Why You Should Use a Pizza Stone

There are many reasons why homemade pizza is better than delivered. But when you make it at home are you using a pizza stone? If you aren’t, you should and here’s why:

Why you should use a pizza stone for homemade pizza:

• Pizza stones distribute the heat evenly across the the bottom of the pizza.
• The stone extracts the moisture, leaving your crust crispy and delicious.
• The stone makes for easy clean-up and you don’t get a huge mess like this…
• You can use the pizza stone in the oven or on the grill.

Tips for using a pizza stone:

• Place your stone in a COLD oven. Then turn the oven on. You do this so that the stone absorbs all of the heat from the oven.
• Place your pizza on the stone using a wooden pizza paddle. When you pizza has cooked to perfection, take it off of the stone using the same wooden paddle.
• I always leave my pizza stone in the oven to until it has cooled down. But you can take it out and let it cool down naturally at room temperature.
• Once it has completely cooled, you can wash it using cool water. You should also be sure to season it properly with oil.
• Pre-baking your crust before adding all of the toppings will help give your pizza a nice golden, crisp crust.

Warning! What NOT to do with your pizza stone:

• DO NOT take it straight from the hot oven and run cold water over it to cool down. This can cause your stone to crack.
• DO NOT wash it with soap. The pizza stone absorbs everything, so the only thing you should use to clean it is water and then season it with oil. Chances are, if you wash it with soap, your next pizza will mostly likely taste a little soapy.

Pizza stones aren’t just for pizza! Here’s a few other ways to use them:

• Use them when baking french breads.
• Use them to bake other breads or rolls that you would like to have an extra crispy crust.
• Try baking bagels on them. Yum!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Easy Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe: Brought to you by Emile Henry

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 env fast-rising dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tbsp. cornmeal
• 1 cup very warm water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Whisk until ingredients are blended.
2. Stir in water and 2 tbsp olive oil until well blended.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured counter, baking mat or cutting board. Knead 10 minutes. Cover with towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle Pizza Peel with 2 tbsp. corn meal. Place dough on peel and press into a circle. Stretch and roll dough shaping a 14 inch circle and add toppings.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 min., or until crust is crispy.
CHEESE PIZZA:
Spread 1 c. tomato sauce with 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning on dough leaving 1/2 to 1 inch rim. Sprinkle on 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
PESTO PIZZA:
Drop 5-6 spoonfuls of pesto on cheese pizza.
MUSHROOM PIZZA:
Slice medium onion and 8 oz mushrooms, saute them in olive oil until soft. Spread on top of cheese pizza.
GRILLING DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your grill:
CHARCOAL, NATURAL WOOD GRILLS: Light charcoal, dump coals on bottom grate, spread out coals, put top grill grate in place and place stone on top of grill grate. Let stone heat up to cooking temperature 500 – 700 degrees F, depending on your recipe instructions.
GAS GRILL: Light burners, put pizza stone on grill grate, let stone heat up to cooking temperature, 500-700 degrees F, depending upon your recipe instructions.
2. Meanwhile, rollout pizza dough onto a pizza peel. Add sauce, cheese and toppings.
3. Just before cooking, sprinkle2 tbsp. of corn meal on Pizza Stone. Slide pizza directly onto hot Pizza Stone. Cover the grill and cook over high heat for 15-20 min., or until crust is lightly browned and the top is bubbly.
4. When pizza is done, remove it with pizza peel. If you’re making another right away, place a platter; or serve pizza right on the Pizza Stone. Lift up Pizza Stone at handles using potholders. The handles will be very hot.
5. Place the stone on cutting board or trivets.
6. Cut pizza slices directly on Pizza Stone