Here's Why You'd Never Want To Buy A Store-Bought Pizza Again!

Yes, we’re going to have that talk today! It’s essential to know that making a pizza is an art. If you’re a real foodie & learning about food techniques gives you ultimate joy, then you know that it's all about getting your hands dirty. Getting in there. Getting really messy, well if you’re not the messy kind then you could just walk up to the nearest pizza shop and get one for yourself. This one is for those crazy ones who care about the process. No offense. I know, ordering a Pizza sounds more like a good plan but wait till you realise that this art can be learnt! And, once I did, ordering in wasn't a temptation any longer.

What makes a good Pizza Dough?

It's all about the yeast & some patience. A good brand of yeast is preferable, the one that is freshly bought, not the one sitting on your kitchen aisle since a couple of months (In my first stint with Pizza making, I didn't take the yeast seriously & that was a lesson well learnt). A good active yeast along with having patience for the yeast to work its magic is the most important part. Mixing the yeast with some warm water to awaken it is another. You've won half the battle once the dough rises.

Knead & Rolla!

Of course, practice makes perfect but rolling & kneading means having some real technique up your sleeve but still not follow the rules & yet go by the book. I say this because a Pizza dough does require a recipe to follow and only trying and testing (tasting) can get you any closer to finding the right base (no pun intended)! You need to code it yourself, whether you're a thick crust kind of a person or thin, the pie-crust or the crunchy one. Then there's a whole new world of toppings; whether you like it loaded with toppings, classic flavours or just plain cheesy margarita is your deal! I know you could either love all or pick one, it’s just a big choice to make. But, you gotta do it!

Also Read: How To Make Vegetable Pizza At Home!

Let's Get Saucy!

The second thing thats makes or breaks a pizza is it’s sauce… I’ve seen so many videos and blogs that read- Perfect tomato sauce but usually, I prefer the one with simple ingredients like tomatoes (read not from the can) because we live in India and we don’t eat a lot of canned or processed food like other countries & I’m thankful for that. Fresh tomatoes, finely chopped onions, lots and I mean lots of garlic and basil and couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The lovely marriage of all those ingredients makes up for the best sauce. Some people have different & healthier versions but I find this one my ultimate bae.

Because Making It At Home Is A Pure Joy!

Pizzas bring family & friends together. It's a community thing really if you think about it. Coming together for a pizza, making it from scratch with your friends or a family member at a party is the best way to connect in the age of social media & phones. I've had some amazing memories with Italian cuisine, friends & an outdoor space. Laughing over a batch of failed dough can be fun too! Rolling out an uneven shaped-dough, trying & testing the classic tomato sauce etc. And, your favourite pizza topping can become a revelation! Isn't it only more human to be brought together by food?

Pizza Etiquette

What's a Pizza according to an Italian? A real pizza doesn’t consist of any other topping than a fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil as a garnish! You see, Italians did make things simple for us by using some of the freshest ingredients but the world always wants more. We want more. And, we went ahead and added our twist in every possible way we could!

So, we started making our very own versions; the versions that suited us. And, why not you'd say? But, let's not even get into the whole staying true to the classics bit. But we've come way off with the pineapples, jalapeños, a long time ago. And guess what? The OG pizza was the think crust. Oh *sigh sigh* for all of us, including me who enjoys a thin crust pizza! (In my defence, I weirdly think that it means I'm eating less calories and plus I also enjoy a less bready pizza; imagine the paper-thin ones you get at Indigo Delicatessen!)

And, forks and knives are not the cutlery for a classic ol' Pizza. the next time you're eating a Pizza. It's not meant to be. What's meant to be is holding the slice in between your fingers in your hand. Roll it vertically. If the slice is too big roll it inward & then it's ready to be devoured. That's how the Italians do it. Then, shouldn't we be doing as Italians do when it comes to their classics?