The perfect PIZZA! (Cooking tips)

[MisterLove]

I know there are many threads on the subject of pizza but now I'm just looking for simple cooking tips.

A couple of tips:

a) Add some fresh rosemary and chopped garlic to the dough, it's wonderful!

b) Salami is excellent for topping!

c) Tuna is also a great option.

d) The right cheese is important, too: I use a special combination of mozzarella + emmental

e) As for the tomato sauce, you don't have to make it yourself, you can find excellent brands in your local supermarket.

f) Lots of oregano

Any other suggestions?

[MisterLove]

I forgot to mention the ideal baking time: around 12 minutes at 220 C.

[EvenOlderButWiser]

I only add Dominos.

Works every time for me

[Borg69]

I frequently get Papa Murphy's U-Bake pizzas.

I get the combination ones - the more various toppings the better. I get it with the white garlic sauce instead of the red tomato paste sauce. When I get it home, before I bake it I add:

1/2 a red onion - chopped.
1/2 green pepper - chopped.
Garlic Powder.
Cilantro - finely chopped.
Red chili pepper flakes.

It's fabulous. FABULOUS!!!!

[ShiftyNJ]

I have always wanted to try making pizza from scratch, even though I live in a place with a million great mom-and-pop pizzerias. If I ever ate Domino's, Papa John's, etc., my family back in the village in Italy would probably start twitching and not know why. They brag that they don't eat in restaurants because their cooking is better (and I don't argue!).

I agree with [MENTION=21075]Borg69[/MENTION], white sauce is the bomb.

I learned something recently: shredded cheese in a bag has a coating (made of god knows what) on it to keep it from sticking together. For gratins and other cheese sauces, If you have the time, you are better off shredding it yourself because the pre-shredded doesn't blend as well with the other ingredients as it melts. Not sure it's as much as an issue in baked dishes like pizza or pasta.

[East]

I love a pesto base sauce with sausage and mushrooms and olives for toppings...

Good tip on the dough.....definitely will try the garlic next time

[StingRay]

Something did for shits and grins once and do alot now.

Buy large frozen yeast bread that has to be left to thaw and rise before baking. Let it thaw in fridge (2 days) then clear off big space to roll it our flat and thin for pizza crust. I do a french bread loaf out to a oval that almost covers whole oven rack. Once its rolled out slide it on cardboard to get it in and out of oven.

For toppings I go freaky. Now I mostly do marinara instead of tomato sauce. load it up with whatever. Some I bake with no cheese over the marinara, let it get done then cover with cheese and broil. til it browns some. Plenty of oregano for sure. Only real mozzarella if I can find it. The shit sold by Kraft and others aint even close to mozzarella. I dont think theres a chain pizza company using real mozzarella anymore.

[BrianNorth]

I usually make us pizza once a week. My BEST tip: honey. I know it sounds weird. Make the pizza spicier than you can handle and do a light honey drizzle on top. It brings the heat down and adds this delicious complex flavour. I usually use a chipotle bbq sauce but I often like to use pesto. Nom.

I recently got one of those ninja blenders with the food processor attachment and it works awesome for pizza dough. I don't need the breadmaker anymore as I used to let it mix all the ingredients and time the punch down but often it'd just make a mess unless the ratios were perfect.

[LJay]

Ray, you might do some googling for making homemade mozzarella. My sister does it and says it is not hard to do. Is there any buffalo milk around there?

[bluerealm]

its also how you cook the PIZZA!

I like using a pizza stone. http://www.belk.com/AST/Main/Belk_Primar...7AodOXgAUw

i love pizza!!!