Buy your pizza making tools here.

These 2 items are the only ones you really need to produce a great pizza. The stone turns your oven into something very close to a pizza oven.

The peel allows you to build your pizza on it, and then slide it onto the hot preheated stone in the oven and also to take it out of the oven. These items can be hard to find unless you have a great cooking store nearby so check them out. They are priced well and essential to great pizza making.

Friday Night Pizza Party

Pizza Night with my Friends

Cooking Times and Temperatures

I like to put my stone in the oven and preheat to 475 degrees. I usually would like the oven on for at least half an hour at that temp before baking. My cooking time can be anywhere from 9 to 14 minutes at this temp with the stone. It is great to have a large long spatula to lift the pizza up and check the bottom for color. You want it browned but not burnt. If you have just bought your pizza stone then keep it in the oven even when you are not using it and let it get dark. The darker, the better and don't wash it with soap. If you get burnt cheese or things on it, use your spatula or dough scraper to get that stuff off. A well seasoned stone makes a really great pizza! I think Drew and Stephanie use 500 degrees to do theirs but as I mentioned, it really depends on your oven. Do what works for you.

Olive, jalapeno,pasilla pepper,onion and garlic pizza

Pepperoni, onion and garlic Pizza

Here is a veggi pizza Stephanie made.

Veggie Pizza with fresh basil ( wheat and white crust)

Photos of some of my pizzas

Sausage Pizza in the oven with white crust

How to make homemade Pizza. Part 3.

Here is part three to our homemade pizza video. We finally get to eat our pizza!

How to make homemade Pizza. Part 2.

Here is part two to our homemade pizza video. This video shows how to top and bake a pizza.

How to make homemade Pizza. Part 1.

Here is part one to our homemade pizza video. This video shows how to make pizza dough with a mixer and by hand.

Pizza Dough Recipe

For 2 large thin pizzas

3 Cups White Flour ( or 1.5 cup white and 1.5 cup wheat flour)
2 T. Olive Oil
1 T. Sea Salt

1 Cup warm water ( should feel warm, not hot on your wrist)
1 package of dry yeast or 2 teaspoons dry yeast.  (Drew's prefers the cut the yeast in half for less of a yeast flavor.)
1/2 teaspoon sugar


Mix yeast and sugar into warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so till it starts to foam.

Add flour, olive oil and salt into large mixing bowl or Cuisinart or processor.

Hand method: Add water slowly into your flour mixture and mix till dough ball forms. Knead by hand for 3 to 5 minutes till dough feels firm and not too sticky. Add more flour if too sticky, more water if too dry.
Put in a bowl to rest and rise for approx 1 hour. Cover with cloth or plastic wrap in a warm spot.

Cuisinart method: Add flour, salt and oil and pulse the mixture with dough hook attachment.
Add water slowly with while mixing and wait for dough to form a ball. Again this can take a little more water or flour depending on the weather and moisture in the air. Continue to mix for about 1 minute or so, then put on board and knead for a bit till elastic and smooth. Let rest covered in a warm spot till doubled in size.

Once dough has doubled, you are ready to cut in half and start your pizzas!

Pizza Making Videos

Drew and I are excited to post our first Pizza making video. Drew has been making dough for awhile now but mostly baking it in the form of a foccacia, so while visiting them in Boulder over the New Year holiday, we made pizza! I hope you learn something from these videos and we welcome your questions and comments. Once you master the techniques which are all pretty simple, you will not want to buy pizza anymore. It's so much better at home.

Theresa

Welcome

Welcome to the Cooking with Theresa and Drew blog.