Homemade Pizza Recipes and Cooking Information

Home Cooking

Filed In:

Homemade Pizza

Part 1: Do you need a pizza stone?

More of this Feature

• Part 1: Pizza history and equipment
• Part 2: Pizza tips and hints
• Part 3: Pizza Recipes

Related Resources

• Buy Pizza Equipment Online
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Garlic
• More Specific Dish Articles
• A to Z Recipes and Food

Recipes

• Fruit Pizza
• Chocolate Glazed Cookie Pizza
• Sicilian-style Potato Pizza
• Focaccia Bread with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• More Pizza Recipes
• Main Recipe Index

Related Cookbooks

• California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook
• Pizza Art
• American Pie : My Search for the Perfect Pizza
• The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook
• The Art of Pizza Making : Trade Secrets and Recipes
• More Cookbooks

Take-out and frozen pizza are acceptable quickie dinners when you are up against the clock, but why relegate pizza as a desperation meal? Making your own at home is really not that difficult or time-consuming. With a bit of careful planning of toppings, you also have a balanced meal all in one simple package. Luckily, most kids adore pizza, so you can enlist your children in the process. Learn about the background of pizza before delving into the pizza recipes.

Pizza history
Pizza is actually modern Italian for pie. The origin of the term is murky but is said to be derived from an Old Italian word meaning "a point," which later evolved to the Italian word pizzicare, meaning "to pinch or pluck." A Neapolitan dialect of the word first shows up in print in 1000 A.D. in the form of picea or piza, assumably referring to the way the hot pie is plucked from the oven. Early forms of pizza were most likely what we call focaccia today, since the tomato didn't reach Italy until the 16th century, hence no tomato sauce for the pie we know as pizza. The addition of mozzarella cheese (initially made from buffalo milk) did not come about until the 19th century. The standard tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza is first credited to Raffaele Esposito of the Pizzeria di Pietro, who dedicated the creation to Queen Margherita in 1889. The colors nicely coincided with the colors of the Italian flag.

Italian immigrants brought pizza to the United States, but it was mostly confined to small areas of the Northeast. Once in America, the pizza stretched out to eighteen inches in diameter or more. The first pizzeria opened in New York City in 1896 at 53-1/2 Spring Street. Yet pizza did not really gain popularity outside the Northeast until returning World War II servicemen returned from their tours in Italy with a hankering for the pizza they enjoyed in Naples. In the 1940's, sales of oregano increased by 5,200 percent over eight years due to the surge in popularity of pizza and other Italian foods. In 1957, the Celentano Brothers marketed the first frozen pizzas.

Pizza is described as a flat pie made from a yeast dough topped with various cheeses, vegetables, meats, seasonings, and other ingredients. Nowadays, you'll find many variations, including dessert pizzas. The topping of choice by the majority is pepperoni, followed by Italian sausage and mushrooms. Anchovies are a hotly debated topping; you either love them or hate them.

Pizza cooking equipment
pizza graphic To avoid a soggy crust, most pizza afficionados recommend a pizza stone, and I wholeheartedly agree. The stone absorbs moisture from the dough and provides a uniformly heated surface resulting in a crispier crust. The stone should be preheated for an hour before placing the pizza in for baking. Note: Do not use oil on a pizza stone as it can ignite at high temperatures. Follow manufacturer's instructions for proper cleaning. If you don't want to use a stone, consider a pizza screen. The screen is simply a round framed screen that permits air to circulate under the crust to give it a nicely-baked bottom. If you prefer a deep-dish pizza, you may wish to invest in a deep-dish pan. If you use a standard pizza pan, don't use a shiny one. A dark, seasoned surface produces a superior crust.

When using a stone, a pizza peel (a large, flat wooden paddle) makes handling the pizza a snap. A large pizza wheel cutter will help you cut your pizza, but if you have none and/or your pizza is a bit too soggy to effectively use a wheel, use kitchen scissors. The true pizza gourmand has a home pizza oven.

Next page > Pizza crusts, toppers and recipes > Page 1, 2, 3

Glossary | Articles by topic