Equipment

Pizza Stone

If you are going to make pizza regularly (and you should – it’s really healthy), then buy a pizza stone. These come in both round and rectangular shapes and are made with everything from ceramic to clay to different mixtures
of cement. The latter appears to be more durable.

Place the stone in a cold oven and set the temperature to 500°F. It will take about 20 minutes to heat the oven and stone together. Place your shaped pizza dough directly on the stone and then add the toppings. You can use a peel (the large paddle you see in pizza restaurants) and assemble the pizza prior to sliding it onto the stone.

By using a pizza stone, the heat will be transferred evenly to your pizza, crisping the crust. Over time, the stone will darken. When you are done cooking, simply shut off the oven and let the stone cool. Don’t use water on the stone for clean up and  simply brush it off or use a spatula to scrape off anything that has stuck to the stone.