good hand made pizza is the holy grail for lots of home chefs. getting it is a lot trickier than it seems. The truth is, however, that it isn’t necessary to do all that much to have tasty pizza at home. Just make sure that you’re using a top quality cooking method, and pay attention to a few things. When all is said and done, at 300 degrees, you will never get a great crust.

To avoid soft, “bready” crusts, try to stick to a high-gluten flour, and allow it to rise adequately. because of how they’re put together, quick crusts, mixes that include baking powder but no yeast, and pizza crust in a can are all liable to produce a ho-hum result. if you don’t use a pretty strong flour, and give the yeast time to work, you’re going to produce some pretty bad pizza. if you want a great pie, don’t take shortcuts.

In general, too, avoid low-quality ingredients. The flavor will be noticable, even if you do get a bargain on low-cost cheeses and sauces. low quality sauces may include too many fillers, or taste too sweet, and many cheap cheeses won’t melt quite correctly. You probably already know how to recognize a great pizza. it could be the quality of your ingredients that’s the problem, if things don’t seem quite right. No pizza can be better than what you put into it, after all.

Think about what you’re attempting to make, and use the right recipe. From thin new York style pizza to crispy, cracker-like Neapolitan, heavy Chicago deep-dish, and many more, there are all kinds of pizza available. if you’re using a recipe intended to make one sort, but you’re attempting to produce another, you’re not going to end up with anything great. Take a look at what you like in a pizza before you start cooking. it will help you end up with delicious pies, time and time again.

Finally - bake the pizza correctly. never use a low temperature oven to create anything but a pre-baked freezer pizza, and don’t expect that to be a good one. High baking temperatures give pizza its typical texture and flavor. does that mean you need to rig your oven to bake at 900 degrees? No! purchase a countertop pizza cooker that’ll produce the perfect temperature and texture every time, or use the highest setting on your oven (ideally a gas or wood oven). these devices may take up a bit of space, but they’re consistent in making delicious pizza, and often make great pizza in much less time.

You don’t need to go overboard, but it may take some effort to make good pizza at home. Just get the right ingredients, a good recipe, and the right baking method. You’ll never be stuck with bad homemade pizza again!

How to Avoid Cooking Low-quality Pizzas at Home | For All the ...