If you want something done right, then sometimes you just have to do it yourself – which is why many people are dabbling in the art of making their own pizza.
And why not? With excellent quality pizza ovens on the market, it’s possible to achieve restaurant-quality pizzas in the comfort of your home (or garden).
How do you get the bottom of a pizza crispy?
One common problem people face when making homemade pizza is the top cooking faster than the crust, leaving it soggy.
Tom Gozney is the founder, product inventor & CEO of Gozney. He says there are few things at play that could be causing your pizza base to be under cooked.
1. Your oven isn’t hot enough
You need heat and lots of it to get the pizza crust just right.
“To get the perfect Neapolitan crust, you need a hot oven with a temperature of over 450°C with full heat saturation and good insulation. Our latest oven, the Gozney Dome, has more insulation than any other outdoor oven on the market,” says Tom. “If your oven isn’t hot enough, the dough might not cook properly, and you can end up with a soggy bottom.”
2. You aren’t using the right stone
If your pizza bottoms come out of the oven soggy, you might need to invest in a good quality pizza stone.
Tom says to look for one well insulated with a thick cordierite stone floor (minimum of 19mm), so your oven can absorb heat and hold it.
“This will help you cook evenly and lead to crispy pizza bases and perfectly cooked toppings.”
3. Not turning the flame down
If you’ve tried everything and your pizza is still soggy, Tom says to “keep the flame on high until you launch the pizza in the oven and then turn the flame down to low and cook it slowly for 2-2.5 minutes.”
4. Using too many ingredients
Less is more when it comes to pizza, and too many toppings could be causing your pizza to go soggy.
“Don’t use too many wet ingredients or pile too many toppings on,” says Tom. “This can impact how the dough cooks and can easily lead to a soggy base.”
Tom’s tips for perfect homemade pizza
Best pizza cheese: “I think mozzarella with a high-fat content is the best type of cheese for pizza.”
Best pizza flour: “I would look for a 00 flour with a protein content of around 12% (12g of protein/100g), giving your dough the right level of strength and elasticity.”
Best pizza sauce: “The key to a great sauce… It’s all about the tomatoes. I recommend milling the tomatoes and not blending them to avoid getting an overly liquidy consistency, diluting the flavour’s intensity.”
Best pizza dough: “It’s all about the dough and its fermentation. You want a minimum of 48h to give you a great flavour profile and structure.”
Also: “Don’t overstretch your base. If you’re making a 12-inch pizza, stretch your dough to 9-10 inches, put the toppings on and then do the final stretch on peel to minimise the risk of tearing the dough.”
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