What Makes a Good Pizza?
Hello and welcome back toWhat’s Cooking? , an open thread where you can share your brilliant thoughts, tips, recipes and opinions on all food related matters. This week I want to talk about the most controversial dish in the country: pizza.
Given that I was born in Mississippi and raised in Los Angeles, I have no special feelings for pizza other than adoration. I like flexible folding crushers; thin crispy crusts; and crust for deep Chicago and Detroit dishes. I also like pineapple in pizza. In short, I’m the opposite of a pizza purist, but I’m meeting a man from New Haven right now and I didn’t even know there was such a level of snobbery. (Honestly, I did not even know that New Haven has its own pizza, but do not tell him about it.) So, even though I do not have a favorite style of pizza, I’m fascinated by all the different regional dishes. styles and very strict rules that follow them. Feel free to leave your treatise on pizza in the comments below, or just get a feel for my profile:
- What’s your favorite crust? My favorite is the collapsible, bubbly liquid situation, but a greasy thick crust with crispy edges and a chewy interior is also welcome.
- Which crust don’t you like? I’m not a fan of cauliflower crust.
- In which city is the pizza the most “correct”? I haven’t tried this New Haven pizza yet – does it go with clams? – so I guess I should say New York.
- What was the first pizza you ate? The first pizza I have ever eaten was a BBQ Pizza from Pizza Hut in Aberdeen, Mississippi. I like it.
- Is the “California style” pizza real? As far as I understand, this is just a BBQ chicken. I’m not against.
- What are your favorite fillings? I prefer sausage, mushroom and garlic pies, as well as Hawaiian ones, and I am not ashamed.
- Speaking of toppings, how do you feel about pineapple in pizza? What about anchovies? Both are beautiful, but not at the same time.
- Does a pizza have to be cheese to be considered a pizza? I have seen pizza without cheese both in Italy and abroad, so I will, but will not order.
- What about the sauce? Should it be red? I really like the white sauce pizza.
- Can ranch dressing be added to pizza? There’s a pizzeria in Portland called The Ranch, and you know what? It is very good.
- How to make pizza at home? I usually order, but if I feel like making it myself, I use fresh dough from the store, a cast iron skillet , fresh mozzarella and prosciutto.
- What’s the weirdest pizza you’ve ever tasted? Once in Israel I had a tuna and corn pizza. This was not my favorite.
Again, diatribes, screeds, and angry chatter are encouraged as long as they are about pizza. Shout it out if I didn’t mention your city’s pie, which is undoubtedly the best.