[Midge538]

MY PIZZA ‘BASICS’

I USE A PIZZA STONE (TARGET OR BELK) AS IT CREATES AN EVEN HEAT TO MAKE FOR A CRUST THAT WILL BE: THIN, CRISPY, DARK AROUND THE EDGES AND CHEWY WITH A NICE BREADY FLAVOR. PRE-HEAT THE PIZZA STONE IN THE OVEN AT 450 FOR 15 – 20 MINS (WHILE YOU READY THE DOUGH …. AND ALSO SIP SOME VALPOLICELLA).

YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN DOUGH OR TRY PUBLIX’S BUT I PREFER TO BUY DOUGH FROM GIOVANNI’S. THEIR DOUGHS ARE FRESH, EASY TO WORK WITH AND TASTY … (PLUS THEY HAVE SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE SIZES).

ROLL OUT AND SHAPE THE DOUGH ON A PIZZA PEEL OR A BOARD WHICH HAS BEEN SPRINKLED WITH CORNMEAL. (THE CORNMEAL WILL MAKE IT EASY TO SLIDE THE READIED PIZZA ON TO THE PIZZA STONE …….. WHICH HAS BEEN HEATING IN THE OVEN.) PINCH THE EDGES OF THE DOUGH UP A BIT.

ON THE DOUGH: RUB SOME OLIVE OIL (PREVENTS THE TOPPINGS FROM LEAKING INTO THE DOUGH BOTTOM); RUB SOME PIZZA SAUCE AROUND THE DOUGH TO ABOUT A HALF INCH FROM THE EDGES; PLACE SOME CHOPPED OR SLICED MOOZARELLA CHEESE; PLACE YOUR TOPPINGS; THEN SPRINKLE A BIT OF YOUR FAVORITE SPICES (SALT, PEPPER, OREGANO, BASIL); THEN ANOTHER SMALL SPRINKLE OF OLIVE OIL; AND THEN A GOOD SPRINKLE OF PARMESAN CHEESE. (A ‘LITTLE’ OIL ON THE CRUST WOULD ALSO PROMOTE A FLAVORFUL, GOLDEN BROWN CRUST.)

SLIDE THE PIZZA OFF OF THE PEEL AND ON TO THE PIZZA STONE IN THE OVEN. (IF MY OVEN WAS BETTER QUALITY , I WOULD COOK THE PIZZA AT 500 FOR 10 MINUTES, BUT BECAUSE THESE VILLA STOVES ARE ‘CONSTRUCTION QUALITY) I COOK THE PIZZA FOR 7 MINUTES AT 450 AND THEN TURN THE OVEN UP TO 475 AND COOK FOR FIVE MORE MINUTES … WHILE I RUN AROUND FANNING MY BLARING SMOKE ALARMS

TAKE THE PIZZA OUT AND LET IT SIT AND SETTLE FOR FIVE MINUTES BEFORE YOU CUT SLICES.

“EH, PIZZA ON EARTH, AND GOOD WILL TO MEN .”