A Tale of 2 Pizzas
Pizza making is one of those endeavors that once you get it down, is so easy and delicious to do at home, you are reluctant to ever order out again.
Don’t get me wrong. Between Zio’s, and Santucci’s, and Rustica, we have got some dang fine shops in Philly that will bring it to your door and sometimes that is just the thing. Like after your third 12-hour day in a row, for example.
However… I’m finding that more and more often, I just turn to making my own. Making one’s own pies is more economical, it’s fun, and it’s a good way to use up bits in the fridge.*
I have my favorite pie toppings, but on this night, we decided on 2 very differently topped versions.
Version 1: Tomato pie with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flake, and fresh oregano. A Philadelphia classic.
Version 2: Here I’ve riffed off of one of Pizzeria Stella’s pies or so I read. I haven’t eaten this one there; indeed I haven’t been there since 2 weeks after they opened and…well… if I’m going for fancier pizza, I’ll choose Zavino every time.
Anyway, I’d read about Stella’s fontina, red onion, pistachio pie with rosemary which sounded heavenly and thus:
The only recipe that matters is the dough. I journey to the Italian Market for Tipo 00 flour, though you can easily order Caputo brand online. It’s expensive compared with other white flours, but worth it. The first time I baked up dough with it, I couldn’t believe the difference. Tender, crusty, chewy with lots of flavor.
Follow the dough-making instructions here. I do weigh everything in grams, and I do portion the dough out. One can only make pies so big in one’s apartment oven anyway, so go for 3 rounds. Plus, then you can make a couple of kinds of pies at a time. Extra dough holds well in the fridge for about 3 days, and freezes nicely too. If you want pizza on a weeknight, make the dough on a Sunday when you have several hours. Then, let the dough come up to room temp while you warm up your oven for about an hour to hour and a half. Then just go for it.
General pizza baking tips:
1. Crank your oven as hot as it will go and be sure to preheat your baking stone with it. I preheat for about 45 minutes- don’t be shy about getting it really hot.
2. Use your hands to stretch your dough. No rolling pins. If the dough starts to spring back at you, set it down, walk away for 3 minutes, then resume stretching. Go for thin crust.
3. Dress your stretched pizza dough on a cornmeal-dusted peel, slide it in, baking 7-9 minutes or till the crust is golden and the bottom crispy.
4. Transfer finished pizza to cooling racks to avoid soggy pie! And let the poor thing set up for 5 or 10 minutes before diving in, lest your toppings slide all over the place.
5. Serve up with chopped salad, a crisp pils or a nice barbera wine. Then, do it all again 2 weeks later.
* A few thoughts on wintertime toppings— thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes with rosemary and pecorino, caramelized onions with sauteed spinach, olives and feta, roasted winter squash, goat cheese, romesco sauce and parsley, or mixed roasted mushrooms with lots of woody herbs, fontina, and truffle oil.
