Make the Best Pizza

It's difficult to make pizzeria-style pizzas at home, simply because most of us do not have a wood-fired oven that can reach temperatures of 900 degrees F! But we can make a very good pizza with the equipment we have.

Tips for the Best Pizza

• Make sure the oven is hot. The oven should be at least 425 degrees F. The crust has to bake and brown very quickly. A slow oven will not force the moisture out of the crust, and the toppings will make the crust soggy.
• Use a pizza stone if you can. The stone will hold extra heat for a fiery hot surface that will start cooking and crisping the crust the second it touches the stone.
• When rolling out the crust, dust the pizza pan or work surface with cornmeal for a crisp finish.
• Be judicious with toppings. Many thin crusts simply cannot hold a lot of toppings. For an average 12" pizza, about 1/2 cup of sauce is plenty. A cup of vegetables and meats, and 1 to 1-1/2 cups of cheese will make a good thin crust pizza.
• Deep dish pizzas are different. They must bake at a slightly lower temperature for a longer period of time so the pizza bakes evenly throughout.
• A homemade crust is better than refrigerated pizza doughs. Those doughs are usually softer and wetter and almost never bake up crisp.
• When making your own dough, bread flour produces a superior crust. And be sure to knead (or beat, if the recipe is for a wet dough) the dough for a full 8-10 minutes.
• Many doughs are better if you refrigerate them overnight before baking. This is also an excellent way to spread out the work.
• Finally, have fun with your toppings. Experiment and listen to your taste buds. And be sure to write down the instructions for your successes.