So, I have decided I will make a pizza from scratch. I’m thinking this box of breakfast mix will probably make for a reasonably good crust (it’s the kind that can make pancakes, waffles, biscuits, etc.), and I read that tomato paste is what spaghetti sauce is. After that, I just need cheese, pepperoni, and seasoning.
So, any tips on how I should prepare the crust, season the sauce (or if I need to), what seasonings to use on the pizza itself? How long to cook the darned thing for?
I don’t necessarily want straight-up receipies for pizza, just general advice while I figure this out myself.
(Also, we need a chef’s hat smiley. I’m just sayin )
Pretty much everything you’d ever want to know about making pizza from scratch can be found in this thread: Kickass Pizza from Scratch
I begin the thread by stating that I’m not looking for help with making the dough since I plan on buying it premade, but I’m later convinced that homemade is the way to go. So read on for crust recipes and dough making methods.
Also, breakfast mix for crust? I can’t imagine that working, but feel free to try it.
Real pizza crust contains yeast. If your breakfast mix is something similar to Bisquick, it won’t have any yeast in it. While this might be tasty, it won’t be pizza, IMHO. You can buy prefab pizza crust in the refrigerated section of the grocery. It’s usually in the same place as the refrigerated biscuits. You can also buy boxed pizza dough mix. But it’s very easy to make your own. Recipes are all over the place on the 'Net.
I too think Bisquik for a crust is doomed to failure, though I have had some success using eggs in a simple pastry, when yeast dough wasn’t available. Wasn’t like you get in a restaurant, but wasn’t bad.
The real ‘pizza’ taste comes from lots of oregano - put several heaped teaspoons of that in your tomato sauce.
On the top, it’s got to be mozzarella cheese, plus hot salami (pepperoni) and maybe some mushrooms and peppers. Then you can add some anchovies, olives, and more salami to taste. Top with extra mushrooms and cheese and even more pepperoni.
On another theme, you may find a more authentic Italian-style pizza easier to make. Rub garlic over the base, then scatter on sprigs of fresh basil and oregano, thin slices of fat plum tomatoes, and slices of buffalo mozarella in moderation, and cook short and hot. Simple, healthy and delicious.
I’m afraid I haven’t got anything online - just personal experience in Italy. Pizza there is very different from the US or UK. Different, but excellent - I can’t make up my mind whether I prefer US-style or Italian. They always have very very thin crust and very fresh ingredients. Rarely is a complex sauce used, and sometimes there’s no tomato at all - e.g. pizza bianca or a couple of pizzas I’ve had with green pesto. Oh, and I see from that recipe there that I missed out olive oil on my suggestion above. That’s pretty essential too to stop the dough burning.
Ok, you need to get some unbleached (IMO, the best choice) flour, yeast, and a decent cookbook. That box of Bisquick is for pancakes, not “dough”. Real pizza dough must be kneaded, and allowed to rise before being turned into a pizza crust. If you spread canned tomato paste on your crust (or put it on spaghetti) you will be sorely disappointed. It’s too strong, and tastes only of tomato. Again, consult a cookbook! Marcella Hazan (sp?) has written several on Italian foods. Make a real sauce. I use crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil. If I’m feeling crazy, I add sweet onions. Basil and garlic are necessary for good sauce. Lots of people add “Italian seasoning”. I don’t. I use sweet basil.
Do not use pre-shredded mozzarella. That’s just gross. Buy a ball, shred it yourself. Add whatever else you want on top. I personally like it with just sauce and cheese, but when we’ve done “build your own” at my house, we’ve used pepperoni, salami, bacon, smashed meatballs, ham, and a variety of vegetables. The sliced tomato/buffalo mozzarella option is more traditional in Italy, and while I would love it, it is not like your average US pizza shop serves. If your looking for standard, regular-Joe pizza, do the sauce and shredded cheese thing. My favorite pizza joint does a “Pesto pizza”: crust, topped with cheese, then pesto sauce, then a ton of chopped fresh tomatoes. It’s wonderful, and different from the normal.
If you don’t want to make your own dough, buy some prefab stuff. There are lots of options, from Pillsbury in a can to Boboli.
If using Boboli, bake until your cheese is good and bubbly, but don’t let it burn. If making fresh dough, bake until the crust is browned and crispy. If you have access to a pizza stone, your crust will be superior to having cooked it in a metal pan.
Bisquick would likely make a super-soggy crust - the sauce would sink right in! If you’re not confident making crust from scratch (it’s daunting, if you’re not used to making yeast-dough) a good alternative would be the Pillsbury “All Ready” dough or equivalent from the refrigerated section of the store. Another reasonable decent one is the Martha White crust-mix from the flour aisle - it’s cheap, just needs water to make, and comes out okay if not great.
I was told it was best not to put oregano -in- the sauce. Use basil and garlic and maybe some “Italian Seasoning” (I like Chef Paul’s Pizza Magic) in the sauce, and sprinkle the oregano heavily over the cheese, instead.
Also: if you’re using straight tomato paste, be sure to put a spoonful of sugar in the sauce - paste tends to be bitter.
And one final thing: if you like pepperoni but prefer not to have the orange grease-puddles it makes on your pizza, Hormel’s turkey-pepperoni is really! good, and not greasy at all.
Italians tend to go much lighter on cheese and toppings than Americans, and use too much oil.
Tips & tricks:
If you’re making your own dough, you can put a little oregano in that. Or rosemary (don’t overdo it, though). If you make the dough in the morning, you can let it rise in the refrigerator during the day, and then take it out when you get home. Let it get to room temp., punch it down, and shape it.
Pizza sauce is thicker than spaghetti sauce. You can get away with just a can of straight tomato paste, plus a few Italian Seasoning sprinkles in it, if you’re short on time.
Don’t grate the mozzarella. It’s a pain. Chop it into small pieces, spread them evenly, and they’ll melt themselves. I’ve seen Italians use an egg slicer, but I haven’t tried it myself yet.
From personal experience: those people who make the pizza pans with the little holes are nuts. They don’t make the pizza better, they make it hard to work with.
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