By Tammy O’Hara
Food Columnist
Bringing the Pizzeria Home
For many, pizza night is an easy fix — pick up the phone or open an app, and dinner arrives in a box. But if you’ve never tried making your own, you’re missing out on one of the most satisfying (and surprisingly simple) kitchen experiences. It’s fun for families, a creative outlet for food lovers, and a great way to turn an ordinary evening into an event.
It starts with the dough
The soul of any pizza is the crust. You don’t need fancy equipment or a wood-fired oven, just a little patience. The best doughs are made with four simple ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. That’s it. There are even dough recipes that don’t require yeast! A firefighter friend shared this dough recipe with me. It’s super easy and has worked every time! You’ll need 2-1/2 cups of all-purpose or bread/pizza flour. I have used a few different brands and swear by the King Arthur “00” Pizza flour (you can get it at Publix, Target, Amazon). Add in 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder. Slowly add in 1 cup of water and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix (I use my stand mixer but your hands are a great tool also!) together and form into a ball & let it rest about 10 minutes. After that, roll the dough out on a flour dusted counter or mat with a rolling pin (also dusted with flour) until it’s about 15-16” in diameter. Or you could make 2 smaller crusts. This is for a thin crust pizza which is my preference.
The secret to a perfect crispy crust is high heat. Crank your oven as high as it will go — usually 475°F to 500°F — and let it preheat for at least 30 minutes with a pizza stone, cast iron skillet or heavy baking sheet inside. The hot surface mimics a pizzeria oven and helps you get that blistered, chewy crust. Bake the crust for about 5 minutes before adding any of the toppings. If you have a pizza oven, you can do the same thing but pre-baking is much faster since it gets much hotter than your kitchen oven does.
If you don’t want to make your own dough, you can buy it at all the local grocery stores in the deli/refrigerated section. Or, another quick option is to use store bought Naan bread – these are great for personal sized pizzas! One more option is to order some pizza crust mix from Pampered Chef through me! Just add water & oil, mix/knead for 5 minutes & let rest for 5 minutes. Regardless of crust type, pre-bake it before you add the sauce & toppings!
Time to get saucy!
A good pizza sauce doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the best ones are often the simplest. Combine one 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, a clove of minced garlic, and a dash of oregano or basil. Simmer it gently for 15 minutes to let the flavors blend, or skip the stove altogether and go with a no-cook version — crushed tomatoes seasoned with salt and olive oil. The freshness really shines once it’s baked. Even easier would be a jar of pizza or marinara sauce!
Say cheese
Mozzarella is the star but feel free to mix things up! Fresh mozzarella is amazing & gives that perfect stretchy pull, while shredded mozzarella creates a crisp, golden top. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan for a salty kick, or toss in some fontina or provolone for depth. Or all of the above!! Adding dollops of ricotta is delicious as well.
Top it off
Everyone has a favorite combo. Some go classic with pepperoni, others load up on veggies. Get creative! For the best results, less is more. Too many toppings can make your pizza soggy & no one wants that. And yes, in our house, pineapple DOES belong on pizza if you go Hawaiian style (ham or bacon with pineapple; green peppers & onions are optional).
For an extra special finish, brush the edges of the crust with olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic powder before baking!
Time to bake
Bake your pizza for 10–12 minutes at 450°F to 500°F, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. All ovens are a bit different so keep your eye on it as it could take less time. If you’re using a pizza oven, it will only take minutes but make sure you rotate it every 20-30 seconds!
Make it personal
One of the best parts of homemade pizza night is that everyone can make their own. Set out small balls of dough, a few bowls of sauce, cheese, and toppings, and let each person get creative. Kids love shaping their own crusts (even if they come out a little lopsided). Or, as mentioned before, store bought Naan is great for kids – and there are mini sized Naan options also for your smaller kids!
And when those personal pizzas come out of the oven, piping hot and smelling heavenly, there’s a special sense of pride — my 4 year old granddaughter loves to help me in the kitchen and pizza is a favorite.
Finishing Touches
Before serving, drizzle your pizza with a touch of olive oil or be extra fancy and use a little truffle oil. Other post-baking additions are fresh basil, oregano, a little sea salt and/or red pepper flakes. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Make it a tradition
Making pizza at home isn’t about perfection; it’s about connection. It’s about slowing down and sharing something warm and delicious with the people you love.
So next time Friday night rolls around, skip the delivery. Flour your countertop, turn on some music, and make your own pizza magic. You might just discover that the best pizza place in town is your very own kitchen. And you saved a lot of money too!
Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] with any cooking questions you might have or if you’d like to order any Pampered Chef items (or would like to host a party!). My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/TastesandTwistswithTammy.
