instructables
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza
by MrErdreich
I once worked as a chef and manager in mom & pop
style pizzeria for many years outside of Philadelphia.
There, I learned the ins and outs of making hundreds
of Pizza's a day, along with all of the preparation
needed to make it happen. After I left the business, I
experimented in nding ways to recreate that
a ut he nt ic piz z a taste, texture, and experience in
my own kitchen.
What I learned from working in this industry, and
experimenting with and changing the original
pizzeria's recipes at home, is that there is no one way
to make a great pizza, everyone has their preference. I
also learned that the idea that in order to get an
authentic pizza taste, you need to have a pizza oven
at home is not true.
In this Instructable, I outline my methods for making
authentic pizzeria style pizzas at home. This includes
tools that you shouldn't skip out on and my own
personal recipes as well as easy o -the-shelf
supermarket alternatives that get the job done just as
well. Happy making!
1
1. my greek style pizza
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 1
Step 1: Preparation: Tools of the Trade
As mentioned, I do not believe you need a fancy at home pizza oven to get the authentic taste. Sure, it helps
achieve the pizzeria style but the nicest oven will still produce a bad pie if the ingredients or method is o .
Personally, I use my barbecue along with a pizza stone to get the authentic taste and texture. Now for those who
are thinking "sure you can use a BBQ but it takes sooo long!" I nd that it only takes 10-15 min per pizza on a BBQ. I
have also used an oven, gas ovens seem to work quicker than electric. The biggest draw back with using an oven is
that there can be smoke from burnt crust or toppings on the stone and this can be troublesome to vent indoors. I'll
get more into using the BBQ and stone in the baking section of this Instructable.
Heres the tools you'll need to make your pizza the professional way:
Piz z a Pe e l - This is your work surface and what the pizza is made on. Wood or metal peels both
work. Wood is more authentic and easier to use but also more di cult to care for. I use this metal
peel at home and it gets the job done well.
Piz z a Pa ddle - What I am referring to as a paddle is really just a smaller peel that is used to move
the pizza around in the stove while the peel is used to create the pizza on. Yo u m a y no t ne e d
bo t h as a smaller metal peel like the one above can be used as a paddle, though it is nice to have
two if you are trying to make many pizzas quickly. You can be prepping on the peel and tending to
the oven with a smaller peel-paddle simultaneously.
S cre e n - A screen is a huge must, especially when making pizzas in BBQ's or ovens. As the bottom
of the crust often bakes faster than the top of the pie, you can lift and move the pie onto the screen
to bake evenly. I recommend everyone have two, this makes moving pizza in and out of the oven
easier and if your stone gets too hot, you can double up the screens.
St o ne - There are tons of stones out there, I use this one. I have experimented with baking pizzas in
pans instead, but have not found the crust to have the authentic taste without using a stone.
Piz z a Cut t e r - Don't cut a pizza with a knife, get a pizza cutter.
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 2
3
2
1
4
1
1. stone on BBQ
1. aluminum peel
2. screen
3. stone
4. cutter
Step 2: Preparation: the Dough
The dough is really the most crucial part of the Pizza. As I said before, the nicest oven in the world will still put out a
terrible pizza if the ingredients are wrong. I have included a recipe that I've experimented on and used over the
past few years below that's cut down from my old pizzeria's original recipe designed to make 50 pizzas at a time. To
make the dough, it takes a good mixer with a dough hook to get it just right. It is also crucial that you let the dough
rise for the right amount of time but not too long.
I do not believe making the dough yourself is necessary, especially if you're only looking to make one or two pizzas.
Most pizzeria's and even supermarkets sell raw dough that works really well as long as its fresh.
Re cipe f o r T hre e L a rg e Piz z a s :
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 3
Ing re die nt s :
12 cups our
4 yeast packets
1/2 cup of Vegetable oil
1 tsp of salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups of warm water @ 110ºF
Ins t ruct io ns :
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water, let sit for 5 minutes or until
foamy.
