Food
A Pizza Expert On How To Make Your Best Homemade Pie Ever
Photo courtesy of Ooni
Food
A Pizza Expert On How To Make Your Best Homemade Pie Ever
From the best way to stretch dough to the must-have pizza tools, the co-founder of Ooni pizza ovens dishes up his expert tips.
Not only is making pizza a playful way to connect with friends and family, but it’s surprisingly simple.
“What’s fantastic about pizza making is that it’s fairly easy to get into,” says Kristian Tapaninaho, co-founder of Ooni. “For most people, if you try it about five times and really pay attention to it, you can make better pizza than most of the places around you.”
We sat down with Tapaninaho to find out how to choose the right oven for your lifestyle, how to perfect your own homemade pizza, and what other tasty dishes you can cook up in a pizza oven.
Gas, electric, or charcoal—which is best?
“Some people get quite obsessed with pizza needing to be wood-fired to be authentic, but you can make great pizza regardless of the fuel type,” says Tapaninaho. “In most cases, you won’t even be able to tell the difference.”
Ooni’s ovens come in three styles: electric, gas, and multi-fuel. The electric—Tapaninaho’s go-to at home—offers consistent temperatures ideal for Neapolitan-style pies. The gas and multi-fuel options—which can be powered by charcoal, wood, or a gas burner—are similar styles great for indoor and outdoor cooking.
What are the must-have tools for making pizza?
Oven aside, there are a few pizza-making tools that Tapaninaho loves to have on-hand.
“One of the key things is a good scale,” he says. Since pizza dough can contain low quantities of ingredients—Tapaninaho’s recipe has only 0.5 grams of yeast—a good-quality scale can make-or-break the bread’s accuracy.
A peel, the paddle that slides your pizza in and out of the oven, is also necessary. Pro tip: once you place your dough onto the peel (on a light dusting of flour and cornmeal), give it a quick final stretch to the edge and launch it into the oven. Letting it sit for too long on the paddle will increase your chances of the dough sticking.
What is the best way to stretch your pizza dough?
“This can be quite controversial,” says Tapaninaho. “There’s nothing wrong with using a rolling pin, but I can’t remember the last time I used one.”
No matter how you stretch your dough, it’s important to make it as even as possible. “It’s better to have an odd-shaped pizza [than a perfectly round one],” he says.
Tapaninaho starts by placing his risen dough on a lightly floured surface, then tapping it out with his fingers until it’s about the size of two open palms. He then stretches it with his hands, focusing on the edges to ensure one side isn’t thicker than the other.
What else can you cook in a pizza oven?
If you plan to use your oven for cooking other foods as well as pizza-making, the multi-fuel with charcoal creates a dry heat that’s perfect for smoking meats. “I’ve smoked a prime rib for four hours in mine,” says Tapaninaho. “I often make smoked salmon as well.”
Ready to get cooking? See our best pizza recipes.
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