Meantime everyone knows that I like cooking and celebrating good food. One of my all time favorites is PIZZA. I am a pizza lover, but to get a satisfying good one is as rare as lion-eggs, HA ! Let me introduce you to a few thoughts about pizza.

A brief history of pizza.

The origin of the word pizza (Italian: pittsa ) is uncertain. The word pizza was first documented in 997 AD in Gaeta, Italy, and successively in different parts of Central and Southern Italy. The precursor of pizza was probably the focaccia, a flat bread known to the Romans as panis focacius, to which toppings were then added.

   Pizza baking in Renaissance times.

Foods similar to flatbreads in other parts of the world include the Indian Paratha (in which fat is incorporated), the Central and South Asian Naan (leavened) and Roti (unleavened), the Sardinian Carasau, Spianata, Guttiau, Pistoccu and Finnish Rieska. Also worth note is that throughout Europe there are many similar pies based on the idea of covering flat pastry with cheese, meat, vegetables and seasoning such as the Alsatian Flammkuchen, German Zwiebelkuchen, and French Quiche.

  German Zwiebelkuchen, German Onion cake.

In 16th century Naples, a Galette flatbread was referred to as a pizza. Known as the dish for poor people, it was sold in the street and was not considered a kitchen recipe for a long time. This was later replaced by oil, tomatoes (after Europeans came into contact with the Americas) or fish. In 1843, Alexandre Dumas described the diversity of pizza toppings.

    Queen Margherita.    

An often recounted story holds that on 11 June 1889, to honour the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the Neapolitan pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created the „Pizza Margherita“, a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colours of Italy as on the Italian flag.

  Todays tourist attraction, Brandi’s Pizza Margherita. And commemorate plate on the restaurant Brandi wall.

Pizza is now a type of bread and tomato dish, often served with cheese. However, until the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, the dish was sweet, not savory, and earlier versions which were savory more resembled the flat breads now known as schiacciata. Pellegrino Artusi’s classic early twentieth century cookbook, „La Scienza in cucina e l’Arte di mangiar bene“ gives three recipes for pizza, all of which are sweet. However, by 1927, Ada Boni’s collection of regional cooking includes a recipe using tomatoes and mozzarella.

Then – Pizzaiolo – Now  

We could go on and on with the interesting history of pizza and pizza making and hundreds of recipes. I like to introduce you to some tips for home cooking your own pizza.

  Hard to beat, the special atmosphere of an Italian Pizzeria, here Brandi in Naples, Italy.  Sit down, relax, enjoy a pizza and some wine and dream of the good life „you“ have. In Italy or at home, a pizza night is always worth while.

    Pizza Napolitana, Margherita with olive oil.

6 Ways to make your homemade pizza better.

Now – let’s start to do our own pizza. Whether by pie or slice, piled with toppings or minimalist, pizza is a classic dinner staple. The combination of blistered crust, gooey cheese, and fresh ingredients tastes right just about any night. But you don’t have to pick up the phone and order to get the perfect one. You can make dynamite pizza in your own oven. Just try it and you will find out they are all much better then the „ordered“ ones.   And – it’s soooooo easy !!

  Pizza Salami with black olives, thick crust.

1. Make your dough.

Making pizza is supposed to be fun!  This means that if you have the time and patience to make the dough, go for it. In most country’s you can buy  „no knead pizza dough“. It’s fast, simple, easy to practice, and is as hands off as possible. The following is our favorite pizza dough recipe, often tried and always good for thin crispy one or a thick one, perfect !!

  Make your own pizza dough, it’s soooo easy.

Ingredients.

500 grams (16 oz) all purpose flour, plus more for shaping the dough
10 gram (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt, (sometimes we use garlic salt instead garlic oil)
20 grams (2 teaspoons) dry yeast,
60 ml (3 tablespoons) good olive oil,  (we often use garlic infused olive oil)
250 ml (8 oz) water

  Easy to make – your own garlic infused olive oil.

