Will someone PLEASE help me learn how to make PIZZA?

[MKSquared]

I'm a patient person. I've recovered from the Malaysian Chicken pizza debaucle. I'm back up on my horse, trying to make pizza again for dinner. Here's what I did:
1) I used Trader Joe's pizza dough. I stretched it into my pizza pan. The resulting crust was thin, but the edges had some body to them. I did not use a baking stone. (My first one cracked the second time I used it.)

2) I used the recipe (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?threadid=24697&highlight=pizza+sauce) boisewinesnob posted. It's really good! I topped it with some cinnamon, pineapple, Canadian bacon and some 2% mozz cheese. (Not a lot of cheese.)

3) I baked it for approximately 20 minutes around 350 degrees.

My results: a great looking pizza before I lifted it from the pan. The crust was soggy and very wimpy. It couldn't support the toppings. Moreover, the toppings just slid right off the pieces. It still tasted great, but it's not the product I'm looking for.

How do you make a crispy (or crispier!) crust -- and how do you get the toppings to stick?:confused: :confused:

[Kahlico]

You might try pre-baking your crust for 5-7 minutes. It'll be crisper but it will be less likely to sag in the middle:)

[Mamasue]

Would you believe I haven't mastered the Art of Making Pizza either, but can tell you that your oven needs to be much hotter....at least 450. I am sure that the pizza experts here will come to your rescue. If not try the search method and you will find loads of threads on Pizza. Good Luck! :)

[Julie A]

I've been staying away from pizza, because I've been afraid of it!:o However, I jumped right in and made the Malaysian chicken pizza, and it was wonderful! I don't have a pizza stone, but I did do two things that I think helped - I made sure the oven was 475, and I prebaked the crust (as suggested on this bb) for a few minutes first.

I was so excited, I tried the Monterey pizza yesterday, only to find out my DH can't stand mangos, so I've got LOTS of leftovers. The crust wasn't quite as good as the Malaysian one, but it was fine.

I must say, I liked my crust better than the store bought ones I've tried.

Try it again, MKSquared, you'll be suprised at how doable it is (I was)
:D :D :D

[Natasha]

Hi Mary Kate!

Here are a couple of the threads that the wise Mamasue referred to. They deal with pizza woes, and have some helpful tips on how to avoid said pizza woes. :). Good luck!

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?threadid=24288&highlight=Pizza
http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?threadid=21785&highlight=Pizza
http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?threadid=18859&highlight=Pizza

Natasha

[Sami]

One other thing you can do is not put the crust on a pan or baking stone. Put the toppings on and put the pizza directly onto the baking rack in you very hot oven. To take the pizza out, I slide out the baking rack, put my pan next to it and slide the pizza onto the pan.

Sami

[luv2run]

I have had tremendous success with homemade pizza, even with my own crust! I use Jamie Oliver's recipe. I think the secret is using a pizza stone. I know your first one cracked but maybe think about purchasing another one. What type was your first one?

Debbie :cool:

[dulcecoeur]

As mentioned already, you also definitely need to use a higher heat. 350 degrees is much to low for pizza - in the wood-ovens that are "traditionally" used for pizza, the temperatures will be above 500! I usually put my oven at about 475 and put the pizza on the rack itself, or use a pizza pan (the perforated ones) and they turn out fine.

[Molli526]

Just reiterating the need for a higher heat. DH works at a pizza place and their ovens are 500*. Most pizza places also use "screens" for pizza other than deep dish. I think the perforated pan is pretty similar. I think the baking stone would be the same, if preheated as well.

Please don't give up Mary Kate! You can do it!

[Janet K]

I agree with everyone who said your oven needs to be much hotter. Another thing I always do is spray or brush a little olive oil on the crust before you put your toppings on. It's supposed to help prevent your crust from getting soggy from the toppings.

[MKSquared]

Okay. I'll up the temperature -- easily done. I'll try prebaking, too. Thanks, guys. :) I don't think I'll try the "directly on the rack" method quite yet -- that would have left me with a really nasty clean up last night! ;)

[vbak]

MK maybe the low heat combined with the pineaple topping made for a soggy crust. No matter how much you ssquish and drain pineapple there is quite a bit of juice seeping out. Just a thought. Vicky

[luv2run]

Ditto the high temp suggestions! I get so fixated on the pizza stone issue that I lose sight of everything else--duh--:rolleyes:

Debbie :cool:

[Lynno1975]

This fascinates me. We're having a pizza night at my house. I'm supplying the dough and the grills outside and then we're grilling the pizzas. the girls say that it won't fall through, but the whole idea is beyond me. Any answers?

