Tuesday, August 28, 2012

A Pizza Stone

If you are anything like me, not only do you love pizza, but it is even better when you get to personalize your pizza in the comfort of your own home.

For years, I was trying to find the right cooking method to perfect my pizza.  I would try to bake it on a cookie sheet, I also tried baking it directly on the rack (needless to say that was a messy, bad idea), and in more recent times I tried the dough on parchment paper method, but then a friend opened my eyes to the perfection of homemade pizza and it goes by the name of a Pizza Stone.

BEFORE - Tomatoes, Basil, and Buffalo Mozzarella
AFTER - Tomatoes, Basil, and Buffalo Mozzarella
Truly, you will be amazed at the wonders this stone will do.  When using the stone, place it in the oven while your oven is pre-heating, as the stone does not like dramatic changes in temperature, so heat it gradually.  I usually bake my home cooked pizza at 450 degrees.

White Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Mushrooms
The stone also works wonders with different kinds of cookies - chocolate chip, macaroons, scones, etc.  Pizza Stones are readily available at your local kitchen or home furnishings store:  Crate & Barrel or Williams-Sonoma.