For the pizza dough:

1. Generously oil a dark, aluminum 9×13-inch baking pan. Be sure to coat the entire bottom and a bit up the sides of the pan as well. Then set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, garlic powder, salt, and sugar and whisk together. Then add the warm water and olive oil. Mix on the lowest speed for 30 seconds or stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until the mixture resembles a coarse, shaggy dough.
3. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 30-60 seconds until the dough is a smooth, cohesive mass and slightly sticky to the touch. Alternatively, if making the dough by hand, mix and knead until the dough is smooth and supple.
4. Add the dough into the greased pan, coat your fingers with oil if dough is sticky, and gently dimple the dough using your fingers. The dough will not stretch the entire surface of the pan just yet, don’t force it or it will cause the dough to rip. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest + rise in a warm environment. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
5. Working in 20-minute intervals, go back to the pan and remove the towel/plastic wrap. Dimple the dough (as illustrated in the images) again, gently spreading it closer to the pan’s edges. Cover the dough and rest for another 20 minutes. Afterwards, remove the towel/plastic wrap and dimple the dough once more. At this stage, the dough should have relaxed enough to cover the whole pan surface and reach the edges. Cover the pan once more and continue resting the dough while the oven is preheating, about 45 minutes.

For the pizza assembly & baking:

1. Move an oven rack to the lowest position you can get it near the oven floor and then preheat the oven to 500°F. 
2. Return to the dough and evenly spread the pizza sauce onto the dough to cover the entire surface. Top the sauce with the cubed pieces of cheese, covering the surface and up to the edges. Then followed by a covering of the sliced pepperoni, overlapping, if needed- it may seem like a lot of pepperonis but they will shrink and shrivel up. 
3. Place the pan into the oven and bake the pizza for 15 minutes- rotating the pan at the halfway mark, until the cheese is super bubbly with golden brown edges, and the pepperoni slices are slightly charred and crispy.
4. Let the pizza cool for 5 minutes. Then carefully maneuver the pizza out of the pan onto a large cutting board. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice. Garnish and top the pizza with fresh chopped basil, crushed red pepper, and/or a drizzle of hot honey, if desired. Enjoy!