# Homemade Pizza



## debodun (Jan 24, 2021)

I tried my had at homemade pizza - has tomato sauce and cheese, but that's hidden under the other toppings of spinach, mushrooms, pepperoni, eggplant and red bell peppers.


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## RadishRose (Jan 24, 2021)

I love eggplant on pizza.


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## Lee (Jan 24, 2021)

Deb, looks good, did you do your own crust or just the toppings. I kind of stick with the basics myself, Italian sausage, mushrooms, peppers.


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## debodun (Jan 24, 2021)

It was a Boboli crust. That came with sauce. The cheese was pre-shredded, canned mushrooms and the eggplant and peppers were in a frozen bag.


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## Camper6 (Jan 24, 2021)

My new toaster oven is great for making pizza. Now I just make the crust sometimes and treat it like bread. It's great sliced and with peanut butter and jam.


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## Camper6 (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun said:


> It was a Boboli crust. That come with the sauce. The cheese was pre-shredded, canned mushrooms and the eggplant and peppers were in a frozen bag.


Convenience is great.


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 24, 2021)

The suspense is killing me, Deb, how did it taste?


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## debodun (Jan 24, 2021)

It was edible, but I probably overdid it with the toppings.


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## Murrmurr (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun said:


> It was edible, but I probably overdid it with the toppings.


It looks delish, though. I trust you'll be making it again...with a bit less on top.


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun said:


> It was edible, but I probably overdid it with the toppings.


Everything you used in the way of toppings sounds delish, but try going lighter next time, and chop or slice them up finer. That will ensure the toppings cook through properly, and it will make the pizza easier to eat.

Is it safe to say there's a new pizza joint in your hood? Deb's Pizzeria?


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## horseless carriage (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun, did you know that there's a new pizza variety on our side of the pond? My wife, who served thirty years as a paramedic, explained that it's exclusive to drunks. 

Saturday night and there would always be someone, comatose, facedown on the paved sidewalk. The cynical wit of the emergency services, (fire, police and ambulance) would say that said drunk was enjoying a pavement pizza.


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## debodun (Jan 24, 2021)

Aunt Marg said:


> Everything you used in the way of toppings sounds delish, but try going lighter next time, and chop or slice them up finer. That will ensure the toppings cook through properly, and it will make the pizza easier to eat.


I am still on a learning curve with some foods. That pepper and eggplant mix really made it heavy. I know it was overloaded so I turned up the oven temp and let it stay in longer than the Boboli directions to make sure everything cooked properly. However, doing that, the crust got overdone on the edges. I guess that's better than still having pieces of frozen eggplant on it.


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## Aunt Marg (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun said:


> I am still on a learning curve with some foods. That pepper and eggplant mix really made it heavy. I know it was overloaded so I turned up the oven temp and let it stay in longer than the Boboli directions to make sure everything cooked properly. However, doing that, the crust got overdone on the edges. I guess that's better than still having pieces of frozen eggplant on it.


I think you're doing great, just go lighter on the toppings next time, and look at slicing heavier toppings more thinly, and use less.

Some of the most delicious of recipes come by way of trail-and-error.


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## Camper6 (Jan 24, 2021)

To make the pizza less soggy. Cook the dough partially first.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 24, 2021)

It looks like you are off to a great start now all you need to do is practice, practice, practice!!! 

Try buying a pound of fresh dough at the market and making your own sauce.

I try to minimize the moisture in the sauce by seasoning a small can of tomato paste. I spread a thin layer of the thick _sauce_ on the dough with the back of a spoon.

Pizza Sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
¼ - ½ cup water
2 cloves minced garlic
1T dry Oregano
1T dry Basil
Mix well. If you use fresh basil omit the dried from the sauce and add the fresh basil as a pizza topping. This makes enough for 2 sheet pizzas. The leftovers can be frozen with good results.


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## StarSong (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun said:


> It was edible, but I probably overdid it with the toppings.


In more than 25 years of pizza-making, I've learned learned less is more.  A light hand with sauce, cheese and toppings allows all flavors to come through.

If adding vegetable toppings, I usually bake the pizza 3/4 of the way, then add the already fully cooked and WELL-DRAINED veggies: mushrooms, artichoke hearts, bell peppers, eggplant, or whatever. That way they get hot, but don't burn.


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## StarSong (Jan 24, 2021)

@debodun, not trying to come off as a know-it-all or that I'm telling you what to do.  I've learned these lessons the hard way, believe me!  

Can't tell you how many pizzas got turned into calzones during the baking process because overly wet ingredients broke holes in the pizza crust...


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## dobielvr (Jan 24, 2021)

You reminded me that I needed to go roast my red bell peppers for my fake crab salad tonight...

I'd also forgotten abt Boboli pizza crust.  Love that stuff.


