingertips to remove any large air bubbles. Lay half of pepperoni (if using) evenly over the face of dough. Top with cheese, spreading it evenly all the way to the very edges of the pan, then add remaining pepperoni. Spoon sauce over surface in 3 even rows.
5. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are black and bubbly and the exposed cheese on top is starting to lightly brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven using heavy duty grill gloves and transfer to a trivet or baking rack on the counter.
6. Grate lots of parmesan or romano over the top then run a thin metal spatula all the way around the edges of the pan to loosen the pizza. Carefully lift it out and slide it onto a cutting board. Cut pizza and serve.