How to do.

In a bowl, thoroughly blend the flour, yeast, oil and salt. Add the water and, with a wooden spoon and/or your hands, mix thoroughly.

          Mix all ingredients together and then knit through and through.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature (about 72F = 22C)  until it has more than doubled. It will take longer in a chilly room and less time in a very warm one.
Flour a work surface and scrape out the dough. Divide it into 4 equal parts and  shape each portion into a round  or square or whatever you like. Roll out to thin or thick what ever you prefer, this dough is good for all purposes. The dough should not be sticky, if it is, dust with more flour.

         On a warm place let the dough rise to double size. This can take a few hours.

If you don’t intend to use the dough right away, wrap the balls individually in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature by leaving them out on the counter, covered in a damp cloth, for 2 to 3 hours before needed.

           Ready to bake and done after about 20 minutes (200C). Garnish with fresh basil and like in Italy – buon appetito !!

2. Turn up the heat.

But don’t burn down the house. Most restaurant pizza recipes call for a really hot oven, but don’t go overboard trying to replicate pizzeria temperatures. Try as hot as your oven will do. Don’t try tricks like baking in cast iron pots and pans, and even packing the home oven with refractory bricks to mimic the conditions of a brick oven.

  This oven provides 280 C (580F), normally 240 C (500F).

3. Use a baking steel.

We can describe this tool as the “Holy Grail of home baking equipment.” A ¼-inch piece of food-grade steel that works like a traditional baking stone, it’s a great heat conductor which accounts for its arguably magical pizza powers.

      Use the baking steel on top rail in your oven to preheat and bake the pizza under your grill, also on top rail.

All you need to do is preheat your baking steel, and oven, for an hour at 500F (240C), then bake your pizza directly on the steel. Be sure to use a peel to both put your pizza on the steel and to take your pizza off it, you don’t want to burn yourself!

  Delicious pizza, spicy chicken, mozzarella, red onion.

Using a baking steel ensures a very consistent bake and has made the best crust you will have ever eaten from a home oven. If you have plans to regularly bake bread or pizza at home I highly recommend buying one. Just make sure to thoroughly dry and oil it after washing to keep it from rusting and never cut your pizza directly on the steel.

  Pizza topped with red paprika, onion and mushrooms.

4. Relax the dough.

Do not forget to let your dough rest at room temperature before shaping it—a crucial step that will make it much easier to handle. If the dough is too sticky, just add a little extra flour to your hands and the table.

You best roll out the dough with a French rolling pin, so if you have one. If not you always can use an empty wine bottle.  Do not, however, get too caught up in making a perfectly circular pizza, which can led to overworking the dough.

  Vegetarian pizza, well done, but still too many toppings.

5. Minimize your toppings

Minimalism is a mantra when it comes to toppings, don’t overload with „everything“.
Home bakers, myself included, can go a little crazy on the pizza toppings. But tons of cheese and sauce does not make a masterpiece.

   Nice pizza, anything for everyone, looks good.

Instead, stick to a few high quality ingredients. I suggest crushed tomatoes, some decent shredded cheese, a little olive oil, and salt as a great starting point. Or start with Margherita toppings, or Hawaii (just ham and a bit pineapple). Or what I like, thin crust and topped with olive oil a few sun dried tomatoes and slices of red onion.

   Less is more !

To distress a basic sauce, I like to use „extract de tomatoes“. Smear it on the dough evenly, it gives a good taste and does not „liquid“ the dough. Practice makes perfect, so make a pizza as often as possible and experiment—see what you like, what bakes well, and what tastes best. And at the end of the day, don’t get stressed, it’s only pizza!

     
Understatement pizza with Parma ham (expensive) and a bit cheese. Beetroot pizza with fresh greens.

