Do These 5 Things For Better Homemade Pizza
Inside: Love making homemade pizza? Here are 5 things to do to take yours from good to great!
I’ve been on a mission with my homemade pizza since visiting my friend Amy a few years ago. I had no idea homemade pizza could taste so good!
Since then, mine has come a LONG way–and these five changes made the biggest impact. Try them for yourself and take your pie to the next level!
1. Find a better dough recipe.
Is your dough just so-so? A good dough recipe can make all the difference. Here are two to consider:
- Citizen Mom’s Homemade Pizza Dough (let your standing mixer do the kneading)
- Perfect Pizza Crust from Dinner: A Love Story (just stir in the bowl for 30 seconds)
You want a dough you can press into a round with your fingers, not roll with a rolling pin.
This is one of those places I usually go all-purpose flour. I think it produces a more authentic pizza-shop crust. If you’d rather do whole grain, try subbing white whole wheat flour for one-third or half of the the white flour.
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2. Use a perforated pan.
This was a game-changer for me. This $3 pizza pan transformed my crust from limp to crispy. The magic is in the little holes, which allow the air to circulate and bake the crust faster (solving the problem of browned toppings and an under-cooked crust).
I bought my pizza pans at ALDI, but lots of places carry them, including Target and Amazon. Note: My ALDI pizza pan is non-stick but I still give it a generous spray with the Olive Oil Mister before putting my dough on, which also helps the crust brown.
3. Use a mix of mozzarella.
Fresh mozzarella takes the flavor and presentation of your homemade pizza up a notch. But the pre-shredded kind gives a better pull. So I sprinkle on some pre-shredded then pull pieces of fresh off a ball and scatter around. If you’d rather slice the fresh mozzarella, freeze it for about 20 minutes before cutting it, so it’s firm and easier to slice.
4. Jack up the temperature.
Forget 400 or even 450. Cranking up your oven will help you achieve a terrific, golden crust (think about how hot those wood-fired pizza ovens get!). I set mine right around 500 but plenty of people go north of that.
5. Use the bottom oven rack (or your grill!)
I discovered this by accident when I was baking two pizzas at once and needed to use both racks. The bottom rack actually produces a crispier, browner crust–but you have to keep an eye on it. I typically rotate my pie 180 degrees after five minutes, then check it again after another five, sometimes transferring it to the middle rack for the last few minutes of baking.
All ovens are different, so this is not a precise recommendation. Peek and rotate frequently, and it might take some trial and error to figure out your oven. But trust me, all of that fussing will be worth it.
Or use your outdoor gas grill as a pizza oven. If you love wood-fired pizza but don’t want to buy an expensive pizza oven, you can (cheaply!) turn your grill into a pizza oven.
