It turns out I have a new hobby/obsession...pizza. It started with a goal of putting some easy, inexpensive food on the table
Friday nights. It was instant gratification right off the bat. The first few pizzas were excellent and cost a fraction of what a delivery would cost. There is very little hands on time involved in the process, machinery does most of the work. It gives the little used KitchenAid mixer a work out. The problem is that there is so much information out there about pizza. Each person (almost exclusively men) contends that their method and ingredients are the best and only way to make a great pizza. There is much bravado, chest pounding and equipment comparison. Ah well, boys and their toys. The truth be told, it is easy to make pizza. You don't have to invest large amounts of money and import ovens and ingredients from all over the world. Yes that would be fun but not necessary. I use my home oven at top temperature (*550), a cheap pizza stone and a pizza peel from the restaurant supply house. Read the books, study the internet, look at Youtube and come up with a style of pizza that will make you happy. Most of us crave the pizza of our youth. I remember eating pizza in
Rehoboth Beach, De. when on vacation as a teen. The salt air, raging hormones and a thin crust pizza made for some fond memories.
This week I tried a new flour,
Caputo 00. It is imported from Italy and I located it in the bulk goods section of Whole Foods. I must admit it does have a subtle effect on the resulting dough. A nice flavor and chew. I expect I will no doubt be continuing my journey of pizza knowledge. So many cheeses, tomato products and toppings need to be tried. There has been talk of an underground pizza pop up restaurant but for now I just enjoy the journey.
Homemade pizza using Caputo00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes,
BelGioioso fresh mozzarella and
Volpi Pepperoni.
P.S. After thinking about the pizza I had in Rehoboth Beach I did a little research. It appears to have been Grotto Pizza. This chain dates back to the sixties when these memories occurred. I remember the pizza sauce was pumped through a tube in a circular fashion very similar to pictures that appear online today.Memories!
Homemade pizza using Caputo00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, BelGioioso fresh mozzarella and Volpi Pepperoni.
4 comments:
Pizza is the staff of life. Yours seems extra special. I'm going to try that 00 flour next time, too.
Good ingredients and Love make the best pizza.
Your caution to eat the pizza you like is a good one. I remember some 20 years ago suffering through smoked salmon and arugula pizza, before thinking, No! I know what I want! Your pizza looks like the pizza I want.
Zoomie- Thanks! The flour does seem to make a difference. At the end of the day it's bread.
Chilebrown- I'll second that emotion
cookiecrumb- I wanted to take a pizza course in San Fran but blanched at the cost. I will settle for home schooled. I had Wolfgang Puck's smoked salmon "pizza" which rocked but my taste is more of a east coast pie.
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