The Best Italian Pizza

What is your favorite Pizza?

[everybody-loves-to-eat]

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Grandma-Style Pizza Dough

Makes enough dough for 1 pie.

The second rise is key to the finished pie’s texture; if baked too soon, the dough will be firm and too chewy. Make sure it feels floppy, with plenty of puffy air bubbles.

Ingredients

   1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ tsp.)    2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl    2 tsp. kosher salt    4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for surface

Recipe Preparation

Stir together yeast and 1¾ cups warm water (105–110°) in the bowl of a stand mixer; let stand until yeast starts to foam, about 10 minutes.

Mix in 2 Tbsp. oil, then salt and 2 cups flour. Attach dough hook and mix until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add another 2 cups flour, a cup at a time, mixing until incorporated and a shaggy dough forms, about 3 minutes.

Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is soft and elastic and starts to pull away from sides of bowl, 5–6 minutes. It will still be somewhat sticky. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 24 hours.

Coat an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet with remaining ½ cup oil. Turn out dough onto a rimmed baking sheet and let sit 10 minutes to take off the chill. Gently and gradually stretch dough until it reaches edges and all 4 corners of baking sheet. (If dough springs back or is stiff to work with, let it rest a few minutes before continuing. You may need to let it rest more than once.)

Cover dough on baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place (but not too warm!—about 70° is ideal for yeast to grow) until it is puffed and full of air bubbles, 30–40 minutes.

Source: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/grandma-style-pizza-dough

[pizza-italian]

Keto-Friendly Meat and Veggie Lover's Pizza

Cook time:30 minutes Prep time:15 minutes Servings:2-3

I could eat pizza every day of my life! The cheesy crust in this keto version offers that great Italian flavor with a powerful protein boost. I always top this pizza with extra vegetables. Everyone will love munching on this yummy dish ... and they'll be getting plenty of veggies too.

Technique tip: Use a large, cast-iron pan to flatten the pizza crust in one swoop!

Swap option: Be creative with your choice of pizza sauce. Instead of traditional marinara, consider creamy Alfredo or pesto sauce, which actually contains fewer carbs.

Ingredients

One 10-ounce can of chicken, drained 1 large egg, beaten 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (whole milk), shredded Low-carb marinara sauce Extra shredded mozzarella cheese Shredded cheddar cheese Black olives, sliced Green onions, chopped 1 tomato, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, diced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1/2 cup ground turkey meat

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Line a 10-inch or larger, round pizza pan with parchment paper. Thinly spread the chicken onto paper. Place in the oven and heat 10 minutes to dry chicken.

3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown ground turkey. Set aside.

4. Remove chicken from oven and scrape into a medium mixing bowl. Increase temperature of oven to 500°F.

5. Add egg, Parmesan cheese and1/4 cup mozzarella cheese to the chicken. Mix well to form a ball of dough.

6. Line a pizza pan with parchment paper and place dough in middle. Cover with a second sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin or your hands to create a thin, round crust. Remove the top piece of parchment paper when crust is even and the desired shape is achieved.

7. Bake 8-10 minutes until crust browns (be patient during this step to ensure a crispy crust later!).

8. Remove cooked crust from the oven and add marinara sauce and toppings as desired.

9. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until toppings soften and melted cheese begins to brown.

10. Cut pizza into 6 slices and serve warm.

Source: https://www.today.com/recipes/keto-friendly-meat-veggie-lover-s-pizza-recipe-t171011

[pizza-italian]

Uncooked Pizza Sauce Recipe

Pizza Sauce Ingredients:

* 28 oz. of can crushed tomatoes * 3 oz. of tomato paste * 4 tbsps. Pecorino Romano * 1 tsp Oregano * 2 tbsps. minced fresh garlic * 1 tbsp. black pepper * 3 tsps of sugar * 2 teaspoons of dried basil Pizza Sauce Instructions 1. Whisk all ingredients together. 2. Allow flavors to blend for one hour before using. Enjoy your pizza!

[pizza-italian]

We Tested 4 Famous Pizza Dough Recipes — And 1 *Really* Stood Out

I’ve found the absolute best recipe for incredible pizza dough at home. To come to this conclusion, I pitted the four most popular pizza dough recipes against each other. Here’s how it all went down in my kitchen.

https://www.thekitchn.com/pizza-dough-recipe-reviews-22931885

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Why does pizza taste so good?

