How do you make a good pizza?

[HareOverThere]

Any good pizza base recipes and tips on how to make a really good pizza? Mine always turn out either biscuity or bready and just not that tasty

I started using the below as my go-to pizza base recipe after discovering I was out of yeast one day and didn't have time to get to the shops. I had low expectations but it works and is tasty.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/no-yeast-pizza-dough

You need decent flour. I use Caputo ,

Heat, extremely high heat that can cook a pizza in 2 mins. Sadly most domestic ovens do not get 450-500 degrees so said pizza takes 10-12 mins to cook and the base ends up like cardboard.

A pizza oven! Or my DBIL has done a lot of experimenting and concluded the best way to cook the base is get a cast iron pan hot over the hob, put the pizza in to cook crust from the bottom then transfer to a hot grill to finish the top. I usually use a King Arthur Baking recipe for the base and the right flour makes a difference

Use semolina not flour for rolling out.

Put your dough straight onto a tray/stone hot from the oven (which needs to be as hot as it goes).

Cook it for slightly longer than you think. I find most homemade pizza in other people's houses just slightly undercooked.

I regularly use this recipe from Gordon Ramsey, though I add a tablespoon of golden syrup to it. I've also found that sieving the flour makes a difference. I can get two 12 inch pizzas out a batch. Sometimes I'll reduce to 300g of flour and 180ml water for one deeper pan pizza. I use my bread machine to mix and knead the dough. When cooking, I preheat the fan oven to 220 degrees and put the base in for 5 minutes or so depending on how thick it is then take it out, top it and put it in for another 12 - 14 minutes.

www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/recipes/pizza-dough-recipe/

Equal amounts of Greek yogurt and sr flour, kneed into a dough, pan fry lightly in skillet, put on toppings and finish in oven.

I use the Hugh FW one from his veg book and here www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/05/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-pizza which is so very easy and great. Easy to roll, thinly and stretchy. I plonk it on those holey pizza tins in a very hot oven. Result thin crispy loveliness with very little effort. I'll be honest I never even knead, just kind of roughly fold with a metal spoon for a bit.

You don't.

You need skills and an oven only a proper pizza place has.

Sorry!

I always use Katie Caldesi’s pizza recipe. If you don’t want to use beer, warm water is fine

https://www.caldesi.com/pizza-perfection/

I use this recipe with fresh yeast

https://www.italyum.com/pizza/home-made-pizza-using-fresh-yeast-dough/

but it is a bit of a labour of love as you have to leave it to ride for at least 2 hours, then another hour for the second rise. I only do it on my day off so I can let it prove properly

I use the Delia Smith “scone” pizza base. It’s quick and easy and tastes delicious.

I just use flour, tepid water, salt, sugar and yeast. Leave it to rise all day at room temp, roll it out on semolina and cook them at 275 pizza setting in my oven. Never had a dry, biscuity or poor in any other way home made pizza.

Thanks for all those, I’ll work through testing them out. Will get semolina and better flour for a start then.
For the topping I’ve been doing passata with a bit of sugar and garlic which I assume is pretty much the same as using the tinned tomatoes that the recipes suggest?

My recipe is

375g flour
2 tsp yeast
1-1.5 tsp salt
2 tbsn sugar
2 tbsn olive oil
250ml water

I mix it in my bread maker on the pizza dough setting so I don't have to think about it. The type of flour you use will affect the flavour as will the water.

I also use a pizza stone in my oven. These work best when you preheat the stone to a very hot temp for about 30-40 minutes.

Come back when you've tried out a few different things and let us know how you've got on!

I thought of something to add to mine: we use a breadmaker for the dough. Makes the process much less faffy I find, although probably only worth it if you make pizza a couple of times a month.

We also use our bread machine for the dough - using whatever recipe came with the machine.

For the sauce I use passata, garlic, sugar, salt and oregano - reduced down slightly.

Pizza turns out to be quite a cheap meal made this way at home.

This is what dh does but without the sugar. Caputo pizza flour. His pizzas are genuinely Italian restaurant quality even with a normal oven. I use the same recipe and mine are ok but not as good.

Pizza Dough Recipe:
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110°F/43°C)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Activate the Yeast:
In a small bowl, combine warm water and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

Mix the Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
Gradually incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.

Knead the Dough:
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

First Rise:
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.

Punch Down and Second Rise:
Punch down the risen dough to release excess air.
Divide the dough into desired portions and shape them into balls.
Let the balls rest for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to the highest temperature it can go, usually around 475-500°F (245-260°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven during preheating.

Roll Out the Dough:
On a floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a round shape. Use a rolling pin or your hands to achieve the desired thickness.

Assemble Your Pizza:
Transfer the rolled-out dough to a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet dusted with cornmeal or flour.
Add your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings.

Bake:
If using a pizza stone, transfer the pizza onto the preheated stone in the oven. Otherwise, place the baking sheet directly into the oven.
Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Cool and Enjoy:
Allow the pizza to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

A pizza oven like the Ooni is a great home kitchen buy. I also swear by mixing strong bread flour with 00 flour by an 8:1 ratio.

Someone gave me a pizza stone years ago but it didn't fit in my oven. I must see if I still have it now that I have a bigger oven.

I came across this recipe years ago. It works surprisingly well and we love it (I use whatever greens we have - seldom kale. Usually spinach or some cavalo nero or whatever). I've never bothered to make a version using an actual tomato base, so I can't advise there but we are always pleasantly surprised by this.

Having said that, DS and DH prefer a puffier pizza base and I don't mind it. If you really want a lovely thin base, clearly this is not the one for you.

Forgot to say, I don't roll my dough. I hand stretch. If you do roll it out, I'd wait a bit for it to rise again before putting it in the oven.

I use a dash of.... Dominosooohooohhh!

I cheat and use part baked bread

Thanks I’ve ordered the Caputo flour, doesn’t look like I can get it without ordering online, and will start trying these out once it comes