Restaurant pizza is often the best option for a quick, easy meal. Pizzerias have pizza-making down to a science, with ingredients and techniques that home cooks don’t have access to.
A few tricks like properly stretching dough and cooking toppings before adding them can make a difference. And a pizza sauce with restraint allows other flavors to shine through, per Webstaurant Store.
The History of Pizza
In antiquity, a variety of cultures used flat bread as the base for a wide range of toppings. Bread was leavened by yeast, so the dough absorbed the flavor of the ingredients and retained a soft texture. By the time of the Romans, pizza had evolved from simple flatbread to a multilayered dish that was more of a meal than a snack.
Italian emigrants brought pizza to America, where the first documented pizzeria, Lombardi’s in New York City, opened in 1905. But it was only after World War II that pizza really took off. The villa roma restaurant that sprang up across the country adapted the style to reflect local tastes and identities.
These pizzas differed from the Naples versions in several ways: They were thicker and often more savory. Their size was more suited to sharing than individual consumption. They reflected the needs of working people rushing to their jobs. They were affordable and convenient: Two liards (about one US dollar) would buy a slice of pizza that was enough for lunch or dinner.
These pizzas were soon adopted in other countries, too. Today, pizza is served in almost every country in the world and reflects a diverse array of cultures. In addition, pizza is sold as a frozen food and can be found in grocery stores and supermarkets around the world. A great deal of food-technology ingenuity went into developing frozen pizzas that can be thawed and reheated without losing their integrity and texture.
The Crust
The crust is the unsung hero of pizza, a vital component that allows the rest of the pie’s ingredients to shine. It is the key element that differentiates pizza styles, from the wafer-thin New York slice style to the flaky and chewy Detroit and Sicilian style crust.
Crusts can vary in texture, from crunchy and crackerlike to supple and floppy. In some cases, a pizza’s crust warrants that it be eaten with a fork and knife, like the Chicago deep-dish style crust or the Neapolitan pizza crust.
There are also a variety of crust ingredients that chefs can use to add flavor and texture, including salt, sugar, olive oil, cornmeal, and garlic powder. Adding a few tablespoons of oil to the dough increases the yeast activity and tenderizes it, while sugar adds sweetness. A little extra flour makes the dough less sticky and easier to work with, while a dusting of cornmeal adds pizza-like flavor.
For those who prefer a gluten-free or vegan pizza, there are crusts made with cauliflower, rice, beans, and other starchier vegetables. These alternative crusts are gaining in popularity, as they provide a delicious and nutritious option for those with food allergies or sensitivities. The only downside is that these crusts are typically more brittle and need to be handled with care, as they will easily break or crumble.
The Toppings
If you’re going with pizza for dinner, whether it’s homemade or from a local restaurant, the most important decision is what toppings to choose. Depending on what you add, a pie can go from a light and refreshing take on the classic margherita to a devilishly delicious slice of soppressata and hot honey (which is a thing, trust us). Luckily, there are plenty of options for inventive pizzas, including peppers (sweet or smoky), sausage, mushrooms, meats, vegetables and more.
Traditionally, all meats added to pizza are either cooked or pre-cooked before being placed on the crust. This ensures that they’re dry enough to withstand high temperatures and avoid becoming soggy on the dough. Most meats are also seasoned to enhance their flavor.
Sausage is a longtime favorite pizza topping, thanks to its rich flavor and hearty texture. It can be used as a stand-alone star or as the basis of iconic pizza variations like the Hawaiian pizza, where it pairs beautifully with sweet pineapple. It can also be paired with ground beef to create a robust and savory pizza. When cooked, the meat crumbles into the sauce and cheese, releasing juicy juices that add a deep flavor profile to your pizza. Mushrooms are a staple pizza topping that offers earthy, meaty flavor without being overpowering. They’re typically roasted before being topped on the pizza, which heightens their sweetness and accentuates their natural flavor.
The Sauce
While the crust may get all the glory in terms of attention, the sauce actually delivers the most flavor to pizza. A recent study showed that the crust provides only six percent of a pizza’s flavor, while the cheese is at 21 percent and the sauce takes the crown at 41 percent. So, it pays to focus on the most important part of your pie.
Start with high-quality canned tomatoes (the type that comes in a variety of colors and sizes). A few cloves of garlic, a little granulated salt, and a pinch of pepper should be all you need to season your tomato sauce. The salt helps to balance the acidity of canned tomatoes and cuts down on the need for additional sugar or other sweeteners. A bit of balsamic vinegar adds a nice touch of sweetness and complements the tomato flavor well.
Other ingredients that can be added to the basic tomato sauce include basil, oregano and garlic salt to give it an authentic pizzeria aroma. Other herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage can also be added to give your pizza that extra zestiness that will make customers want to come back for more. Some pizza sauces are a little different from traditional red or white sauces in that they use milk as the bulk liquid instead of tomatoes. These sauces are great for pairing with a wide range of toppings and ingredients. Other specialty sauces like salsa and hummus are more spread-like than a traditional pizza sauce, but can be used to create unique pizza flavors.