There’s a reason why pizza is so popular. Humans are drawn to foods that are fatty and sweet and rich and complex. Pizza has all of these components. Cheese is fatty, meat toppings tend to be rich, and the sauce is sweet.

https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-does-pizza-taste-so-good-125618

[pizza-italian]

Skillet Pizza Dip

This Skillet Pizza Dip is extra cheesy, creamy and the perfect appetizer or snack. Perfect for those times when you’re craving pizza but want something a bit different. So whip up this quick dish for yourself or a crowd, it’ll be sure to please any and all!

https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/skillet-pizza-dip/

[pizza-italian]

Pizza Parcel Recipe

We love the combination of spicy pepperoni and mushroom in these delicious pizza parcels by recipes+, but feel free to experiment with a variety of your favourite pizza ingredient toppings.

https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/recipes/pizza-parcel-7683

[pizza-italian]

Sausage and Wild Mushroom Skillet Pizza For 2

Homemade pizza is hard to beat, and this deep-dish sausage-and-mushroom version, dressed up with a splash of cream, is cooked in a cast-iron skillet and blows any delivery away.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/sausage-and-wild-mushroom-skillet-pizza-cooking-for-2/673fdd05-29f1-4ce0-8742-e71b7546e8de

[pizza-italian]

New York Pizza Guide

Wondering where to eat pizza in NYC? Check out our epic New York Pizza Guide that spans the boroughs. We ate at 18 New York City pizza shops in our quest for New York’s best pizza and share our favorites in the guide.

https://www.2foodtrippers.com/new-york-pizza-guide/

[pizza-italian]

Is Pizza Healthy?

Is Pizza Healthy? - Here are the top five reasons why you should enjoy your slice of pizza.

Pizza has not always had a good reputation. A lot of folks associate this food with fat and excess calories, and will not eat it if they are on a low-calorie diet.

Some people classify it as convenience food or simply something quick to grab for dinner when they have limited time. What some people don’t realize is pizza may actually be healthy for you.

1. Pizza sauce may enhance your immune system.

The typical pizza sauce is packed full of Vitamin C. Your system requires this particular nutrient to combat bacteria that may cause illnesses such as the common cold. If the sauce contains oregano, it will increase your immunity even more. The active ingredient Carvacrol can help keep your liver healthy and balance your blood sugar.

2. Pizzas contain healthy ingredients.

You are going to receive many health benefits if you choose the best ingredients for your pizza. Should you choose to add extra cheese or meat, then your pizza will not be as nutritious. Choosing a thin crust will help reduce the number of empty calories you’d take in.

Furthermore, consuming less crust enables you to eat a bigger quantity of healthy ingredients because you will not be full-on carbs.

You don’t need to add anything more to your meal to cover the suggested intake of all food groups. Include fresh vegetables, low-fat meats, cheese, and grain at the same time.

You can include some extra tomato to boost your fresh vegetable intake, as well as red peppers or mushrooms to add more vegetables to your diet. Including chicken or even turkey on the pizza provides you with proteins from healthier, leaner meats.

The cheese topping will take care of your dairy intake, while the crust will provide you with your daily fibre requirements.

3. Pizza will give your brain a boost.

Spinach is sometimes a chosen ingredient for pizza topping, is actually full of folate. This particular vitamin helps blood circulation in the brain. Eating just one daily helping of spinach may reduce cognitive decline in older people since it contains vitamin K.

This particular meal may also have a positive impact on your serotonin levels, that directly influence positive and negative emotions. If the pizza delivery restaurant doesn’t offer spinach, try including it your self when your food arrives. Waiting to add this particular topping might help to keep it fresh.

Pineapple, spinach, and the milk found in cheese are all serotonin boosters, which means that pizza can help you to be healthy and happy.

4. You can control the ingredients.

Whether or not you make this dish or buy it from the pizza shop, you decide which ingredients it contains. Ask the staff for the particular ingredients you want and specify if you want them in bigger or small quantities. The combinations are actually limitless, and you could mix any kind of fruits, vegetables, or meats found on the menu. Don’t forget to ask about crust options (for example wholemeal flour base) to make sure your pizza is still nutritious.

5. Getting a Pizza delivered is more convenient.

If you order pizza and get it delivered then this can save you the time and maybe the stress of dealing with traffic to go and collect it. You will find other products on many pizza shop menus that will provide you with healthy and delicious alternatives.

Look at selections at your favourite restaurants and you’ll discover salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and more to add to your meal.

[pizza-italian]

15 Wonderful And Healthy Pizza Recipes

We all love pizzas, but let’s be honest: unless you go out of your way to choose healthy ingredients, most toppings aren’t exactly conducive to a balanced, healthy diet. These delicious pizzas are different.

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/15-wonderful-and-healthy-pizza-recipes.html

[pizza-italian]

Double Cheeseburger Pizza

Check out our epic mash up of a dirty American burger on a classic tomato pizza. Make this cheesy pizza for an easy recipe the whole family will love.

https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/family/double-cheeseburger-pizza/

[pizza-italian]

20 Homemade Pizza Recipes That Are the Definition of Perfection

Letting the cast-iron pan preheat in a blazing hot oven will help ensure you get a crispy bottom crust, just be careful getting it in and out of the oven.

Our favorite homemade pies are cheesy, a little saucy, and topped with all kinds of fresh, seasonal produce.

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/family-meals/slideshow/pizza-recipes

[pizza-italian]

Learning the Art of Wood Fire Pizza Cooking.

