It is safe to say that just about everyone loves pizza. Some of the great elements of this food dish include that it is easy to make and can be relatively healthy, depending on what you put on it. Pizza also covers a large basis of the food groups: vegetables, sometimes fruit, dairy, meat and grains.
Many choose to order pizza from a restaurant and either pick it up or have it delivered. However, pizza can easily be made at home too, which brings us to the purpose of this article; what makes a good pizza?
Anyone who eats pizza regularly has a favorite combination of toppings. There are also different types of crust, like deep dish or thin crust, and an array of sauce options, think red sauce, olive oil or pesto, for example. What can be put on a pizza is a long list as well that typically includes some fruit, a variety of vegetables and meat options and more.
When making a pizza at home, start with the crust. A homemade crust will always be better than buying something premade. The great thing about making a batch of dough is that extra portions can be frozen. So, if planning is well thought out, when preparing pizza, a large batch of dough can be made that will be enough for several meals overtime. What recipe is chosen will be based on personal preference, but there are some tips to keep in mind when working with homemade dough. First, using a baking stone to cook on will provide the best results. When using a baking stone, it must be placed in the oven for about 15 minutes to properly heat it. Once the stone has been adequately heated, place an evenly distributed pizza dough on it and cook for a couple minutes before adding the toppings. About eight minutes should be enough time. Once the dough has been cooked some, remove it from the oven and add all desired toppings
Most choose to start with the sauce, however sometimes that is the last item added. Which leads to another tip: sauce is better homemade. Basically it just takes fresh tomatoes and an array of spices based on preference. However, if there is not time for this, a store bought red sauce works as well. When it comes to pizza topping combinations, there is no right or wrong. Each individual will use what he or she likes. After toppings have been added, brush the exposed pizza crust with olive oil and place it back in the oven. Cook thoroughly and then enjoy.
Other tips to consider:
Cook pizza at a low point in the oven, this will help bake the crust more efficiently.
Dust crust with cornmeal or semolina flour to help it slip on and off a pan or stone easily.
Stephanie A Burke
