Feb. 9 is National Pizza Day. It also falls on Super Bowl Sunday this year, which means there’s no better time to level-up your homemade pizza game.
If you’re looking to craft the perfect pie at home, try these insider tips from Grimaldi’s Pizzeria:
The foundation of any delicious pizza is the dough. Use high-quality ingredients and plan ahead to give the dough enough time to rise. To achieve a perfectly crispy, thin crust, we recommend cranking up the heat in your oven to emulate the coal-fire brick-ovens we use. Try preheating your oven to 500°F (or as high as it will go) and baking the pie for a shorter duration of time.
When it comes to ingredients, fresh is always best. We recommend using fresh mozzarella, vine-ripened tomatoes for your sauce and good olive oil — extra virgin is always best. Keep it simple; a few high-quality ingredients go a long way and allow the individual flavors to shine.
Not all pizzas are made the same way. While most spread sauce on the dough first and then add cheese, we do things a little differently. Start with slices of fresh mozzarella and then dollop your sauce around the dough. It creates a beautiful balance of flavors and textures. Try experimenting with this method or others to discover what works best for you.
To top off your homemade pie, add a few delicious toppings. The combinations are endless — you can include anything from sausage and pepperoni to roasted vegetables and fresh basil. We know it’s tempting to add every topping under the sun, but less is more. Too many toppings can weigh down your crust, so stick to two or three and let them complement each other. We finish every pizza with our signature freshly plucked basil leaf in the center.
Pizza-making is an art, and every attempt teaches you something new. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different doughs, sauces and topping combos to find your signature style.
This National Pizza Day, we hope you’re inspired to get creative in the kitchen!
Editor’s note: Hector Godinez is head corporate chef at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, which has locations in Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria and Scottsdale. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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