Pizza Night Extravaganza

A Weekly Ritual in the Fisher Household

Friday nights at the Fisher residence mean one thing - Pizza Night! My husband and I have been savoring the art of homemade pizzas for years now, and it has become a cherished tradition. Picture this: crafting your pizza dough, preparing a flavorful sauce, and letting it all come to life in our trusty Ooni pizza oven. While we adore the authentic wood-fired experience, the convenience of gas and electric versions is now on the table. It's our way of bringing a slice of Italy right into our home, making weekends start on a delicious note. Our pizza journey has taken us through calzones, deep-dish wonders, and New York-style experiments, but our hearts belong to the classic Neapolitan style.

Creating a perfect pizza night at home involves a few key steps. While we love making everything from scratch, time constraints sometimes lead us to quality pre-made options available at places like Trader Joe's, Met Market, or even our local pizzeria, like Fondi's in Gig Harbor, where you can grab their dough and even their pepperoni!

The Perfect Dough: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating the foundation of our pizza masterpiece involves crafting the perfect dough. For those with time constraints, quality pre-made options are available, but if you're feeling adventurous, here's a simple recipe we swear by.

Ingredients:

00 Flour

Yeast

Salt

Water

Follow the instructions provided by Ooni for making pizza pies, adjusting the quantities based on how many you want to make. Ooni offers a convenient app for easy guidance. While I used my KitchenAid, feel free to use your hands and enjoy the process!

Saucy Business: Simplicity Wins

When it comes to sauce, simplicity reigns supreme. Opt for quality ingredients like crushed red tomatoes or authentic tomato sauce from Italy. Here's a quick and easy sauce recipe that never fails:

Ingredients:

1- 16oz of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (no salt added)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of Italian seasonings

1 teaspoon of honey

1 pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:
Stir ingredients all together in bowl, set aside for assembly. The recipe makes enough for (4) 330g pizza dough balls.

Toppings: A Personal Touch

Toppings are where personal preferences shine. I'm all about classic Italian vibes with prosciutto, green olives, tomatoes, and basil. My husband, on the other hand, swears by ham and pineapple – yes, he's one of those! Whatever your topping preferences, keep it light and fresh, using a variety of ingredients like bell peppers, red onions, Italian sausage, and more.

Cheese: The Crown Jewel

For the cheese, it's all about high-quality mozzarella. While Tillamook shredded mozzarella is a decent option, I prefer logs, tearing apart chunks or shredding myself for that extra touch.

Assembly & Cooking Magic

Press out the dough, place it on a floured pizza peel, add your sauce, dollops of cheese, and your favorite toppings. Remember, don't overload – balance is key. Now, pass the pizza to the designated cook (in my case, my husband) who handles the Ooni pizza oven magic. Its quick cooking time, around 1 to 2 minutes, makes it hard to resist immediate slicing – though patience is a virtue we rarely exercise!

If you're feeling extra indulgent, we sometimes use the Ooni as an impromptu oven for a late-night dessert like apple crisp. But that's a recipe for another time.

Pair your creation with a nice bottle of red wine, and voilà – the perfect Pizza Night experience awaits!