How to master homemade pizza, from crust to toppings - Washington Post.

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RECIPES HOW-TO DINNER IN MINUTES TRENDING NEWSLETTER VIDEO

The ultimate
homemade pizza,
delivered

By Becky Krystal and Bonnie S. Benwick

April 25, 2019

Pizza.

Poll everyone the world over about their favorite foods, and this cheesy,
saucy, crusty combination is likely to land at the top of many lists.

But how many of those people routinely make it at home? Not enough.

We're here to say that it’s worth the effort. After all, you can make your
pizza any way you like. You can recruit your family and friends for a fun
evening in. And the sense of accomplishment when you pull that gorgeous
pie out of the oven: priceless. Heck, even if your pie comes out less than
gorgeous, it's PIZZA. You're gonna eat it.

[Pineapple on pizza is easy to hate — at least in theory]

 We understand the obstacles. Getting a pizza is as easy as placing a delivery
order or swinging by your favorite neighborhood spot. The dough can be
finicky, unpredictable and intimidating, especially for novices. Plus, you
have to plan ahead. Then, your kitchen gets hot — even though your home
oven doesn't come close to the temperature a restaurant one can reach to
achieve crust perfection.

Thankfully, we have learned a few tips and tricks — and recipes — that will
set you on your way to success. Sure, shaping dough takes practice, but the
right recipe and technique make the job that much easier. We can also help
if you would rather your pizza be whole-wheat or even gluten-free. No
wood-burning oven? No problem. A super-hot cast-iron skillet and your
broiler can do the job.

Once things are getting hot, move quickly. Have your ingredients prepped
and ready to go. And don't forget the most important one: your best can-do
attitude.

Now let's start slinging some pies.

The basics

Crank it up

Heat is crucial. It helps give your crust the right color, texture
and rise. So preheat your oven — as hot as it can go — for at
least 30 minutes. Cook the pies on a surface that has been
preheated, ideally one that will retain and share the heat
well, such as a pizza stone or cast-iron skillet. Heating your
cast-iron pan on the stove top for a few minutes before
baking works well. Just be sure to keep an eye on your pizza
when it’s in the oven, because at such a high temperature, it
can burn quickly.

Give it time

Up to a certain extent, more time means more flavor. The

yeast needs time to work, consuming sugars and creating
the byproducts that make pizza dough taste so good. Time is
also crucial for providing structure and lift. You can extend
the process, and therefore the flavor, by allowing dough to
rest in the refrigerator for a few days. If your recipe calls for
just a few hours (such as with the featured Whole-Wheat
Pizza Dough), don’t cut it short. Your patience will be
rewarded.
 Stretch it out

Shaping the dough takes some getting used to. The

Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough uses bread flour, so it’s elastic
and can stand up to more handling. Stretch it on the counter
first and then drape the dough over your clenched fists. A
less elastic dough, such as the Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough,
requires more care, because it tears easily. For that one,
start by enlarging the round with just your fingertips and
then gently tug it out. Regardless of your dough, use enough
flour to keep it from sticking to your hands or work surface,
and frequently rotate.

When it’s gluten-free

As bakers with gluten-free expertise know, working with

wheat-free pizza dough calls for different techniques and
methods. Its consistency is spongy and damp; wet your
hands to keep it from sticking. Resting times are in minutes,
rather than hours. Because the dough is so wet, it’s best to
parbake the crust before you add toppings. You can
refrigerate the dough for a day, but freeze it only after it has
been parbaked.

Top it right

Your standard delivery pizza may be loaded with toppings,

but less is more when it comes to your homemade pies. An
abundance can lead to a soggy, dense crust that isn’t
cooked through. Precooking the toppings also cuts back on
their moisture and ensures that they’re not still raw by the
time the crust is done. You can always add freshly grated
cheese, herbs, greens (such as arugula), honey and/or olive
oil when the pizza comes out of the oven.

Don’t sweat it

It sounds cliche, but the adage “practice makes perfect” is

particularly apt when it comes to pizza. Whether you’re a
novice or a veteran, things can go wrong: The humidity
affects the moisture of your dough, you tear a hole in the
dough, your crust flops over when you try to transfer it to a
skillet or pizza stone. (Been there!) So what? It takes time to
learn your dough and your oven. It’s okay. Patch together
the dough, call the flopped pie a calzone and eat up. More
practice means more pizza, right?
Neapolitan-Style Pizza Dough
Neapolitan pizza is considered the OG of the
worldwide staple, and this recipe lives up to
the tradition with a flavorful, airy crust and
puffed edges. The dough's cold, slow rise in
the refrigerator is a major contributor to its
success.

Go to recipe
Pepperoni and Potato Pizza
You are promised a bit of pepperoni in every
bite, because we’ve pureed the uber-pizza
topping into an easy sauce. Its spiciness is
offset by tender slices of potato, nutty
Gruyere and mild goat cheese.

Go to recipe
Baba Ghanouj Pizza
With Pepperoncini, Mint and
Chile Oil
The roasted eggplant dip makes a
surprisingly satisfying base for this cheese-
free mixture of fresh and pickled topping
ingredients. A shower of last-minute roasted
pistachios gives it color and crunch.

Go to recipe

Caramelized Onion and Fontina

Pizza With Crispy Kale
When you put in the time to develop the
burnished brown silkiness of those onions
and pair them with the mushroomy funk of
this melted Italian cheese and a nicely
browned crust, you will be rewarded with a
classic flavor combo for the ages.

Go to recipe
Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
While pizzas made with all whole-wheat
flour can be dry and dense, this recipe yields
a chewy crust with a lovely nutty flavor. You
must knead the dough for longer and be
gentler in shaping it, because whole-wheat
flour is not as good at forming gluten as all-
purpose flour.

Go to recipe
Whipped Ricotta Pizza With
Figs and Walnuts
Although the components skew sweet, this
pizza’s base of olive-oil-enriched ricotta and
its thatch of fresh arugula keep them in
savory territory. The final flourish is a
drizzle of honey, but who says that nectar
can’t be something nice and spiced?

Go to recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Pizza With Mushrooms and
Smoked Mozz
The Middle Eastern spread known as
muhammara makes a juicy base for the mix
of toppings. We used a good store-bought
brand to speed up the prep for this recipe,
but you can make your own in about the
time it takes for the shaped pizza dough to
rest.

Go to recipe
Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
This recipe is adapted from Michael
Schwartz’s new “Genuine Pizza” cookbook,
which is dedicated to making better pies at
home. The dough bakes up into pizza crust
with a tender chew, and our testers —
gluten-free and not — gave it a thumbs up.

Go to recipe
 Tomato Pancetta Cheese Pizza
Mozzarella, move along: We like what
provolone does for this pie with classic
flavors. The sauce takes minutes because it
is all-stir, no-cook. Fresh oregano does
wonders for the aroma, as does the basil
applied after the pizza’s pulled from the
oven, cheeses bubbling.

Go to recipe

More pizza recipes from our archives:

The Easiest Pizza You’ll Ever Make

Sicilian Slab

Grilled Pepe’s-Style Clam Pizza

Detroit-Style Pizza

About this story

Design and development by Madison Walls. Art direction by Amanda Soto. Photos
by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post. Food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The
Washington Post. Photo editing by Jennifer Beeson Gregory. Props by Limonata
Creative for The Washington Post.

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