• Place your pizza stone or steel (if using) on an oven rack in the middle of your oven. If you plan to cook your pizza on a baking sheet, just place a rack in the middle of the oven (you do not need to preheat the baking sheet). Preheat the oven to 500°F (or the highest temperature your oven will allow, if using a pizza stone/steel) and let it heat up for 30 to 45 minutes while you make the dough and/or prep the toppings.

To prep the toppings

• Put the steak on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes. You want it to be firm around the edges but still give a little in the center. (This will make it easy to slice.)
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to caramelize, 7 to 9 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, stirring constantly, until they are tender and release their liquid. Transfer the vegetables to a paper towel–lined plate; do not wipe out the skillet.
• Take the steak out of the freezer and cut it into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Toss in a bowl with ½ tablespoon olive oil, a big pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Set the same skillet you used to cook the vegetables over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, then the beef and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, just until the pieces are half browned and half pink. (They will finish cooking on the pizza in the oven.) Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the steak to a paper towel–lined plate.

To top and bake the pizza on a stone or steel plate

• If you’re using a pizza stone or steel, switch the oven to Broil on high.
• Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle and transfer it to a lightly floured pizza peel.
• Brush the dough lightly with olive oil.

  Squeeze a spiral of ketchup onto the dough. Scatter the meat evenly on top, followed by the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

  If you're making yours "wit Whiz," you're done topping for now. If you're making yours with provolone and American cheeses, arrange the sliced cheese on top, alternating slices of each until the entire pizza is covered.
• Shimmy the topped dough onto the hot baking stone or steel plate in the oven and bake for 6 minutes or until the crust is golden around the edges and evenly browned across the bottom. If you're making the sliced cheese version, the cheese will brown in big spots.

To top and bake the pizza on a baking sheet or pizza pan

• Stretch or roll out your dough to a 12- to 14-inch circle and transfer it to a dark-colored, heavy duty baking sheet or pizza pan.
• Prick the dough all over with a fork and brush it with olive oil, making sure to get all the way to the edges. Place the baking sheet on the rack in the middle of the oven and bake just until the crust is pale golden and looks dry on top, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Squeeze a spiral of ketchup onto the dough. Scatter the meat evenly on top, followed by the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

  If you're making yours "wit Whiz," you're done topping for now. If you're making yours with provolone and American cheeses, arrange the sliced cheese on top, alternating slices of each until the entire pizza is covered.
• Put the baking sheet back on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 8 minutes or until the crust is evenly browned around the edges and across the bottom and the sliced cheese (if using) has browned in big spots.

If you're making yours "wit Whiz"

• Scoop the Cheez Whiz into a glass measuring cup and microwave for about 1 minute, stopping every 20 seconds to stir, until it's melted and pourable. Drizzle the Whiz in a spiral over the cooked pizza just before slicing.