6. Grill your pizza.

Grilled pizza! This is probably the best way to cook a good thin-crust pizza. Grilling pizza isn’t just an alternate method for when you don’t want to heat up your oven (although that is a side benefit). The best pizza is made in the hottest oven possible, and since your grill can get so much hotter than your oven, for most people it is the best instrument for making terrific pizza.

  Grilled pizza, sized for four.

Your kitchen isn’t heated up by the oven, and a blazingly hot grill means a crisper bite and those deliciously charred spots on the bottom of the crust. Not too charred, of course, but hopefully just enough for your taste!

  Our dough, see above, this time mixed with dry herbs.

Why should I grill pizza?

Because it’s the easiest way to get crisp, charred, crackly, poofy, smoky, crunchy, perfect pizza at home without resorting to hacking your oven or grill or building your own pizza oven. Successful grilled pizza belongs to the organized.
I actually used to be very intimidated by grilling pizza. I had a couple of bad experiences (charred crust! Flaming pizza sauce!) but then I got my method straight. It’s not hard, but you do need to be organized.

   Almost overloaded, but who cares, it’s mouthwatering.

When you grill pizza, you need to have everything ready to go — all the toppings, the sauce, the cheese. This is because the key to pizza on the grill is to top the pizza after you’ve put it on the grill. It also helps if you cook the dough for a minute or two, flip it, and then top it. Grills take mostly bigger sizes then ovens, above a pizza for four.

  It is easier then you think, you only have to be quick.

Heat the grill.

You should heat it quite hot; my grill was about 600F (285 C) with the lid on while baking this particular pizza. Aim for at least 525F (250 C). In Uruguay we don’t have the grills like Weber US or Gasplate Australia anymore. We work with open wood fire coals in the barbacoa. But here you can  work ideal with direct and indirect heat. Pizza should be over high direct heat. Also many houses here have their PIZZA OVEN – perfect.

  Almost professional – Uruguayan pizza/bread oven.

Gather your ingredients and toppings: Set up a table or bench near the grill so you have easy access to everything. Good grilled pizza is as much about the organization and logistics as it is about actual cooking!

   Oil your pizza dough on one side.

Also have your tools close to hand: You will want a pair of long metal tongs. A metal spatula may be helpful, although not absolutely necessary.
Prep your dough: It should be stretched or rolled out into a thin circle. Circle-ish — as you can see, my pizzas usually resemble continents more than they do the moon!

  Put it down on your HOT grill, oil side down.

Brush one side of the dough with olive oil; this is the side you’ll lay down on the grill.
Brush the top of the dough with a thin layer of olive oil, too. Let the dough cook for about 3 minutes, with the lid off, or 1 to 2 minutes with the lid on.

  Decorate the GRILLED SIDE with toppings.

Use the tongs to lift up the dough from time to time, checking on how it is doing. You want grill marks on it, but you don’t want the dough to get crispy; it should be just set.
Flip the dough over with the tongs or spatula. The dough should come up easily and flip without tearing. Now is where your organization comes in! You need to top the pizza quickly. Spread on a thin layer of sauce, some cheese, and toppings. It shouldn’t be too heavily loaded, or the pizza won’t cook well.

  Grill till crust is crispy and toppings are heated through.

Put the lid on and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Use your sense of smell; if the pizza smells like it’s scorching, take the lid off and move the pizza to a cooler part of the grill or turn the heat down.

  Good idea to have every person decorated it’s own pizza.

On our open grills we cook may be a bit longer but not anymore on highest heat. The toppings should be cooked well, but never burn the bottom, just crispy. During this stage you have to watch your pizza all the time.
Remove the finished pizza: Remove the lid and check the pizza. The edges should be crisp and well done, and the cheese should all be melted. Drag the pizza off with the spatula or tongs. Let cool for 3 minutes, then cut into pieces and eat!

Just prepare the dough, like above seen and provide all the ingredients, pizza toppings and let your guests decorate themselves. Good fun.

Tips.