Combine our, salt, sugar in a large bowl
Add water / yeast mixture - mix SLOWLY with the dough hook until evenly mixed
Separate dough into three evenly size balls on a baking sheet with space between
them
Allow time for dough to rise nearly double in size before using
Step 3: Preparation: the Sauce
Like the dough, I do not believe making the sauce yourself is necessary to get the authentic taste...especially if
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 4
you're looking to only make one or two pies. I do not like all supermarket pizza sauces, some of them are too watery
and add a lot of extra moisture in pie. Personally, I nd that Weis' organic pizza sauce is good consistency and a nice
avor, especially with a little bit of fresh garlic added. A 12oz jar will be enough for three pizzas. If you want to
make it yourself, here's a recipe I've put together:
Piz z a s a uce f o r t hre e L a rg e Piz z a s :
Ing re die nt s :
12 oz can of tomato sauce (or crush them yourself if you feel extremely ambitious)
3 Tbsp of tomato paste
1/2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of black pepper
2 tsp of salt
1 Tbsp of sugar
1 Tbsp of minced garlic (or to taste)
Sprinkle garlic powder, oregano, basil, and parsley to tase
Ins t ruct io ns :
Add tomato sauce and paste in a medium sauce pan over medium heat
Mix in olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar - stir regularly
When warm, add garlic and additional seasonings to taste
Let sauce cool and keep refrigerated before using on a pizza
2
1
1. making it from scratch
2. off the shelf
Step 4: Making the Pizza: Working the Dough
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Working the dough is really the fun part of the pizza making process....its also where everything can go very right
or very very wrong. Dough should be at room temperature before working. A cold dough is more likely to tear.
B e f o re w o rking t he do ug h , you need a medium to keep it from sticking to you and your peel. The worst thing
is going to slide your pizza into your oven and then nding that it is stuck to your peel because there wasn't
enough medium below it to keep it slippery. There are two options:
1. Flo ur - The industry standard, used in pizzerias everywhere to keep the dough from sticking to
peels
Pro s : Authentic taste and avor, works really well on wooden peels
Co ns : Flour will not burn o in a low-temperature oven or BBQ, it is very easy to
accidentally put too much our on while working the dough and then be left with a
oury pizza after baking
2. Co rnm e a l - What I recommend for DIY and amateur pizza makers at home, and here's why:
Pro s : Cornmeal burns at extremely low temperatures, you can liberally put cornmeal
on your peel which gives you lots of time to work the dough without fear of it sticking
to your paddle, then the cornmeal will burn o during baking
Co ns : Less "authentic"
Dough is more likely to stick to a metal peel which makes using metal peels a little more di cult as you need to
move quicker to keep the dough from sticking. Cornmeal is great for this situation because you can put tons of it
on your peel to stop the dough from sticking and excess will burn o during baking under the screen. Nothing is
worse than taking a bite into a nished pizza that's bottom is coated with excess raw our. Personally, I prefer o ur
f o r w o o de n pe e ls and co rnm e a l f o r m e t a l o ne s .
There are many ways to work a dough. For beginners, see my video or use a rolling pin to work out the dough. Be
mindful of how large your stone is before you make a pizza that hangs over the edge. You can lift and work the
dough out with your sts, just be mindful of its thickness and make sure you w o rk t he do ug h o ut e v e nly .
If you do get a tear, you need to ensure it is sealed well or else your pizza will rip and stick to your stone (disaster).
Don't try to add dough to as a patch, instead scrunch the dough up around around the tear, then pinch to seal it
all back together and pound any air bubbles out.
I nd that supermarket dough is more airy, so pounding the dough to work out the air pockets keeps your pizza
more at or thinner crust when baked. I also don't fold the crust area, instead just work a pressed in perimeter
about 1/2 inch from the edge of the pie using my ngers. I nd that leaving this perimeter topping-less allows a
nice crust to pu up naturally.
https://youtu.be/tuFPrBkTUFE
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 6
1
1
1. cornmeal on metal paddles works well because excess will burn off
rather than stay on the pizza
1. evenly wok the dough from the center out avoiding thin spots or holes
Step 5: Making the Pizza: Seasoning and Sauce
Season your pizza to taste! I like to put all seasoning
on the dough under the sauce and toppings as I nd
that it bakes more evenly into the crust this way. For
each pizza, I add a bit of fresh garlic or garlic powder
and oregano. Depending on the toppings, I may add
parsley, salt, pepper, chopped onion, or crushed red
pepper as well.