In August of this year I made the decision that I was going to buy a wood fire oven for my backyard.  After doing a massive amount of research I decided the Strada oven from Forno Bravo was the one for me. There are options for purchasing kits to build your own, or just starting from scratch and taking on your own construction project, but as stated in an earlier post where I reviewed the book Build Your Own Barrel Oven my skills in that area are not up to that level without assistance. I don’t like to back down from a challenge but taking on a project like that would require a huge learning curve and time investment.

The decision on which oven to purchase was based on cost, size, and portability. The Stada is the smallest oven that Forno Bravo (or anyone else that I’m aware of) makes and even though I would have preferred a larger model I like that it is small enough to take with me in the event I move.  If one has unlimited resources any size wood fire oven can be moved but in my opinion this is the only one that would be practical to move without a huge effort focused solely on transporting the oven. 

On the Road Again – North to Salinas.

The Strada model also fits into the back of my Ford Escape so I had the option of going to the factory to pick it up vs. spending 100′s of dollars in shipping. The factory is in Salinas, Ca, which is roughly 300 miles (one way) from where I live in Ventura Co. After checking in with Forno Bravo to make sure I understood the dimensions correctly and that it would definitely fit in my Escape I made the purchase and set a time/date to pick it up. Six hundred miles of driving in one day is a lot but I’ve driven to Seattle and back a couple of times the past few years and I’ve learned to like the long drives. Plus Firestone Walker is along the way as is one of my favorite stops for Mexican food (Zorro’s) in Pismo Beach. So, after checking out a Stephen King audiobook (The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon) from the library I was off to Salinas.

Upon arrival at Forno Bravo one of the workers said, “I don’t know if it’s going to fit in your SUV.”  I reminded him that there is a picture on their web site of the Strada in the back of a small SUV like mine. He pointed to a SUV parked on the street and said, “That’s the one in the picture, I think it’s a little bigger than yours.” Fortunately, after a few stressful minutes of watching the forklift approach the Escape with the Strada aboard, I was very happy to see that it did fit, barely.

While talking to the oven builders I mentioned the web site shows two guys carrying the oven from the back of the car and I asked if they thought that was sufficient. The young bucks in the crowd said, “Two people can carry it, well, maybe for guys your age you should have three.” Ha Ha.

After driving home I asked two friends to come over and help me move it from the car to the backyard (they get free pizza for life). They were a little skeptical that it was a three-person job and suggested we get a fourth. I told them what the factory guys said so we decided to man up and give it a try. We got the job done but if you are ever in this situation I recommend you have four people on hand to transport the oven.

Blazing away at sunset.

Next step: the curing process. In order to create an environment in which the oven can handle high heat it has to be cured. The process involves lighting increasingly hotter fires every day over a one-week period. Forno Bravo gives very specific guidelines on how this is to be done and it was emphasized at the factory that the oven must be cured properly. I followed the instructions closely and learned that the curing process creates a lot of smoke. My wife was not thrilled with the clouds of smoke blowing across the back yard every night and I don’t think my neighbors were thrilled about it either but once the curing process is done there is a lot less smoke. It is wood fire though, so there is going to be some smoke but in my opinion it’s not excessive and shouldn’t be a deterrent.

Contemplating the dough.

Once the oven was cured I was ready to bake but first I had to contemplate the flour. For traditional wood fire Pizza Napoletana one uses Type 00 Flour.  I’d tried the 00 in my kitchen oven on several occasions and never had good results.  In that environment I had much better luck with Sir Lancelot from King Arthur Flour. I decided I needed to revisit the 00 as it can handle the higher heat and it’s the standard for wood fire ovens.  If you check out My Pie Monday at Slice.seriouseats.com you will see some magnificent examples of wood fire pizza baked with 00 flour from TXCraig and others.

My first attempts were a little disappointing but not related to the flour.  There is a process of getting to know the oven and the only way to do that is to keep baking, so every time I fire up the oven the pizza comes out a little better.  I still have a ways to go but there is always improvement with a lesson learned and even the first pizzas were edible. It’s not like they were so bad I had to throw them away, they just had some flaws, such as being too charred or they had baked unevenly.  They didn’t make pretty pictures but they still tasted good (for the most part).

Baking bread has had a steeper learning curve but I’m slowing making progress with that process also. One area where I’ve had success right of the bat is roasting meat. Putting a pork butt in the oven overnight for pulled pork the next day has produced great results!

Just a note on pizza toppings: I’m open minded about toppings but I don’t have an anything goes attitude.  I can’t imagine that a time will ever come when there aren’t Margherita Pizzas coming out of the oven on a regular basis so I do have a bit of a fundamentalist streak.  However, my favorite pizza that I’ve made in the Starda (or in the kitchen oven) is what I call my Spanish pizza: sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, Spanish Chorizo, and Drunken Goat cheese.

Not quite there yet but getting closer.

To be continued…….