Every grill is different! You know your grill and it cooks differently than mine. Your pizza may take longer or shorter depending on how hot the grill gets and where your areas of direct and indirect heat are. Consider your first pizza a sacrifice to learning just how to control your grill temperature.

  Great results, everyone baked it’s own pizza.

Cooking times will vary! On that same note, of course, you need to keep an eye on the heat. This method works perfectly every time on my own grill, but the timing depends on how thin you stretch your dough, and how hot your grill gets. Flipping the dough gives you an extra measure of control and certainty, though, that the crust will be cooked through by the time your toppings have melted and warmed.

  To reheat pizza leftovers is for most people a problem. It never tastes as good as fresh made. The worsted method – I think – is to reheat in the microwave. Much better already is to reheat in your oven, but it is time intensive. Recently I found this way ( see chart above ) on the internet (without any author) and we tried it. A bit of work, yes, but you get your crispy taste back, without chewing „rubber“. Try also.

    Don’t forget to click on pics, most will supersize.

Some pizza ideas.

Free choice:
Pizza dough, as described before.
Sauces – spaghetti, Alfredo, pesto, olive oil, salad dressing, tomato etc.
Veggies – roasted paprika’s (peppers), artichoke hearts, olives etc.
Fresh herbs – basil, oregano, fennel, rucola, chilli green or red etc.
Meats – salami, pepperoni, cooked sausage or hamburger, chicken or ham etc.
Fish – mackerel flakes, any kind of white fillets (all precooked), tuna flakes in oil etc.
Cheese – Parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, also blue cheese is fine etc.
Red paprika (pepper) or chilli flakes, other kinds of dry herbs like oregano, herbs de Provence, basil, cilantro etc.

  Some of my pizza seasonings.

There are three herb/spice mixtures I like to use very often, the premix lemon&pepper, premix garlic&salt and the „TROPICAL“ seasoning, which I brought recently from Panama. The Tropical is ideal on any kind of pizza, but please – to your taste, not mine. One last tip, use dry seasonings before you have the final baking of your pizza, that they can soften, mix in and cook with your toppings.

          Typical Uruguayan „one meter pizza“, a bit of cheese, some crushed tomatoes and lots of dry Oregano (spread on pizza after cooking). This is not my taste, sorry !

In Uruguay they use one dried herb almost on everything – OREGANO – you can buy in supermarkets in 5kg bags !?!  Very very unimaginative to season ! And – they throw a handful dry Oregano at the end over your pizza – horrible – it tastes like you chew on dry sand and have the „sand“ between your teeth. But – different cultures – different styles.

  Sun dried tomato, olives, pesto, salami and roasted red paprika (pepper).

Sweet choice:
Grilled cinnamon banana dessert pizza
Pizza dough, as described before
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground star anise
1/3 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 banana
caramel sauce , you also can use honey or Marple syrup,

   You have to try one to adore it !

How to do.

Knead the pizza dough into a round pizza
Heat each side of the dough on the grill for a few minutes, or until golden brown
While the pizza is cooking, mix the sugar, cinnamon, and star anise in a small bowl.

  So easy to make and so delightful.

Slice the banana. Next, brush the top of the pizza with butter, then sprinkle the mixture over top and add the bananas. Close the grill cover and cook an additional 1 minute.
Cut into quarters and drizzle with caramel sauce, and serve.

Use your imagination for other fruit- or topping variations.

  Some „breakfast“ pizzas, small-crispy-delish, with egg or without, whatever you like.

  Just be creative. We made for a birthday boy his favorite salami and cheese pizza and cut it out as a „Batman Pizza“. Great success !

  Another fantastic idea, I found, a Polenta (dough) pizza.

  Or, for vegetarians, a grilled eggplant and pesto pizza.

Now it’s enough with all the ideas and tips. I hope you enjoy pizza making as we do. Sorry, but I am off now for another pizza delight tonight.