How to make pizza
How to make really good pizza at home
Pizza is our only regular guest. But it doesn’t usually come in the form of a delivery person. Making homemade pizza from prepared dough is a quick and easy dinner any night of the week. Making your own dough only really adds a few minutes to prep time! Pile on your favorite toppings and are ready to Chow Down.
My favorite method for creating pizza is to roll the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. The dough sticks to the paper, making it easy to work with and easy to transfer into the oven. Pizza will release from the paper during cooking and the paper can be removed halfway through cooking. The paper darkens in the oven but does not burn or catch fire.
If you don’t want to use paper, see Method #2 or #3 below.
There are also no rules regarding the type of toppings you put on your pizza. Choose the one you love. They’ll do a little in the oven, but if it’s not something you like to eat raw like sausage or mushrooms, give it time. Cook some of them ahead of time. If you want fresh greens like arugula or basil on your pizza, sprinkle them right over the pizza when it comes out of the oven. The heat left over from the pizza will wilt the greens just a bit and bring out their flavor.
It’s best, though, to make the flavor of just a few people at the most. If you load a homemade pizza with tons of toppings, it can take too long for the crust to cook well.
Pile it on top of the cheese or keep it whole for a healthy mid-week veggie meal, it’s all up to you. Play around with this basic formula and make it your own.
Makes two 10-inch pizzas.
What you need
Ingredients
1 pound store-bought or homemade pizza dough
1/2 to 1 cup sauce: ketchup spread, white sauce, or other toppings
2 to 3 cups other toppings sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms, pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked bacon shredded chili, leftover vegetables, or other favorite toppings
1-2 cups (8-16 ounces) shredded cheese, or: Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, provolone, Fontina, or other favorite
or cornstarch (optional)
Equipment:
Pizza stone or baking sheet
Pizza peel or baking sheet
Parchment paper (optional)
Instructions
1 Heat the oven to 500°F or higher: Don’t be afraid to really crank it up to the highest setting. High heat will help make the crust crunchier and more flavorful. Let the oven heat for at least half an hour before baking your pizza. If you have a baking stone, place it in the lower center of your oven.
2. Divide dough in halves: One pound of dough makes two 10-inch pizzas. Slice dough in half and cover each half with an upside-down bowl or clean kitchen towel while you prepare the first pizza.
3 Roll out the dough:
Method 1: Baked Pizza on Paper:
Tear a large piece of parchment paper, about 12 inches wide. Working with one piece of dough, time it down to form a large disk with your fingers and place it on the parchment paper. Work one piece of dough in your hand into a large disk form and place it onto the crust. Use your hands or a rolling pin to smooth out the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or less. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for five minutes and then proceed with rolling.
Method 2: Pizza with cornmeal or flour and baking stone:
Sprinkle a handful of cornmeal or flour on the pizza peel or back of a baking sheet. Working with one piece of dough at a time, form it into a large disk with your fingers and place it onto the crust. Use your hands or a rolling pin to smooth the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or less Shake the crust or bake as often as you shape it to make sure the dough doesn’t stick. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for five minutes and then proceed with rolling.
Method 3: Pizza Baked on Baking Sheet:
Brush a thin film of olive oil on the baking sheet. Working with one piece of dough at a time, form it into a large disk with your hands and place it on the baking sheet. Using your hands or a rolling pin, smooth the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick or less If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for five minutes and then proceed with rolling.
4. Top Pizza: Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce into the center of the pizza and return using a spoon to spread out to the edge. Pile up all your taste buds
5 Bake Pizza: Using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet, slide out your pizza. (with paper or cornmeal) onto a baking stone. If you don’t have a baking stone, bake the pizza right on the baking sheet. Cook for 5 minutes, then rotate the pizza. Slide the paper out from under the pizza if using. Bake for another 3-5 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is warm.
6. Slice and serve: Let the pizza cool on a cooling rack just until you can handle it. Slice it into slices and serve.
Additional notes:
How to Make Pizza with a Grill: Great for a smoky flavor and crispy crust.
• Pizza on the Stove: Try this method when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen.