Homemade Pizza Thread

[BringBackFergy]

Like many of you, I love pizza. This thread isn't about your favorite take out pizza. If any of you make pizza a lot at home, what are some secrets, recipes, methods?

 

Here's a few questions I have:

 

Making a good, quick crust that is tasty, crusty. I've tried all kinds of recipes but haven't found one that blows me away. Have any?

 

Sauce - I would love to find a real simple pizza sauce recipe (have a tried a few but the jar/bottle sauce just isn't the same as from a pizzeria).

 

Cheese - We've used real mozzarella, provolone, a mixture of the two...not sure what favorite is but provolone is a nice cheese to use.

 

Any other secrets? We put a light layer of olive oil on the sheet before putting the dough on and it makes the bottom crusty but there may be other methods...super hot over (450) or medium oven (350).

 

 

 

This actually looks like a good idea...pizza in a cast iron pan

[DC Tom]

Sauce - I would love to find a real simple pizza sauce recipe (have a tried a few but the jar/bottle sauce just isn't the same as from a pizzeria).

 

Tomato paste and oil (I prefer olive oil, vegetable oil works if you're making gallons at a time.) Then spice to taste.

 

That's all there really is to it. The trick is getting the balances of spices right, and that's more art and personal taste than anything, and requires experimentation.

[BringBackFergy]

 

Tomato paste and oil (I prefer olive oil, vegetable oil works if you're making gallons at a time.) Then spice to taste.

 

That's all there really is to it. The trick is getting the balances of spices right, and that's more art and personal taste than anything, and requires experimentation.

I think you're right. I've made complex pizza sauces with garlic, onion, oregano, basil, paste, etc....simmer for three hours, blah, blah, blah....but it is just ok. I can't imagine a pizzeria going through all that trouble for sauce...they must do something real simple. So yeah, tomato paste and some oil might be the perfect simple solution with a few dashes of spices.

[DC Tom]

I think you're right. I've made complex pizza sauces with garlic, onion, oregano, basil, paste, etc....simmer for three hours, blah, blah, blah....but it is just ok. I can't imagine a pizzeria going through all that trouble for sauce...they must do something real simple. So yeah, tomato paste and some oil might be the perfect simple solution with a few dashes of spices.

 

We used to make it in a 40-gallon plastic garbage can.

 

The recipe actually doesn't scale down well, because when you're making 40 gallons at a time you have a lot of forgiveness with the amount of spices (an extra tbsp here and there doesn't really matter).

 

We also never actually cooked it (until it got on to the pizza, of course).

[Wooderson]

Like many of you, I love pizza. This thread isn't about your favorite take out pizza. If any of you make pizza a lot at home, what are some secrets, recipes, methods?

 

Here's a few questions I have:

 

Making a good, quick crust that is tasty, crusty. I've tried all kinds of recipes but haven't found one that blows me away. Have any?

 

Sauce - I would love to find a real simple pizza sauce recipe (have a tried a few but the jar/bottle sauce just isn't the same as from a pizzeria).

 

Cheese - We've used real mozzarella, provolone, a mixture of the two...not sure what favorite is but provolone is a nice cheese to use.

 

Any other secrets? We put a light layer of olive oil on the sheet before putting the dough on and it makes the bottom crusty but there may be other methods...super hot over (450) or medium oven (350).

 

 

 

This actually looks like a good idea...pizza in a cast iron pan

 

Is there a local pizza place that you like the crust of? Call them and ask them for a dough ball. They usually sell them cold for $2-3. So easy. Also, when you roll the dough out, use a fork or another piercing device and make holes in the dough to reduce the number of air pockets (don't go all the way through, but pierce the top layer).

 

I worked at a pizzeria for a few years in high school and college, I use that same pizza place's white pizza recipe and it's really easy and tasty. Fresh, extra garlic is key IMO. For the cheese I use about 2/3 full fat mozzarella and 1/3 romano. Oregano sprinkled on top. If you want the whole recipe I can put it in this thread later.

 

The best homemade pizzas I make are done on a pre-heated pizza stone, and with the oven as hot as it can possibly go (+500 degrees). Shouldn't take longer than 12-15 minutes depending on dough thickness.

Edited October 4, 2017 by Wooderson

[Johnny Hammersticks]

We usually do our pizzas on the grill. We buy the "fresh made" dough at Price Chopper. Grill the dough on both sides first, and then add the toppings and turn the grill down to low. Makes em nice and crispy like I prefer.

 

I like mine simple. Some good olive oil, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil....salt and pepper. The kids prefer tomato sauce, shredded mozz, pepperoni, and black olives (my son loves the olives). My wife is gluten/dairy free, so I don't know what the hell she eats.

[sullim4]

FWIW, I really like the Serious Eats sauce recipe...

 

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/10/new-york-style-pizza-sauce.html

[BringBackFergy]

 

Is there a local pizza place that you like the crust of? Call them and ask them for a dough ball. They usually sell them cold for $2-3. So easy. Also, when you roll the dough out, use a fork or another piercing device and make holes in the dough to reduce the number of air pockets (don't go all the way through, but pierce the top layer).

 

I worked at a pizzeria for a few years in high school and college, I use that same pizza place's white pizza recipe and it's really easy and tasty. Fresh, extra garlic is key IMO. For the cheese I use about 2/3 full fat mozzarella and 1/3 romano. Oregano sprinkled on top. If you want the whole recipe I can put it in this thread later.

