Once the Italians topped the dough with fresh tomatoes, pizza began to evolve into what we call pizza today.

ITALIAN PIZZA TYPES:

Pizza Margherita origins began as a poor man's flat bread in Italy. It was invented in Naples and is topped with fresh, chopped tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil to honor the colors of the Italian flag. It is considered the “true” pizza by many. It came about when Queen Margherita, while traveling through Italy, fell in love with the garnished flatbreads being sold to the poor. She summoned a baker to bake her a selection of pizzas to try. Her favorite choice named in her honor as Pizza Margherita, is still a favorite pizza choice in Italy today.

Neapolitan Pizza is made from a dough that is thin and flat. It is made from a lean dough consisting of flour, water, yeast and olive oil so sauces placed on top won't soak through. It is a variation of Pizza Margherita and Pizza Nuda. 

Sicilian Pizza Recipe is generally made from a thicker type crust.

Southern Italy: The crust is thicker than Neapolitan and is topped with simple ingredients such as crushed raw tomatoes, grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, a little mozzarella, olive oil, and a few slivers of garlic.  

AMERICAN PIZZA TYPES: Today's American pizzas resemble their Italian ancestors, but have taken a different form:

Classic American Pizza: but have evolved into a thicker and chewy crust, spread with a thick tomato based sauce and covered with mozzarella cheese. They are often topped with multiple ingredients and there's no limit to how you can prepare your pizza and the toppings you use. The American pizza is typically 12 - 14 inches round and 1/2-inch thick in the middle. The edges are made slightly thicker than the middle in order to form a rim around the edge of the pan. 

Deep Dish Pizza, also known as pan pizza, was invented in Chicago, it has a thick crust and is baked in a deep dish pizza pan, basically a round baking pan with 2 - 3-inch sides. It dense with toppings. 

New York Style Pizza Pizzas from neighborhood pizza parlors in New York tend to be more like a traditional Italian pizza. 

Calzone The uncooked crust is filled with traditional topping then folded and baked.

Bagel Pizza Made with bagel slices as the crust.

Pizza Bread Also known as French bread pizza, is made from a French bread loaf that is usually sliced down the center into two halves. It is then topped with sauce and cheese.

Frozen Pizza Found in the freezer section of the grocery store, it is a convenient way to prepare pizza. Simply open the box and bake or microwave.

American pizza consists of a crust, sauce, cheese and/or other toppings. The thing to remember is that all components must be compatible, bake together and be done at the same time, otherwise the pizza recipe won't work.  

1. Crust: The crust is yeast leavened and a wheat flour based, usually from all-purpose flour, but can be either a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour or bread flour. Olive or vegetable oil is added to the pizza dough. Sometimes milk is included, making a softer crust that browns well and adds flavor. 

2. Sauce: The sauce is usually tomato based and seasoned to taste with oregano, basil and other spices. It can be cooked or fresh. I have even used a pesto sauce instead of tomato sauce in my pizzas. 

3. Cheese: Cheese is perhaps the best part of the pizza. It is supposed to go on top of the sauce immediately after it is put on. Traditionally the cheese of choice is mozzarella because when baked, it has a soft, elastic consistency. It can be grated, which is preferable or thinly sliced so it will melt more evenly. Use packaged from the grocery store because sadly, homemade is too moist. Because mozzarella is not as flavorful as I'd like, other cheeses can be included. For example, I sprinkle of parmesan cheese on the sauce before the mozzarella goes on. 

4. Toppings & Extras: (Recipes) (The sauce and cheese are often referred to as toppings). Toppings and extras are usually a matter of preference and there is no limit to how you can prepare your pizza and what you use. They can include a number of different vegetables, meats or a combination of both, such as mushrooms, black or green olives, bell pepper, onion, pepperoni, Italian sausage, salami, anchovies, cooked chicken or pork. Check out my information on how much you need for your pizza.

I like to make pizza at home (sometimes), and have included a recipe and the pizza-making steps below. Making a pizza is fun because you can easily add your creative touches to it. Plus, my family loves eating homemade pizza for dinner and snacks!!