For the sauce, use a large spoon or ladle to take a
spoon full of sauce. Then spill a little bit of sauce in
the center of the dough and use the back of the
spoon too evenly work it from the center out.
Continue to spill and work more sauce until the
dough is evenly covered without any excess deep
spots up to your crust perimeter.
1
1
1. I like adding all seasonings first
1. use a large spoon to spill and work sauce from the center out
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 7
1
1. avoid deep spots, work sauce evenly
Step 6: Making the Pizza: Toppings
There are endless topping combinations, have fun with it! Personally, I prefer to put toppings on before the cheese.
I nd that it allows the pizza to bake together more evenly and makes the nished product a beautiful vessel of
deliciousness. Your toppings should all be cool or room temperature before putting them on your pie. Hot toppings
will cause uneven baking and mess up your authentic avors. Here's some of my personal favorite topping
combinations:
T he Cla s s ic:
Oregano and fresh garlic seasoning
Sauce
Optional: Pepperoni (get it from a deli so it's less greasy)
Mozzarella cheese
Ve g g ie :
Oregano, basil, chopped onion, and fresh garlic seasoning
Sauce
Diced bell peppers (pre-steamed to soften)
Diced white onion
Chopped broccoli
Chopped mushroom
Diced spinach
Evenly spaced dollops of ricotta cheese
Optional: pre cooked chopped chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper
Mozzarella cheese
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 8
G re e k Piz z a :
Oregano and fresh garlic seasoning
Optional: Sauce with light drizzles of Tzatziki sauce
Pre cooked chopped chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper
Diced spinach
Feta cheese crumbles
Mozzarella cheese
S a us a g e , Pe ppe rs , & O nio n
Oregano, onion powder, crushed red pepper, and fresh garlic seasoning
Sauce
Pre cooked ground sausage seasoned with salt and pepper
Diced bell peppers (pre-steamed to soften)
Diced white onion
Mozzarella cheese
Ca lz o ne St y le
Oregano, parsley, fresh basil, and fresh garlic seasoning
Chopped ham
Evenly spaced dollops of ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese
1
1
1. Endless possibilities!
1. I like adding toppings before the cheese
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 9
1
1. don't over do it! A heavy pie may rupture or the flavors will be
overwhelming
Step 7: Making the Pizza: Baking the Pie
Here's where it all comes together! As I mentioned earlier, it takes about 10-15 minutes to bake a pizza on a BBQ if
all your temperatures are right. For a BBQ, here's what I recommend:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Insert the stone centered on the BBQ
Light the BBQ, all burners on high for 10 minutes
Turn the burners under the stone down to low, turn the outer burners to medium
Wait for the BBQ to reach about 350 degrees F
Using your peel, slide your pizza onto your stone carefully. If y o u nd t ha t t he piz z a is s t uck t o y o ur pe e l,
try putting a corner of the dough on the stone, then working the pizza onto the stone slowly by hand from front to
back. Alternatively, lift a corner of the dough while its on the peel and blow air under your pizza. This will create a
bubble that may allow you to slide the pizza onto the stone. W o rs t ca s e s ce na rio, f o ld t he piz z a a nd m a ke
a ca lz o ne .
Wait 4-7 minutes, then lift a corner of the pizza and look at the bottom of your crust. Depending on how hot your
stone is, the bottom will most likely cook quicker than the top. If your pizza crust starts to brown, or if you can
easily slide the pizza around on the stone, lift the pizza and transfer it to the screen. Then allow the pizza to nish
baking on the screen placed on the stone. The screen will keep the crust from burning while the top cooks, it will
also allow any excess our or cornmeal to be separated from the dough. Che ck o n t he bo t t o m o f t he crus t
re g ula rly , it may be burning without you knowing! You can use multiple screens if your stone is too hot.
For my BBQ, I leave the center two burners (under the stone) on low and the outer two on high after preheating for
10 minutes. This keeps my stone hot enough to bake the crust in 5-7 minutes and the top of the pie in 12-15
minutes.
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 10
1
1
1. carefully sliding the pizza from the peel to the stone
1. keep an eye on your crust! If it starts to brown like this, its time for the
screen!
1
1
1. letting the pizza finish on the screen allows the top to bake without
burning the crust
1. time to eat!
