Mmm, me too. There used to be a bar in (of all places) Sarasota, Florida that served the best plain thin pizza I’ve ever had. Sometimes we would get one with a scattering of whole basil leaves underneath the cheese. Delicious.
You pretty much have my tastes nailed there. Quattro Stagione is fantastic, and, as for your second pizza, I would add capers. Yum, yum…
While I am partial to Italian-style pizzas, with their thin crusts, and restrained use of cheese and sauce (if there is any sauce at all), a nice Chicago style deep dish stuffed pizza is fantastic about once or twice a year. I keep them in a separate class from regular pizza, though. It’s a completely different food from regular pizza and shouldn’t be judged by those standards.
I’ll agree with you on stuffed crusts, though.
As for toppings on a thin-crust American-style pizza, I always go for sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers (or jalapenos). I like pepperoni on its own, but on a pizza, it really doesn’t do anything for me.
A few pizza-related notes:
- When I was in Beijing, I was in a hurry one day and stopped at Pizza Hut for lunch. I ordered my usual vegetarian, but while waiting, I was reading the various table materials (desserts, drinks, etc.) and there was a special on Norwegian Fijord Salmon pizza. From the illustration, it appeared that the salmon was raw. I was not tempted.
- When I gave up eating meat, I did not go, well, ahem, cold turkey. I cut back gradually. Pepperoni on my pizza was the very last sort of dead animal I gave up. I just seemed so…necessary. Now it’s not.
- Also in China–NanNing, if you want to know–the hotel had a vegetarian pizza on the menu. We were elated. Then it arrived and included broccoli, corn (kernels, not the little bitty baby ones) and kidney beans. We at it anyway.
Mmmmmmmmmmm…pizza. Food of the gods. Make mine with hand tossed dough and slather garlic butter around the edge. Top it with bacon and red pepper flakes and I’ll be as giddy as a school girl.
Sundried tomatoes, broccoli, red onion, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. O ya.
Ok, ok, this is going to sound really weird, but try it, it’s good. Trust me.
Chocolate chip cookie crumbs. On pizza.
You just sprinkle it on in a few spots after the pizza’s baked. It really is good!
Bacon, pepperoni, mushrooms, ham, pineapple occasionally (what? I like Hawaiian!) and extra cheese. Throw in a side order of garlic bread and I’m your woman forever.
You mean “Famous Original Rays” ? Or “Original Famous Ray’s” ? Or “Rays Original Famous Pizza”?
Start off with a nice thin crust, don’t want my pizza tasting like bread.
Add to that extra sauce and cheese, however, they must be GOOD sauce and cheese, not the generic crap most places use. Make sure to add crushed garlic, fresh basil, oregeno and cayenne pepper to the sauce.
Add on pepperoni, ham, bacon, double italian sausage, onion, green pepper, sliced elephant garlic,
No one would talk to me for a week, but it would be worth it.
Red and green peppers, onions, extra cheese.
Or
Cream or olive oil and garlic sauce, cubed Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic, rosemary, parmesan, mozzarella, grilled onions. Sometimes good with artichoke hearts but mostly best left without. Chicken might be okay, too.
pepperoni, etc.