How to Make Pizzas at Home
Bring the pizzeria to your place with these kitchen gadgets.
How to Make Pizzas at Home
Everyone loves pizza night, but you can make it even more fun by cooking your own pizzas at home. Read on to learn how to make pizzas at home two different ways plus everything else you'll need in the kitchen for the perfect pizza night!
Ingredients
- Olive oil: The secret to crispy, crunchy crust
- Pizza dough: Premade or tossed by hand
- Pizza sauce: Red sauce, white sauce, pesto sauce, etc.
- Cheese: Your cheese of choice and don't be afraid to layer
- Toppings: Remember, this is your kitchen so no extra charge
How to Make Pizza with a Pizza Stone
The pizza stone works by conducting and holding heat, which keeps the temperature steady through the baking time. This not only helps the pizza cook more evenly, but also allows the bottom to get crisp without getting burnt. Preheat your kitchen oven, grill, or pizza oven with the stone inside to gradually bring it to temperature. Transfer your uncooked pizza via a pizza peel onto the stone and bake as normal. Remove the pizza off the stone with the peel again and rest on a cutting board to cool. Don't forget to take your stone off the grill to cool too.
Cutting Board
For a place to set the pizza while it cools, a cutting board is easy to slide the cooked pizza onto to give it a moment before slicing. With a cutting board you don't have to worry about scraping the pizza cutter's blade on the pizza stone. The handle makes it easy to serve so everyone gets a slice.
What's more authentic pizza at home than with a wood-fire pizza oven? Depending on your oven's heat source, fill the fuel tray with hardwood food-grade pellets or hook up to a propane tank. Light the oven and stand back away from any outward flames or sparks. Wait roughly 5 minutes for the oven and pizza stone to come to temperature which is about 350-400 degrees. Bake your pizza to your desired crispiness , remembering to rotate periodically for an evenly cooked dough.
Pizza Peel
When dealing with an open flame like a charcoal grill or pizza oven, also consider a pizza peel, which is a wooden tool used to place pizzas in the oven without tearing your dough or spilling any of the ingredients off the top of your pizza.
Tip!
Be sure to sprinkle your pizza stone and peel with corn meal to help prevent the dough from sticking as it warms up.
Pizza Cutter
Regardless of which of the two above methods you used to cook your homemade pizza, your last step is the same: Cut your pizza into perfect slices with a rolling pizza cutter so you can enjoy! With this tool, there's no knife needed, so kids can safely help out.
More Must-Haves for Making Pizza at Home
Now you've got your grill fired up, and you're on your way to making the best pizza at home. Don't forget these other must-have kitchen tools including a sauce pan and heat-safe gloves to help you make your pizzas ever better.
Olive Oil Cruet
The secret to crispy, crunchy pizza crust? Olive oil. A cruet bottle features an the easy-to-control spout, so you can drizzle just the right amount of olive oil on your dough before loading it up with toppings.
Whether you're planning to slowly simmer of a homemade sauce recipe or just heat up something from the jar (no shame), having a large enough pot with a lid helps to keep everything hot and at a consistent temperature, so the sauce is ready to be spooned over your crust.
Prep your toppings beforehand and store them in a fridge-safe storage container. Keep your grated mozzarella, sliced pepperoni, olives, banana peppers, and even pineapple in glass containers with lids to keep them fresh and ready to be pulled out for pizza night.
If you're putting your hands anywhere near an oven, you need some kind of heat protectant. With an appliance flames, it's highly recommended to use heat-safe gloves that extend up to your forearms for maximum protection.
A Seat for Everyone
Gather everyone around an outdoor dining set to enjoy your homemade 'za. Seating capacities range from two people to 10+, so you can host a whole pizza party and be able to give everyone somewhere to sit and feast.
For nights when you want to enjoy life's luxuries like a wood-fired pizza, learn how to make pizzas at home and share the experience with the whole family. Pizza kits include pieces like pizza stones and peels for a convenient at-home pizza party package.
