Have you ever set down a homemade pizza in front of your family and got frowns instead of smiles? Maybe it didn’t taste right, or the crust was doughy. Even if you don’t have an outdoor pizza oven, you can still make better pizza at home when you follow these simple tips.
1. Don’t Try Frozen Pizza
Buying a frozen pizza and heating it in the oven does not count as “homemade.” Besides, many frozen pizzas don’t taste better than the cardboard they come with. If you want to make good pizza, you’ll have to mix your dough and prepare fresh ingredients.
2. Turn Up the Heat
Do you know why outdoor pizza ovens make such good pies? They use very high heat. In fact, the best ovens cook pizzas at around 800 degrees Fahrenheit, including ovens at your favorite pizzeria. They cook at very high temperatures because it only takes a couple of minutes to cook most pizzas at this heat, and it makes better tasting pies.
3. Warm Your Dough
Let cold dough set for a few minutes to warm up. This makes it easier to work with. Some cooks even pre-cook their pizza dough to give it a better texture. To do this, you can brown it on the stove using an iron skillet.
4. Use a Pizza Stone
If you want your pizzas to taste like they came from a brick oven, use a ceramic stone. That’s why high-quality outdoor pizza ovens give you such great tasting pizza. They have ceramic inserts which mimic brick or stone. Pizza stones are porous and absorb excess moisture, giving you a crisp crust.
5. Try Bread Flour
Many people use any all-purpose flour product for their pizzas. However, if you use bread flour you’ll get better taste and texture, and you don’t have to tell anyone your secret.