To make a pizza, start with a basic dough, which you can make as thick or as thin to your liking while shaping. 

A pizza can be baked in an oven either before the toppings are placed on it or can be baked with the topping placed on it. You can use a pizza stone preheated in the oven to give it a more well-baked and/or crispier crust. A pizza can even be grilled during the warm months or baked in a wood burning pizza oven that you can purchase for your home.

STEP ONE: PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS & DOUGH

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE: (To print) Gather all ingredients and equipment beforehand. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and baking time (for a medium size) is 20-25 minutes. Check out my information on how much sauce and toppings you need.

Ingredients:

Equipment:

1. First, proof the yeast: pour the warm water (should feel lukewarm on the wrist) into a large bowl (you will be adding flour to it in about 10 - 15 minutes.) Then, add the pinch of sugar. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the the water and let dissolve; no need to stir. In  5 minutes, whisk the dissolved yeast and the water together. If it doesn't bubble and smell yeasty, start all over again with a new package of yeast.

2. Mix the ingredients: Next, add 2 cups flour total. Beat this well (a hundred strokes) with a wooden spoon or with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium until it's smooth and soupy. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's bubbly and swollen. Add the salt and olive oil and continue adding flour with the mixer speed on low. When the dough becomes like thick paste, switch to a dough hook attachment. Proceed to stir in the rest of the flour slowly until you get a stiff but still slightly sticky dough and when the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  

3. Knead the dough: Knead dough for about 8 - 10 minutes by hand or 4 to 5 minutes with a dough hook on medium speed. Use a kitchen timer to help you keep track of the time. As you knead, the dough should remain slightly sticky; avoid adding extra flour as it will make the crust tough.  As the kneading process continues, the dough will become smooth and elastic, with a slight sheen, and should remain slightly sticky to the touch. It's time to stop. Quickly shape the dough into a ball.

STEP TWO: LET THE DOUGH RISE, SHAPE IT & PREHEAT THE OVEN 

1. Let the dough rise: First, coat the inside of the large mixing bowl with olive oil. Place the well-kneaded dough into the bowl, then turn it over so that the dough is completely coated with oil. The seam side, if applicable should be rotated so it in down. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap that is sprayed on the side that will touch the dough. You may cover the bowl with a large towel for extra insulation, if desired. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.  

2. Deflate the dough: by pressing straight down. Gather the sides of the dough into the center, then turn it over onto a lightly floured counter top or work board. Divide the dough into the number of pizzas to be made. Then, form into a thick round(s). You can refrigerate the dough for several hours or up to two days, giving the crust more flavor. Some freeze their dough at this point, only to be used later on. It can also be shaped and then frozen.

3. Prepare the pan, etc.: The pizza can be baked in a pizza pan, on a cookie sheet or baking stone. If using a pizza pan, liberally sprinkle some semolina or cornmeal in it. They prevent sticking because the semolina or cornmeal acts like "ball bearings", making the baked pizza slide right off. To use a cookie sheet, place parchment paper on it. To adhere the parchment paper to the pan, place a dab of vegetable oil in the middle, center the parchment paper over it, lower and press into place. Sprinkle semolina or cornmeal on the baking stone after positioning it in the oven and before preheating it. The heat from the baking stone yields a superior, dry, uniformly crisp crust.

4. Preheat the Oven: Place the oven shelf on the bottom rung and preheat it until really hot (about 30 to 45 minutes). 

If using a baking stone, put it in a cold oven, on its floor or lowest rack and sprinkle with semolina or cornmeal. Turn on the oven and preheat it at least 45 minutes to an hour before placing the finished pizza on top. 

5. Shape it: Pizza can be made in different shapes and thicknesses. You can form the crust by hand or in the pan. You can optionally let it rise again before putting the sauce and toppings on. The shaped dough is then fitted to the pan from the center out. Sometimes the dough needs a little coaxing so it touches the edges of the pan. 