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## fmdog44 (Jan 24, 2021)

debodun said:


> It was edible, but I probably overdid it with the toppings.


We have all been guilty of that. I found a round flat bread called "Baan" I think. It is an English-East Indian store. It is ideal for pizza


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## fmdog44 (Jan 24, 2021)

StarSong said:


> @debodun, not trying to come off as a know-it-all or that I'm telling you what to do.  I've learned these lessons the hard way, believe me!
> 
> Can't tell you how many pizzas got turned into calzones during the baking process because overly wet ingredients broke holes in the pizza crust...


I always lay the veggies and cheese out on platters and set them in the fridge uncovered for 24 + hours to dry them.


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## dobielvr (Jan 24, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> We have all been guilty of that. I found a round flat bread called "Baan" I think. It is an English-East Indian store. It is ideal for pizza


Could it be 'naan'?
I enjoy it too.  It's something kinda diff for me.


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## Ronni (Jan 24, 2021)

I use Boboli crusts when I make pizza. But I don’t care for pizza sauce, so I brush the crust lightly with olive oil, rub a garlic clove a over the surface, sprinkle a generous helping of mozzarella cheese over that, and then add thinly sliced circles of onion, and green, yellow and red peppers. I sprinkle lightly sautéed spinach over that, add a generous portion of sliced mushrooms, and some sliced pepperoncini. Follow up with freshly ground black pepper, a dash of crazy mixed up salt, and if it’s summer and I have it growing, some fresh basil or cilantro. Add another sprinkle of cheese (sometimes do shaved Parmesan or Romano) and then in the oven till it’s done!

I serve it with grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes to sprinkle to taste. When I served it to Ron for the first time he swore he was never going to eat Dominos again!

Sometimes I’ll add crumbled Italian sausage or roasted chicken but personally I prefer just the veggies.


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## debodun (Feb 6, 2021)

Made another pizza last night. Not so many heavy toppings. Besides cheese - pepperoni, chopped roma (plum) tomatoes, sliced black olives and mushrooms. Didn't burn it, either - 450F for 20 minutes seems right. Finished the meal with a homemade lemon curd tart.


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## bowmore (Feb 6, 2021)

After making our pizza crust in our breadmaker, I discovered I can buy pizza dough at my market. No cleanup. We discovered that we did not do a second rising, so now we just cover it and let it sit a room temperature for a few hours.
We roll it and form it on our granite counter, then dress it. We have a pizza stone and a pizza peel which makes it easier to slide on to the stone.


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## debodun (Feb 6, 2021)

I just buy Boboli - even less trouble.


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## terry123 (Feb 6, 2021)

Too much trouble for me to make pizza.  Did all that when the kids were home.  I love Papa John's veggie pizza.  I will splurge tomorrow and get one for the Super Bowl watching.  I will eat some tomorrow, have some for breakfast on Monday and freeze the rest.  I have been surprised at how well it freezes and still tastes great.  Love their garlic sauce with it!


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## RadishRose (Feb 6, 2021)

In my tradition, there is no such thing as "pizza sauce". It's canned, crushed or blended Italian plum tomatoes.  That's all.

Other flavors come from the crust (a little charred) and toppings, in my case Italian sausage and sometimes thin sliced eggplant; olive oil and the cheese.

I don't like the flavor of dried oregano or basil, but fresh is great, especially fresh basil added when it comes out of the oven.

Also, altho' I don't always do it, sliced mozzarella is nicer that shredded, imo.


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## fmdog44 (Feb 6, 2021)

dobielvr said:


> Could it be 'naan'?
> I enjoy it too.  It's something kinda diff for me.


most likely you are right


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## Happy Joe (Feb 10, 2021)

The quality of the pizza seems to be directly related to the quality of the ingredients.
Since I cannot seem to get the crust to turn out right at altitude (above 6,000 feet); I don't fool with the crust anymore.  I just pickup a frozen DiGiorno rising crust pizza and add extra toppings; 
Bridgeford pepperoni; when I can get it in stick form.  Warm in the microwave (on the order of 15 seconds depends on microwave power) on paper towels to degrease, add to pizza

Add about 4 ounces of good quality mozzarella (finely shredded).
Bake directly on the lower rack @ 375 deg (reduced temperature due to altitude).
For around 1/2 hour watch it for the last 5 minutes or so to prevent over cooking.

Tried a pizza stone for a while they need replacing after they get grease soaked.
A pizza peel (giant pizza sized spatula) is really worth the investment, IMO.
Veggies can dress up the pizza (don't go over board).
Mushroom, hamburger onions etc can add to the flavor (brown together in a fry pan and remove the grease) add before topping with mozzarella.

I really like, Chicago style, deep dish pizza but haven't been able to get it to cook right at altitude; been trying, off and on since 1990.

Enjoy!


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