The Ultimate Guide to Making the Perfect Pizza at Home

Pizza is one of the world’s favorite meals and you can make it much better at home than from a takeout restaurant. Plus, it’s much faster and simpler than you may think!

Always start off with great dough, then choose from an array of toppings ranging from sausage or sous vide chicken, deli meats, rotisserie meats and fresh vegetables for maximum variety and delicious flavor.

1. Dough

An exceptional pizza begins with delectable dough. For quick and effortless pizza preparation, the best dough recipes contain ingredients that promote rapid rise for light yet chewy crust. No special kitchen equipment or tools are necessary – making pizza dough preparation simple.

Begin with a large bowl that has been lightly coated in oil, adding warm water (around 110 degrees F), dry yeast and sugar to it. The yeast will be activated by the sugar, eating up moisture while producing carbon dioxide gas to make your dough rise.

Once your dough has risen, place it on a floured surface and knead for approximately 7-10 minutes using either hand kneading or low to medium speed in either an electric mixer. It may initially feel sticky; this should lessen over time as you work it.

First, divide the dough into plate-sized portions for your pizzas and dust the balls with flour before rolling, forming a C, or stretching with your hands to shape into round forms. Once this step is completed, lay your pizza on either a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal and carefully slide into your oven until its bottom has turned toasty brown; or bake your crusts directly on cast iron pan instead!

2. Sauce

Pizza should feature an ideal combination of toppings, but the main focus should remain the dough itself. That is why traditional Neapolitan pizza was served topped only with tomatoes, garlic and herbs to showcase its star ingredient: dough.

Sauce is a liquid or semiliquid mixture used to season or enhance food during both the preparation process and when eating out as an accompaniment or condiment. The term can also be used as an adjective when describing someone’s style – for instance: “He has plenty of sauce”, or in sports terminology “They have plenty of juice”.

Home pizza chefs typically fall into two camps when it comes to creating their masterpiece: those who constantly experiment with their oven, and those who believe they have perfected the recipe already. Both approaches may lead to tasty results, though one often results in doughy or gummy pizza while another could lack texture and flavour altogether.

Start off a great tomato pizza by creating your own authentic Neapolitan sauce (see the recipe below). Use quality Italian peeled tomatoes, season with salt and fresh basil before blending to ensure you don’t overcook the tomatoes. After your dough has been stretched and topped, slide it onto a non-rimless baking sheet or better yet a pizza paddle* dusted with semolina to bake!

3. Toppings

Fill your pizza with unique toppings to make an original and memorable pie. From classic pepperoni and olives, to more upscale options such as shrimp Alfredo and calamari, there are limitless combinations possible – and for something healthier try incorporating spinach onto it all.

One thing to keep in mind when selecting pizza toppings is how much moisture they will add. Too many fresh produce items may make it harder for your pizza to crisp up properly, so try to limit the number of veggies and fruits as much as possible.

Not to be overlooked when creating the ideal pizza is its texture. Certain ingredients, like tomatoes, can become too soggy on pizza when combined with other toppings and ingredients.

At last, don’t forget the cheese! Mozzarella is often considered the staple choice; however there are numerous others such as cheddar, provolone, and parmesan that could add plenty of variety. Personally I prefer using whole slices of mozzarella; some people may find shredded easier to melt. Whatever your choice may be – be sure to use only high quality pizza cheese that has been properly seasoned so it can withstand heat! Also remember to bake your pizza for the specified amount of time to ensure all layers cook evenly!

4. Cooking

Pizza is one of the most joyful home cooking experiences available to us, from its delightful aroma filling our kitchens, to the delight of cutting through its pillowy crust. Slice after slice cuts are met with satisfying snaps as knives cut their way across its pillowy layers with ease, as heat from an ideal oven has left their mark across every edge and corner of that crispy pie crust. No other dish beats the satisfaction that comes from having made something from scratch so deliciously fragrant as pizza!

Before adding toppings, lightly brush all surfaces of your stretched dough with olive oil to keep it from sticking to the pan. Next, arrange cheese and toppings – for optimal results use a combination of aged mozzarella (available from stores) with fresh (store brand) mozzarella for optimal stretchiness. Shred or cube your cheese as you see fit but remember to sprinkle a sprinkle of parmesan over the top for an added boost!

Making delicious pizza at home doesn’t need to be complicated! From kitchen ovens and outdoor pizza ovens, all the way down to grills, you have everything you need for success in making fantastic pies. Practice and experimentation will bring success. Eventually you will become better at stretching the dough and more creative with topping choices – keeping a pizza journal will allow you to track these changes and see their effects on the finished product.