Sunday 31 March 2013

Be happy and eat more pizza


Pizza comes in many forms, some similar like brothers, others more like distant cousins - who don’t really like each other. I’m not afraid to admit I like most of them, mood dependent, of course. A traditional Neapolitan style pizza baked in a scorching hot wood fired oven can hardly be compared to a Dominos mighty meaty with extra chillies but there is definitely a time and a place for both. Especially when it comes with a pot of that ridiculously good crust dipping sauce. Anyone who says they don’t like it is lying, that’s a fact. Seriously it is - Google it.

Most foodies are pretty snobby about the pizza; it has to be cooked in a wood fired oven, only use buffalo mozzarella, sauce be made with a particular tomato, be blessed by a Neapolitan bearded monk blah blah blah blah…..BORING. I say while that kind of pizza is amazing, up there with one of my favourite things in the whole world (minus the monk), there are times only a slice of stuffed crust will do.

I sometimes have the odd craving for a Dr Oetker, the Dominos app is on my iPhone, there is at least one thin crust margarita in the freezer and I know the Pizza Express menu off by heart. Pizza is just good. End of. Why limit yourself to just one perfect kind. Embrace the dirty pizza, enjoy it for what it is, essentially bread and melted cheese – who doesn’t like that. My only exception is that weird hot dog stuffed crust pizza, I’ll admit I haven’t actually tried said pizza but I’m not willing too, it’s too weird. Also pineapple, it’s wrong, don’t do it.  Have some after if you have too.

That said I have an ongoing challenge with myself to make the perfect ‘authentic’ pizza at home but each time I try I never quite get there. A bit soggy, too much cheese, not enough crust, too much crust – you get my drift. Much to my and my stomachs delight I came pretty close this week.  I purchased a pizza stone from good old TX Max (I love TX Max, nearly as much as I love Pound Land) ordered a pizza peel online for ease of removal from aforementioned stone and made a batch of killer dough using my sourdough starter. Oh yeah, this was happening.

The result was pretty damned good, if I do say so myself (and I do). Lovely thin crisp base, slightly chewy crust and a good distribution of melted loveliness on the top.  I even had a pot of Dominos garlic and herb in the cupboard, as if things could get any better. I went to bed a happy woman that night let me tell you.

The moral of my story, well there isn’t one really. Just be happy and eat more pizza- I am pretty certain the two are linked. 











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