[boisewinesnob]

No advice to give you Mary Kate, (or Lynno1975) but I'm glad to hear you liked the sauce!!! :cool:

Suzy

[vbak]

Lynno there is a thread on grilled pizza from last year, maybe July. It gives very good tips on how to do this. I was extremely skeptical the first time, but it is the best pizza ever.:D If the thread doesn't answer all of your questions just give a holler. Enjoy. Vicky

[linsleyd]

Just one to add my two cents on grilled pizza. It is the most amazing thing you have ever tasted!!!

We normally get par baked pizzas from say Grotto's when we are near one and grill those. So yummy!:D

This weekend I will attempt homemade pizza on the grill! Can't wait for that one!:rolleyes:

[slknight]

Had another thought for you last night as I was making the Malaysian Chicken Pizza. How much of the toppings did you put on?

I ask that because it seems like pizza works best (doesn't get soggy) if you put on fewer toppings than you would think. For example, the Malaysian Chicken Pizza only calls for 1/2 pound chicken. This usually works great. Last night, I used the whole pound and thought the middle of the pizza was kind of soggy. It also only calls for 3/4 cup of cheese.

Don't know what proportions you used for the toppings, but you might just want to cut back on them a little bit and see how that works. (And raise the oven temp too! :D )

[LaraW]

Another thought would be to put the pineapple onto your pizza after it is done cooking. That might be an idea to reduce the amount of liquid.

[CKL]

We've great success without a pizza stone, but that's with thin crust and the oven's going strong at 500 degrees+ - we're using a cheap $2 silver-colored Baker's Secret pizza pan. Don't know how it'd work with a more substantial crust though - maybe we'll need a stone then?

The other thing we've discovered is to go easy on the toppings - what doesn't seem like a lot at first will seem like a mountain of toppings when the cheese melts and everything's settled in.

My favourite topping combo so far:

Brush (raw) thin pizza crust w/olive oil
Sprinkle light cover of shredded skim mozzarella
Spread thin and light layer of ricotta cheese
Brocolli (roasted briefly w/minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper)
Spinach (sauteed briefly in a bit of butter till wilted)
Artichokes (packed in oil or water)
Another very thin layer of mozarella

Bake at 500 for about 7 minutes. Oh boy. Not for brocolli or spinach haters :)

CK

[Linda in MO]

Does anyone have the cookbook Pizza--Any Way You Slice It? I was thinking of ordering it.

[gertdog]

CKL Oh boy, your pizza sounds wonderful! I am copying that topping combination into my to-try list!

Linda Is that the book by Michele Sciclione (sp?)? If so, I don't have it yet but have been eyeing it at the local used bookstore. It looks wonderful.

[Linda in MO]

gertdog, yes that's the one! :)

[CKL]

I'm also a fan of fresh tomato topping on pizza - I think it adds a huge element of freshness to the flavor:

Sausage, mushroom and onion pizza
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
garlic-tomato sauce
smoked chicken sausage, sliced and warmed in the pan
sliced button mushrooms, sauteed in a bit of butter
caramelized onions
light layer skim mozarella cheese
fresh diced tomato

Very delicious. It was a bit gooey though, just because we had piled on a bit too much topping... turned out to a knife and forker, but a definite make-again :)

CK

[gertdog]

Linda, I do have her book A Fresh Taste of Italy and I have nothing but good things to say about it. Plus I really like her writing "voice" if that makes sense. If you get her book, I'd love to hear some reviews! :)

I do have some other pizza books that I can recommend. James McNair's Vegetarian Pizza, James McNair's New Pizza, and the California Pizza Kitchen cookbook. I love the James McNair books... great photography! The CPK recipes can be a bit involved, but I like the dough and at the time I bought the book, I loved knowing how to make their BBQ chicken pizza. It was my favorite food at the time!

[Linda in MO]

Thanks gertdog! I still haven't decided yet. :o