We rarely buy commercially made pizza any more. There are several shops that have good quality pizza in our area but it's very expensive, especially if you add a few toppings. As long as we have what we need on hand we can prepare a pizza in the same, or less, time than it takes to order one.
The crust I've been using Mama Mary's thin pizza crust. There's also a thicker crust if you prefer. It's not a gourmet crust by any means but it's inexpensive. Sometimes pizza is all about the crust (like in Brooklyn) and sometimes it's all about the toppings (like in Chicago). When you use Mama Mary's crusts the pizza has to be about the toppings. I'm planning to try my hand at homemade pizza dough now that I'm experimenting with homemade artisan breads... more about that is a separate post.
Before you do anything you need to preheat the oven. It should be hot - really hot - at least 450℉. If you have a pizza/bread stone (and you should) move it to the top oven rack before you preheat the oven. A word about oven stones. You would expect that oven stones are excellent for baking pizza or bread, and they are, but their usefulness goes beyond that. I keep my oven stone in the lower rack at all times. It stabilizes the oven temperature which can vary widely as the oven flame turns on and off. I think of it as the fugal man's convection oven.
If you're baking pizza or bread more than a couple of times a month a pizza (or bread) peel is another worthwhile item in the kitchen. A pizza peel lets you move a pizza, or a couple of loaves of bread, easily into or out of the oven. If you don't have a peel you can use a cookie sheet without raised edges (just be careful of the hot oven!)
Dust your pizza peel (or cookie sheet) with some corn meal. This will absorb excess moisture and keep the crust from sticking. Place your crust on the cornmeal and you're ready to start building your masterpiece!
The first item to go on the crust is Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce. Believe it or not, you can buy this excellent sauce from Amazon far cheaper (12 cans for about $22) than through any grocery store (if you can even find it there). Don't put too much on the crust or it will get soggy. One half to one cup is usually sufficient (depending on the size of the crust.) Sprinkle a little oregano on top and, if you like it hot, a bit of dried red pepper flakes.
Add some shredded mozzarella on top of the sauce. If you want softer more "stringy" cheese then you need to use whole milk mozzarella. If you prefer it firmer then use part skim milk cheese. Fresh mozzarella will melt and spread quickly so, if you use it, dice it instead of shredding. By the way, many people refer to fresh mozzarella as buffalo mozzarella (especially in Chicago). Genuine buffalo mozzarella is actually made from water buffalo milk or a combination of water buffalo and cow's milk.
Now it's time to go crazy. You can add anything you like but some of our favorite toppings are: chopped fresh garlic (you just knew this had to be first!), canned spinach (wrap it in a paper towel and wring all the water out of it), canned artichokes (buy the pieces, it's cheaper), homemade oven-dried tomatoes (more about these in a later post), sliced olives, any leftover cooked chicken (shredded)... Just open your fridge and your pantry and add what you like!
Of course, as with nearly everything, moderation is in order. If you add too much onto the crust it will get soggy and never bake properly. Also, if you're using a thin crust, the pizza may be too heavy for the crust to support. Minimize the use of any fresh vegetables. They contain lots of water that will be released in the hot oven.
Move the pizza to the oven and watch it carefully. There's no way to accurately time a pizza unless you use the same toppings every time (I don't think that I've ever done that!) Let your eyes and nose tell you when it's done. A good rule of thumb is, when you think it's done, let it go bit longer. When it's done move it to a cutting board or a cookie sheet (that you don't mind damaging with a pizza cutter.)
Let it rest for a couple of minutes before you cut it. This will help prevent the cheese from flowing back together and "re-attaching" the slices. Now cut it up and enjoy!
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