Posted by KC Kudra on September 20, 2010
Are you intimidated by making homemade pizza? If so, you are not alone. Many people think that pizza is a dish that must be bought from a restaurant to be really good. Fortunately, they are mistaken. Pizza is not only easy to make, but you can make it the way you want it. You are not restricted to what is on the menu.
For many people, the most daunting portion of making pizza is the crust. The idea of making a dough can relegate many people to either frozen pizza or takeout. In reality, many would find making their own pizza crust to be fairly simple if they would just give it a try. If you have a bread machine, it is even easier.
A quick search online will show you recipes for any type of pizza crust you may desire. If you have wheat issues, try a gluten free crust. If you are on a diet, there are low fat pizza crusts. If you prefer whole grain, try a whole wheat pizza crust.
If you have never made pizza crust before, you may want to start with an easy pizza dough recipe. You can even make crust without yeast if you want. The important thing to remember is that crust really is not that hard.
Making a basic crust is simple. You will need flour (all purpose or bread flour is fine), some oil, a bit of salt and sugar and some yeast. Mix it in a bowl and knead it on the bread board, or dump it all in your bread machine and enjoy a movie while the dough is made. If you are kneading the dough yourself, allow time for the dough to rise. Plan for about 45 minutes to an hour.
When the dough is done, roll it out. You can add herbs, seasonings, even a little cheese if you want to add extra flavors. Spread a nice sauce on top, and sprinkle with the toppings of your choice to make your own perfect pizza.
You can bake your pizza in the oven or on your grill. Use a pizza pan or a pizza stone. The stone will give you a nice, crisp crust. If you’re serious about making pizza, you may want to invest in a pizza peel… this is one of those flat wooden paddles you see the chefs use at the pizzeria to remove the pie from the oven. Nothing works as well to remove a pizza from a baking stone. Some people even have a special oven built just for making pizzas.
Even if this is the first pizza you have ever made, it can turn out delicious. Just follow the directions in your crust recipe, and make the pizza as flat as you can. It does not matter if it is round, square, rectangular or somewhere in between. Cover it with sauce and your favorite toppings. Add a couple kinds of cheese to add extra flavor. Do not forget the garlic and herbs. Cook it for about 20 minutes, and dig in. You will never go back to frozen pizza ever again.
There are many different types of pizza crust including thin and crispy, whole wheat, stuffed crust and more. There are also flavored pizza crusts like cheese and onion dough or Greek pizza crust, so you can match the pizza crust to the toppings perfectly. The pizza crust recipes at our site will definitely inspire you.
Posted by Christine Szalay-Kudra on September 13, 2010
One of the most popular food choices in the United States is pizza. It is actually popular all over the world in one form or another. While the true origins of pizza are lost in the far off past, some handy references throughout the ages have helped shed a little light on the subject.
Ancient History
As early as the 6th century BC saw soldiers of Darius the Great cooking a flat bread on their shields. They then covered the bread with cheese and dates before eating it. Sounds rather like a pizza, does not it? Cato the Elder, author of the first history of Rome in the 3rd century BC, wrote of a “flat round of dough dressed with olive oil, herbs, and honey, baked on stones.”
We have a good idea of what they were eating in ancient Rome because Marcus Gavius Apicius wrote a cook book in the first century AD. In it, he described a bread base covered with toppings like cheese, chicken, mint, pine nuts, oil, pepper, and garlic. These toppings are still used on pizzas to this day!
Excavations in ancient Pompeii make it look like pizzas were enjoyed in the ancient world. When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, this world was entombed for posterity, preserving a day in the life of ancient Italy. Excavations have shown shops that look much like today’s pizzerias, with marble slabs and other tools. A Pompeiian statue in the Museo Nazionale in Naples is called the “I Pizzaiolo,” which means “one who makes pizza.”
Pizza as We Know It
It was not until 1522 that tomatoes were introduced to Europe from the New World. At first, they were thought to be poisonous. It was not until the poor people of Naples began sampling the tomatoes and adding it to their dough that the modern pizza was created. The dough was topped with olive oil, lard, cheese, and herbs, along with the tomatoes. Neapolitan pies got the reputation of being the best in all of Italy. By the 17th century, visitors to Naples would be sure to make a trip to the poorer sections of the city to taste the “pizzaioli” that the peasants ate.
In the 18th century, Italian royalty took notice of the humble pizza. One Queen had a pizza oven installed in the palace to serve this “delicacy” to her guests. Another had a pizza named after her, “Pizza Margherita,” topped with basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella. By the early 19th century, pizza stalls served this popular meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With a simple pizza dough recipe, vendors topped it with cheese, tomato and mushrooms or anchovies for the most popular varieties in the day.
In the late 19th century, pizza finally made it to the New World. New York City sported the first pizzeria in 1905, but it just did not catch on. In 1943, Ike Sewell created the deep dish pizza in his restaurant, Pizzeria Uno in Chicago.
American soldiers in Italy during World War II really developed a taste for pizza. When they came home after the war, they wanted pizza. By the 1950s, pizza began its swift rise in popularity in the United States, becoming one of the top foods in the nation.
It is no secret that the world loves pizza. Not only is pizza a famous fast food but it can also be a tasty, home cooked meal. Making your own pizza means, you choose the crust, sauce and toppings and you can make your dream pizza with ease. We have many recipes at our site.
