Pizza - Favorite Brand of Ingredients

tsheehan7

I'm going to make my first pizza this weekend and I'm left wondering what kind of ingredients to use. I plan to use a store-bought dough until I get the hand of the pizza stone and temp, but I don't know what's good in the pizza world.

Dough - plan to use Publix or Mellow Mushroom dough ball, anything you recommend?
Sauce - store-bought or homemade?
Pepperoni - worth is to buy a stick and cut it up yourself, or just use the hormel pepperoni?
Cheese - Sargento or something nicer?

Any ingredient recommendations are much appreciated.

AZRP

Sargento is good at marketing but I don't think much of their cheese. Buy a block of whole milk mozzarella and grate it yourself. Use it sparingly, its easy to put too much on the pie. -RP

BR-549

Go to the deli and have them slice the pepperoni for you. I wouldn't get more than 1/4 lb. for the first time pizza.

Carolina Q

Dough-you might consider buying a dough ball from your favorite pizza joint.

Sauce-I usually use canned tomato puree, or maybe the whole ones crushed by hand. After it's on the pizza, season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and some dried oregano (fresh if I have it). Not a whole lot of any of them.

Pepperoni-I just buy the pre-sliced stuff.

Cheese-haven't used pre-shredded cheese in forever.

Good luck!

gdenby

I've found as pre-made called "Tiseo's" that was decent.

Pepperoni is great, but maybe try some nice prosciutto, and sprinkles of red pepper flakes, or some slices of pepperoncini.

If you can find it, fresh mozzarella with a sprinkle of just grated parmesan or romano is great.

stike

always use the best available...

loco_engr

Is there a Hy-Vee where you live?
If so, try their Delosso (?) Pepperoni from the Deli dept.
Ragu Pizza sauce ain't 1/2 bad.
I really like Penzey's Pizza Seasoning alot!
Good Luck!

fishlessman

for a first pizza cook i would keep it simple, maybe just cheese. then pick what you like as you get better at. buy yhe mozzerella at the deli and shred it yourself, the mozz balls are to wet and the preshredded stuff doesnt melt as well. i like a greasy pizza, need a good hard italian peperoni for those sliced on the thick side to get the proper amount of grease and cupping im not big on alot of toppings, sauce cheese, fresh basil and im good, a simple pepperoni, or linguica, or chourico, or onion pie is what i like, not an everything pizza

MemphisQue

That's good advice. I did my first pizza just a few weeks ago and have done 4 now. I like mine on the simpler side. If you go all cheese try adding a couple varieties. Mozz, provolone, provel (st. louis style), feta, goat cheese, etc. Hard to mess it up.

BR-549

Also for a great topping if you can get it, frozen Hatch green chile is good, fresh frozen is better.

tsheehan7

stike wrote:

always use the best available...

That's kind of my question: what is the best available and how can you tell?

fishlessman

there are a bunch of little things, fresh mozzarella is wet, the iceman mentioned slicing and drying it a few days in the fridge helps, i get mine in the deli in a block and shred it my self, tend to stay away from preshredded cheeses as they are coated with a starch and dont melt as well. i like the real pepperoni in the italian deli, its greasey and tasty, others like the presliced market stuff which i find to be bland. hand strecthing the dough is way better than rolling it. also your asking for what ingrediants and havent mentioned a pizza style, deep dish is a low temp cook, thin crusts a high temp cook, ive gone as high as 1200 but any thing above 600 is good, the technique and temps play a huge roll, just start with the simple pizza and work at hand tossing and temp setups

MemphisQue

I figured out the hand tossing deal and I agree it works very well and isn't hard to do. Quality cheese is worth the extra cost.

Fidel

Go to the deli counter at Kroger or Publix or whatever major grocer you have available. Have them slice some pepperoni and some mozzarella for you. I prefer using the sliced mozz myself - it's much drier than fresh and melts wonderfully. I don't use shredded cheese very often.

Mellow Mushroom dough is exponentially better than Publix.

I make my own sauce with crushed tomatoes, some pepper, basil, oregano, garlic, and fennel seed. Cook it for a few minutes, let it cool, and slather it on.

PattyO

I love Gia Russo pizza sauce. It comes in 8 oz cans as well as 15 oz. Small can will do 2 medium or large pies. I don't over load sauce. For cheese I only use fresh mozz that I grate here at home, from Walmart. Use sliced pepperoni, doesn't matter what kind. Italian markets have imported pep if you're interested. And if you use mushrooms, use only fresh, not canned. Wash the dirt off, dry with paper towels and slice thinly with a sharp knife. They cook on the pie. You might want to brush garlic oil on the edge. Have fun.

PattyO

If you get sliced mozzarella, get the whole milk mozz, not the part skim. You might have to search for it, but I use fresh. Not buffalo, but fresh softer mozz in a small block in the dairy case.

uglydog

I like to shred some part skim mozzarella cheese, and also use some Asiago cheese. Asiago is fairly expensive and has a bit of sharpness to it. For a fabulous pizza, put some pulled pork on the dough, add some barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's last time) and cover it lightly with shredded mozzarella and Asiago cheese. For tomato sauce I like to use Cento brand, San Marzano whole tomatoes; mush them up with your hands, add a can of tomato paste, and some oregano, basil, parsley, and a little bit of crushed red peppers. Heat slightly before putting the sauce on the pizza. Don't put too many toppings on the dough, and keep the toppings you do use on the thin side. Let us know how it comes out. If you don't have a lot of success, keep trying. Pizza is one of those cooks that never comes out the same twice, but is always fun to cook and to eat. Uglydog

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I make my own dough, so I can't comment on any "store brands" sorry...
As for a sauce: I always make my "red sauce" with tomato paste mixed / thinned with a bit of olive oil & red wine, seasoned with crushed garlic and an Italian blend of herbs (marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil and savory) along with some fresh ground pepper.
Toppings and cheese run the gambit here, but as mentioned a fresh grated mozzarella (used sparingly) is really hard to beat....As is fresh sliced pepperoni from the deli.
Favorite combo with the girls here...Is pepperoni and / or sausage, onion, black olives and mushrooms, most often topped with three cheeses; mozzarella, parmesan and feta.
The cheeses are all done pretty sparingly with the toppings atop the mozz and parm, with some crumbled feta on top.
No matter....Have fun!