Step 8: Time to Eat...and Eventually Clean
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 11
After pulling your pizza out of the oven, let it sit and cool on the screen or a cooling tray for 3-5 minutes before
cutting into it. Using your pizza cutter, cut your pie into even slices and enjoy!
To clean your stone, clean it while it is hot using a wire brush and or wet rag. B e ca re f ul! It's going to be hot for a
couple of hours after use.
Step 9: Don't Forget the Knots!
Garlic knots are the perfect companion for your
authentic at-home pizzeria experience! Using the
dough cuto s, loop and tie 5 inch strips of dough into
garlic knots (see my quick video for guidance). My
stone is large enough to cook a pizza and 5-10 knots
around it. I usually put the knots on a few minutes
after the pizza and transfer them to the screen
together.
Fo r a g la z e , mix some fresh garlic and oregano into
olive oil and use a brush to rub the mixture over hot
garlic knots once you take them out of the oven.
Fo r a m a rina ra dipping s a uce , take a cup of
pizza sauce and add 1 Tbsp of sugar, fresh garlic, 1 tsp
of olive oil, and fresh basil.
https://youtu.be/m_zoxjX7Gq4
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 12
1
1
1. try to keep the knots about the same size for even baking
1. with some extra ingredients, a pizza sauce can be
turned into a savory dipping sauce
Step 10: Practice Makes Perfect ..... or Preference
I hope you have enjoyed this Instructable and it guides you to creating your own authentic pizzeria experience at
home! I don't believe there is any perfect recipe or combination for creating a pizza and its ingredients, but
de nitely preference that can be perfected.
Keep practicing to make your pizzas a little more round, a little less pu y, and even more delicious to your own
liking.
Thanks for reading, mangia mangia!
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 13
CLEARLY NOT A ENGLISH TEACHER
Ingredients:
12 cups flower JUST KIDDING MADE A PIZZA AND IT WAS THE BEST ONE I EVERY DID AT
HOME DID YOU SEE IT?
***dyslexic shop teacher, but yeah that one was bad.
If I'm putting a lot of fresh cut vegs on I work the dough with a little extra thickness towards the
center so it forms a dome to drain the extra liquid toward the perimeter and don't get so much sog
in the center. It might not be a problem in BBQ or gas oven, but maybe a hint for electric oven, and
not using the stone, but a pizza baking pan.
Agreed to the thicker crust for veggie pizzas, great suggestion!
It's Inspireing, thanks for this genius Bbq way. Enjoy Your Cooking Days..
Thanks!
I see people asking about 00 flour.In Naples they blended 00 with hard winter wheat flour, called
by them Manitoba because postwar so much imported flour came from there and that name was
stamped on the sacks. 00 is available at many Italian specialty stores but you can also try
substituting American CAKE flour. This is much finer than bread flour; it's sold in boxes, like cake
mix, not paper sacks. Like 00, it shopuld be sifted for measuring, because it does tend to pack or
cake. Swans Down is a brand I used before I began smuggling 00 back from Italy in my luggage.
Now I get 00 at Buon'Italia in NYC's Chelsea Market.
Instructable pizza 5 21 20
Nice work, my friend. Everybody should take a shot at
home-made pizza. Help put an end to soggy delivery pies. My experiences and
prejudices, from over a couple of decades of purely amateur experience, are as
follows:
I’ve used only gas or electric ovens. Most will hit 550°F,
and that will do a tin-crust pie (the ONLY worthy kind) is just a few miutes. I
have used stones w/some success but prefer my red brick “pavers,” which measure
ca. 7-3/4 x 3-3/4 x 3/8. I pre-heat for 30min to 1 hr. Been using the same
wooden peel for 35 years, but all Italian pizzaioli I’ve seen (and I go to
Italy often and relentlessly investigate local pizza) use aluminum. None uses a
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 14
screen; I never have and never will (same for a pan). They’re totally
unnecessary. The key is sliding your pie off the peel and onto the bricks with
ease. If you can do that, no screen needed. Smoke from burnt crust and topping?
