homemade pizza - help from you experts!

[Sleepy]

Authentic Italian is the best!

That means thin base, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato puree and a drizzling of olive oil

Cheddar and other cheeses are like a thick base - a sacrilege!



Rich::

For truly authentic you need buffalo mozzarella. Don't forget the fresh basil leaves before the olive oil drizzle. It is a must.

___________________

I never made pizza dough or any other dough before moving here, but my friend's landlord just used regular flour and these small square yeast cubes that are found in the dairy section of the grocery store. I was instructed to place the yeast cube in a small amount of slightly warmed water to melt it. Then, add this, some salt, and more room temp water to the flour, mix it, and let it set for a couple hours to rise (cover it with a hand towel). if you don't have a wood pizza oven, you can just use your regular oven. She used some very large metal pizza pans. Trust me, it was nothing fancy or labeled especially for making pizza. I bought some myself. Grease the bottom of the pan with butter. We just pinched off some of the dough and spread it as evenly in the pizza pan as possible. It was nothing perfect, but it has to be really thin.

We made our own sauce. Some people make a sauce that is more like what most people eat on a pizza. For that, it is like making stewed tomatoes. Add olive oil and some fresh garlic. Then, once done, just crush it to death into a sauce. Some people just cheat and buy the crushed tomatoes then add the seasonings. The other way is to buy roma tomatoes and dice them small. Add the fresh chopped garlic, chopped fresh basil, and some olive oil. Let is set for a few hours to get good flavor. This sauce is just diced tomatoes, but really good too.

Ingredients as toppings vary. I have learned less is more. The average around here is appx 2 toppings besides the cheese. Some popular ones are corn, hot dog slices, french fries, ricotta, ham, green peppers (this is called pepperoni...there is no such thing as American pepperoni on a pizza here, but they do have spicy salami). Other ingredients used is mushrooms, grilled eggplant, and some others I can't think of. My personal favorite is eggplant and mushrooms.

 

[manning]

Get a large heavy cast iron skillet. You can make a great deep dish pan pizza in it. The cast iron goes in the oven.

Where does the pizza go??shame on me

 

[SaraJayne]

Thanks to this thread, I just added homemade pizza to our menu for next week.

We haven't had it in a while and now reading all these delicious recipes is making me hungry for it!

 

[rgf207]

Ok ... I had to put my toddler for a nap!

First, you NEED a pizza stone or unglazed tiles from the garden store. Something to put the pizza on that you can heat up in the oven first.

Second, a pizza peel really helps but a cutting board will work too.

Third, Corn meal helps getting the pizza off the peel/board into the oven on the pizza stone.

I have a dough recipe if you want that seems to be pretty good. I have tried a TON and this one is the best. I used WW flour last time but will try it with regular flour next time.

I also make my own sauce. Diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper. I grate some Romanao or Parmgiana cheese into it.

I use a combo of Mozzarella, Sharp Cheddar and Romano cheese for the cheese.

What is your Dough Recipe

I use

1 Package Rapid Rise Yeast
1 Cup Hot Water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp. Salt
3 - 3 1/4 Cups Flour (all purpose)

My dough is good but I don't think it's great.

What's your recipe for sauce? I can't seem to get a good sauce that I love. I also use Mozzerrella and Monteray Jack Cheese but I like your idea of the 3 cheese blend. Are they equal parts of each cheese?

I also crank my oven up to 500 degrees and cook on a pizza stone. That seems to work

 

[Wishing on a star]

Great posts everyone!
Glad I posted this!

I've got to go shopping now for ingredients!

I hear that a high-gluten flour is best.
Bread flour might be all that can be found on the regular grocery shelf.
(though, I am confused about how the dough-conditioners in that special yeast sound like they actually counteract the gluten?????)

I do think I would like a Pizza Stone.
Isn't the key to have it preheated?
And, I hear that the best way is to have your oven super hot!


Sleepy and Dcentitiy, I think agree that the more 'authentic' is best, and is what I am going for.

I'm getting hungry!!!

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

I buy my dough from Sams Club and for the life of me I can never get it to cook right, it is either not done in the middle or too crispy and burnt on the crust and cheese. What am I doing wrong?

I have the oven temp at 450 and put it in for about 10 minutes. I use a stone from Pampered Chef. What I have been trying to do now is I bake the dough before I put any of the toppings on. I have to flip the dough half-way through because it gets really puffy and sometimes will be burned on the edges but not done on the bottom. Then I add the toppings and put it back in the oven to cook longer, but still the middle is not done.

 

[itchin2go]

I never made great pizza until I found this sauce recipe:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pizza-Sauce-14647

Turns out I was over-complicating things - adding onions and seasonings like crazy. I may add a touch of garlic or oregano to this sauce, but I'm telling you - this sauce is IT. I know it seems too simple. I know. All I can say is - just try it.

It's part of this bigger recipe, which is also very good. The "a-ha" ingredient here, though, is the sauce.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pizza-Marinara-14645

P.S. Read the reviews on epicurious!

 

[itchin2go]

Great posts everyone!
Glad I posted this!

I've got to go shopping now for ingredients!

I hear that a high-gluten flour is best.
Bread flour might be all that can be found on the regular grocery shelf.
(though, I am confused about how the dough-conditioners in that special yeast sound like they actually counteract the gluten?????)

I do think I would like a Pizza Stone.
Isn't the key to have it preheated?
And, I hear that the best way is to have your oven super hot!


Sleepy and Dcentitiy, I think agree that the more 'authentic' is best, and is what I am going for.

I'm getting hungry!!!

If you go the pizza stone route, you'll also need a pizza peel (the big wooden thing with the handle). You'll assemble the pizza on the peel (with a generous dusting of cornmeal underneath to keep it from sticking). Then you'll shove the pizza off the peel and onto the hot pizza stone. It works. It's messy, but it works and you'll get a nice crisp crust.

 

[dcentity2000]

For truly authentic you need buffalo mozzarella. Don't forget the fresh basil leaves before the olive oil drizzle. It is a must.

Quite right



Rich::

 

[emer95]

Check out this recipe! I think you folks will enjoy it.

http://annies-eats.com/2010/01/21/chicago-style-deep-dish-pizza/

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, I made Pizza last night!!!

I made a standard crust recipe. I bought bread (high gluten) flour, fast rising yeast (couldn't find the new pizza crust yeast). And the pizza was good for the most part, except for the crust, I thought, was doughy or bready, not just the edges, but even under the toppings?????? I think the crust needed a little more good 'flavor' too.

Did I not use enough flour???
I think I read where the ratio of flour and water has to be just right.

Hmmmm????

I used the Great Value mozzarella, provolone, and a blend of parmesan grated cheese, like you use on spaghetti. That wasn't bad.

But, overall, didn't blow my socks off.

I'm not giving up this easy though..
I gonna keep researching and trying!!!