 

The best homemade pizzas I make are done on a pre-heated pizza stone, and with the oven as hot as it can possibly go (+500 degrees). Shouldn't take longer than 12-15 minutes depending on dough thickness.

This sounds great...I'd add anchovies too (love em)

[IDBillzFan]

One thing I can tell you is that I completely gave up on the effort to make our own dough. Nothing we made was better than, or easier than, getting dough from Trader Joe's.

[BringBackFergy]

We usually do our pizzas on the grill. We buy the "fresh made" dough at Price Chopper. Grill the dough on both sides first, and then add the toppings and turn the grill down to low. Makes em nice and crispy like I prefer.

 

I like mine simple. Some good olive oil, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil....salt and pepper. The kids prefer tomato sauce, shredded mozz, pepperoni, and black olives (my son loves the olives). My wife is gluten/dairy free, so I don't know what the hell she eats.

Yes, we use the Hannaford brand dough a lot and it's ok...the grill method probably makes the store bought dough better. Still hoping to try and make an easy pizza dough at home though

One thing I can tell you is that I completely gave up on the effort to make our own dough. Nothing we made was better than, or easier than, getting dough from Trader Joe's.

I'm finding that's the case as well. Most dough recipes require mixing dough in Kitchen Aid, knead the dough for 15 mins, let it rest two hours, then punch it down, knead it again, lay it in pan, let it rise a second time....after three hours and six beers I forgot what the hell I was making in the first place.

[DC Tom]

One thing I can tell you is that I completely gave up on the effort to make our own dough. Nothing we made was better than, or easier than, getting dough from Trader Joe's.

 

Yeah, while I can make my own dough, it just isn't worth the effort. It's another thing that doesn't scale down well from the pizzeria - takes roughly the same amount of time if you're making dough for one pizza or a hundred.

[BringBackFergy]

 

Yeah, while I can make my own dough, it just isn't worth the effort. It's another thing that doesn't scale down well from the pizzeria - takes roughly the same amount of time if you're making dough for one pizza or a hundred.

Does pizza dough freeze well? (assuming I make a batch of five or six dough balls) I've only ever made enough dough for two pizzas.

[Augie]

We usually do our pizzas on the grill. We buy the "fresh made" dough at Price Chopper. Grill the dough on both sides first, and then add the toppings and turn the grill down to low. Makes em nice and crispy like I prefer.

 

I like mine simple. Some good olive oil, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil....salt and pepper. The kids prefer tomato sauce, shredded mozz, pepperoni, and black olives (my son loves the olives). My wife is gluten/dairy free, so I don't know what the hell she eats.

1) We used a pizza stone on the grill, but doing both sides of the crust sounds like a good idea.

 

2) my wife has also gone gluten/dairy free, so I am now SOL when it comes to homemade pizza. Some things you just don't do for one person, and this is on that list. I get a slice for lunch somethimes to get my fix.

[BringBackFergy]

1) We used a pizza stone on the grill, but doing both sides of the crust sounds like a good idea.

 

2) my wife has also gone gluten/dairy free, so I am now SOL when it comes to homemade pizza. Some things you just don't do for one person, and this is on that list. I get a slice for lunch somethimes to get my fix.

Another woman? Just because your wife has a gluten intolerance doesn't mean you need to get a slice on the side.

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1) We used a pizza stone on the grill, but doing both sides of the crust sounds like a good idea.

 

2) my wife has also gone gluten/dairy free, so I am now SOL when it comes to homemade pizza. Some things you just don't do for one person, and this is on that list. I get a slice for lunch somethimes to get my fix.

 

The wife grills some kind of gluten-free flat bread, and has some disgusting soybean cheese that she tries to melt on top but it doesn't really melt. She's a good sport.

[DC Tom]

Does pizza dough freeze well? (assuming I make a batch of five or six dough balls) I've only ever made enough dough for two pizzas.

 

I believe so - I've never tried it. But in the fridge, it should last about a week.

 

As long as you don't kill the yeast, you should be good.

 

The wife grills some kind of gluten-free flat bread, and has some disgusting soybean cheese that she tries to melt on top but it doesn't really melt. She's a good sport.

 

"Soybean cheese" is the most oxymoronic of oxymorons.

[Gugny]

Yes, we use the Hannaford brand dough a lot and it's ok...the grill method probably makes the store bought dough better. Still hoping to try and make an easy pizza dough at home though

I'm finding that's the case as well. Most dough recipes require mixing dough in Kitchen Aid, knead the dough for 15 mins, let it rest two hours, then punch it down, knead it again, lay it in pan, let it rise a second time....after three hours and six beers I forgot what the hell I was making in the first place.

 

Hannaford has another brand (not store brand) that comes in different varieties: Beer, basil, wheat. All very good.

[Augie]

We just used the dough from Publix ...I'm not trying to make life harder than it has to be.

 

It's a fun activity where everyone gets to make their own, and good with kids.

Edited October 4, 2017 by Augie

[BringBackFergy]

We just used the dough from Publix dough...I'm not trying to make life harder than it has to be.

 

It's a fun activity where everyone gets to make their own, and good with kids.

But you're still getting a "slice" on the side?

[Augie]

But you're still getting a "slice" on the side?

I get my nooner slice on occasion...