Never use a rolling pin to shape the dough with as it deflates the air bubbles making the crust flat and dense. Here's how to shape it instead:

~ Stretch it from a ball: The best way to shape a pizza is with this method, unless you know how to spin it in the air !! Take the ball of dough and hold it vertically, turning it like a wheel with the hands in the same position and letting gravity stretch the dough. I then lay it on the cookie sheet or in a pizza pan and press out the dough, starting from the center out into the desired shape. 

~ Spin it: This is the traditional way of shaping dough. The dough will stretch from spinning. It looks so easy, but don't expect to spin your dough completely out on the first try. To do: pick up the ball of dough, and holding it over your fists, allow it to stretch slowly downward a couple of inches. Now, hold up the dough with your arms bent at a 90 degree angle with your fingertips, about a foot in front of you. Toss the dough into the air about two feet above you by snapping your wrists and rotating your hands clockwise in a quick movement. If you've ever spun a basketball on your finger, the concept is very similar.

~ Press it into the pan (or fit to the pan): Dough can be pressed with your fingertips into the pan, especially when making a square shape. Place the dough dead center in the pan. Working from the center out, stretch the dough either with your knuckles or by lightly pushing it foreword towards the edge of the pan with your fingertips. Keep turning the pan as you work. If the dough resists, cover it and let it rest a few minutes and try again.

6. Into the Pan: After rolling, the shaped pizza dough is then placed in the pan sprinkled with cornmeal or on an oiled or parchment lined, rimless cookie sheet.  

Form a rim in the dough around the edge of the pan; it will serve to keep the sauce and topping in. Extra dough can be well wrapped and frozen. You can refrigerate it, but I prefer to freeze it, even if overnight.

STEP THREE: ASSEMBLING THE PIZZA: There are two choices as to when to put the toppings on. If you want a thin and crispy pizza, bake the crust first and when lightly browned, put the sauce, cheese and/or toppings on. Resume baking for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling . The other way is to put the sauce, cheese and the toppings on the shaped pizza dough and bake both together 

1. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil onto the pizza; do not add any more: Lightly drizzle or spray olive oil over the surface of the pizza dough. Brush the oil around the pizza evenly -- use a pastry brush or your fingers work fine.  Do not oil one inch from the edge. When you finish the pizza will look like a target made of dough and oil. This allows the toppings to cook on top of the pizza. 

2. Put on the sauce: Now place 1/2 of a ladleful or just enough tomato sauce in the center of the pizza. I like to use an icing spatula to spread the sauce because it does a better job than the back of the ladle, which is another option. Again, do not sauce the edge. You must work fairly fast as the pizza is now in a "wet" stage and the possibility of it sticking to the countertop, board or baker's peel increases with increasing time sitting there.

3. Put on the cheese and toppings: Evenly sprinkle a mixture of 1 to 2 cups of shredded mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese on top of the sauce. Then, put on the toppings.

STEP FOUR: BAKING THE PIZZA

Make sure the oven is well-preheated. Place the pizza in its pan on the middle of the lowest shelf or if not in a pan, on a preheated baking sheet or baking stone. Always make sure you wear long hot mitts. Bake as specified by the recipe. The pizza is done when the crust is golden brown all over (lift the crust on check its bottom) and the cheese is bubbling. If it starts to burn on top before the rest is done, turn down the oven heat by 25 degrees F .

The pizza is removed from the oven and is cooled slightly in its pan on a wire cake rack before serving. 

If baked on a baking stone, the trick is moving the pizza from it with a peel or rimless cookie sheet. Slide under pizza and give it a quick jerky motion to get the pizza to slide. The cornmeal will help. Place on a cutting board or serving platter. Let the baking stone cool in the oven and then remove and clean it.

Let pizza cool slightly before serving. Pizza is usually eaten by the slice and a rotary pizza wheel, sharp chef's knife or kitchen shears do the job. (A meat cleaver is perfect to use !) If round, the pizza should be cut in the fashion of spokes of a wheel. Square pizza should be cut into squares or rectangles. To keep it hot, I may serve only part of it at once, leaving the remainder in the pizza pan or on stone in a 300 degree F oven. The crust will also become more crisp.