Raise your hand if you don’t like a good pizza. There are pizza “wars” going on in Vancouver lately. Who has the best crust? Who has the best toppings?
Ask anyone and they will tell you it is all about the crust. We agree! I think the best pizza I’ve ever had the good fortune to eat, was in the town of Gubbio in Umbria, Italy. It was simple, with a bit of Italian sausage, onion and best of all, fresh porcini mushrooms. Loved, loved, loved it!
Unfortunately, we don’t (sigh), have an outdoor wood burning oven. It’s on our wish list once we win the lottery! So, the pizza dough I make is baked on a pizza stone in a 550 F oven and makes a crispy, yeasty crust. I also like to follow the Italian way and put small amounts of just a few toppings on my pizza. It bakes faster; doesn’t get soggy and after all, it’s about the crust! Sometimes I do a pizza bianco (no tomato sauce) and sometimes one with a tomato sauce, it just depends on my mood. We like them either way!
If you are a pizzaiolo (pizza maker) you are always on the lookout for the perfect crust and I am no exception. Recently, I tested a new pizza dough. It’s Jim Lahey’s No Knead 18 hour rise dough. The dough has a great flavour and his method for baking works well.
Hi Phyllis – We met a few times at Daphne’s. Daph sent me info about your blog, and it’s interesting. Good luck with it!!! Jim Lahey’s bread is wonderful, it’s been”tweeked” a few times, and it’s a wonderful bread, I make it as a hostess gift when I’m invited out for dinner, and it’s always welcomed! Crusty, crunchy, good!!! About 12 years ago he was on Martha Stewart’s show, and when I next went to New York I went to his Sullivan Street Bakery, which was small at the time. He was there, charming and hospitable and took me all through the bakery. Good pizza here at Cioffi’s way up on East Hastings, Roman style….
Sidney, I absolutely remember meeting you! Thanks for your comments! Have been to Cioffi’s and seen but not tried their pizza. Will now! Great to hear from you. Hope you enjoy future posts!