I’ve had my share of spills but never tripped the smoke alarm. To make sure my
pies slide easily I flour the peel, rap it on the counter to spill the excess,
and shake itwhile assembling the pie: sauce, shake; topping, shake; olive oil,
shake. (This eliminates the inauthentic and messy corn meal). You’re right
about moving the pie around in the stove: the half of the pie facing the rear
will cook faster and char more than the front half—sometimes MUCH more. Pies
should be rotated 180 degrees for even cooking. Lazy or hard-pressed pizzaioli
tend to skip this step, and if I get a half-cooked pie at a restaurant I just
send it back. But I find it much less important in home cooking IF you’re
quick. I’ve over the years developed a fairly rapid move: open, slide, slam, so
there’s little difference in heat from back to front of the over. I’m usually
still shaking the peel as I approach the oven, because a fast slide onto the
bricks is really important to even cooking. I don’t say I’m balletic, just
pretty quick.
I’ve auditioned cutters by the long ton. Most are lousy:
they have handles that push the pie away as you push down, and often have small,
inefficient wheels. My favorite is the
Zyliss (from Amazon), which has a 4” wheel housed in a clamshell casing, so you
push down and roll forward, and Bob’s your uncle. There are other copycats,
also at Amazon, from $9 up. I’ve never tried the long knife/mezzaluna models.
For the dough, I like a long slow rise, first at room temp,
then overnight in the icebox. I use only 7gm of yeast (1/3 packet), as
counseled by a pizza chef I met in Milan. I think it makes for better taste
than a fast rise. In a pinch I’ve used store-bought dough (Trader Joe’s is
pretty good). I never use bottled sauce: it has someone else’s choice of
spices, plus preservatives, and costs way more than canned tomatoes, which come
whole, chopped, crushed or puréed for much less. I add finely diced onions, salt,
pepper, fresh garlic, smarino, basil & oregano + a little sugar. And red
wine—I just can’t help myself. I start by browning the onions in oil, then the garlic,
then add tomato liquid, then the solids. I try not to cook it too long—so it’s
just still liquid & pourable.
My bête noire is shaping the dough. I get a pretty good disk
now and then but too many are shaped like Australia. You’re dead right about
kneading at room temp. Only masochists knead cold dough.
I prefer the classic Margherita but my wife wants a pie
paved with pepperoni. I get that at my Italian butcher’s, Esposito’s, 9th Ave. NYC.
Supermarket stuff is overpriced and under-spiced, and even at Esposito’s I pick
the lumpiest ones on the rack—they’re drier, cured longer. Smooth pepperoni
looks like a hot dog and often taste like one. I use Esposito’s whole-milk
Anyone Can Make an Authentic Pizza: Page 15
mozzarella. Supermarket stuff is always bland and sometime tasteless (Polly-O’s
is the least bad; do you have a recommendation?). Skim milk mozzarella is
awful. Pencil erasers taste better.
To the kitchen, everybody!
Hate to be picky but your spell checker missed Preperationthree times ! Spelling does count
especially for teachers.
Thanks for pointing it out.....I do teach shop though but still appreciated!
And, of course, anchovy fillets.
Thank you for this post. I’d like to know how readers have done this with a charcoal grill. I have a
Weber. Thanks.
OO flour is big thing to getting the right texture. I have only seen in for sale in a speciality store
which I frequent only occasionally, but bread flour or general purpose flour works fine. I have a
wooden peel that I made myself from a piece of 1/8" plywood (it fits perfectly into my wood burning
stove's oven that I can only used in the winter with all windows open) and a big commercial metal
peel (and I also have a big honking pizza knife curtsy of hanging out a auctions). I do most of my
work with the wooden peel but occasionally that metal one comes in really handy. I always wonder
why people think kneading dough by hand is difficult as it is not. I make my own tomato based
sauce (a spicy (contains a bit of some chipotle) sun dried tomato walnut pesto), basil pesto and
one of my absolute favourite truffle infused olive oil on what I call my forager pizza. I cook my pizza
in my gas oven on unglazed field tiles at 450 for about 12 minutes. I find mozzarella to be a
tasteless cheese and I opt for the final layer Asiago or Provolone in its' stead. I have always used
cornmeal but I am going to give your flour trick a try. Everything I know about making pizza I have
learned from others, so thank you very much for your Instructable as you have given me a couple
of new things to try out.
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