With so many topic ideas jotted down, I had a hard time choosing one for my first official post! Eventually I figured that there’s no better place to start than with some thoughts on a food that almost everyone likes: PIZZA.
One of the great things about pizza is the variety that it offers. You can find a great slice anywhere from the lowliest storefront to the most upper-crust (!) restaurant. I am personally pretty picky when it comes to pizza, so without further ado here are some winners I have come across in my search for the perfect pie:
Best At-Home Recipe
A great way to experiment with pizza flavors is to pick up a ready-made crust, throw on some toppings, and see what happens. But if time allows, there’s really no substitute for homemade dough. For an anniversary meal for my parents, we recently cooked up some mushroom pizzas so delicious that my husband has never quite forgiven my sister’s dog for taking an unauthorized taste! The rest of this delicious meal included roasted shrimp and orzo risotto…for the pizza recipe and full menu click here.
Shiitake and Chanterelle Pizzas with Goat Cheese from Bon Appetit
Best Frozen
Frozen pizza makes a great on-the-go meal, and the good news is grocery stores are loaded with options. The bad news: well, most are pretty bad. I found my favorite in a surprising location – Target! Their grocery brand, Archer Farms, makes wood-fired pizzas imported from Italy that will cost you less than 5 bucks! I think the best is the Four Cheese (mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, Asiago, and parm). The cheese blend has a nice tangy taste and the thin crust crisps nicely in the oven without getting too crackery (is that a word?).
When we’re in a rush, we serve these pizzas with a simple green salad or salted edamame, and my husband keeps a jar of pepperoncini in the fridge for garnish (tip: before serving these tasty little peppers, spear them with a fork over the jar to let the juices run out. Otherwise once you get them on your plate you end up with soggy pizza crust)!
Another tasty flavor!
Best Slice Shop
I have great memories of grabbing a piece of pizza either before or after a long night out in college – those were the days! Antonio’s in Providence serves up some really creative slices: my friend Kris swore by the tortellini pizza, which came scattered with little pasta pillows! My favorite was the white pizza, which features a simple blend of four cheeses, no sauce.
Some of the many options at Antonio's, courtesy of Lou P. on Yelp
Best Junk Food
I have a confession to make. Once in a blue moon, I get a hankering for Domino’s. It may be nostalgia for the days of chowing down while studying for math tests in my friend Abby’s kitchen, or it might be because of the greasy garlic bread sticks (which actually taste much better than the pizza). Whatever the reason, I guess I’ll have to file it under “so bad it’s good”…at least until you order it and realize you don’t want to eat it again for a long time.
Domino’s has recently made a big deal out of their revamped recipe, and funnily enough when I tried it, it tasted…pretty much the same. Same cardboard crust, same overly sweet tomato base. But for those late-night cravings, I recommend the hand-tossed crust with a side of artery-clogging garlic dipping sauce.
Photo by Serious Eats
Best Restaurant
From Domino’s to the specialty restaurant, I have to give this one to Spacca Napoli in Chicago. However, I haven’t actually been there in a few years, so I might have to brave the crowds soon to make sure it’s as delicious as I remember it. They specialize in Neapolitan-style pizza (cooked in a wood-burning oven with a very thin center and puffy outer crust).
Fun fact: what we now know as the classic Margarita Pizza originated in 1889 as a creation by a baker in Naples to honor the visit of Italian Queen Margherita. The queen loved the flavors of tomato, mozzarella, and basil (which reflect the red, white, and green of the Italian flag) so much that it became a national favorite, and some say that’s how pizza as we know it was born!
Margherita Pizza, Spacca Napoli
Also in Chicago, I have yet to try Great Lake, a 14-seat joint whose Mortadella pie was recently named Best Pizza in America by GQ. In the name of research, I think I’ll have to check it out…stay tuned!
Best Delivery
This one’s a no-brainer. I have never found more delicious delivery pizzas than those brought to your door by Pagliacci in Seattle. The original cheese is excellent, but I also love some of the ones that feature an olive oil base, like the Pesto Primo or my all-time favorite, the AGOG Primo (Fontina and mozzarella cheeses, roasted garlic, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, goat cheese, parsley and Kalamata olives). Pagliacci also makes the effort to be green by using compostable packaging, so environmentally-conscious Seattleites can feel good about their purchase for more than its deliciousness!
AGOG Primo, Pagliacci
In conclusion…
By now you may have noticed a distinct bias in the type of pizza crust I prefer. Yes, that’s right, despite being a Chicago girl…I am not a fan of deep dish. But that’s what comments are for: please share your favorite pizzas (deep dish or otherwise) in any of the categories above!
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