baking steels  |  pizza peels  |  pizza cutters  |  flour for pizza  |  fantastic tomatoes

​The Baking Surface: turning your home oven into a pizza oven

Thermal mass is your friend. It holds and retains heat. This stored heat is what makes a flat, raw pizza "pop" into a brown, crispy disc. Your home oven comes with very little thermal mass of its own. It's typically just a metal box filled with wire racks. They get hot, but there's nothing inside that oven to hold and retain the heat. Acquiring thermal mass in the form of a stone, cast iron or steel is what turns your home oven into a pizza oven. 

The steel that yields the best pizza
​we've ever made....

HAVING A PARTY? WANT TO MAKE BIG PIZZAS AND SEVERAL OF THEM? HERE YA GO! The pizza steel is a recent development in home baking. It picks up where stone leaves off. Greater heat retention makes it the most intense baking surface you can have in a home oven. Steel can be 20 times more conductive than stone, with twice the heat capacity. (With my oven set at 550 degrees, I've measured surface temps on the steel over 620 degrees.) My preferred steel is the one in the photo above, the ​ThermiChef Deluxe square pizza steel, 3/8" thick, measuring a 16”x16” square. The size lets you bake pizzas as big as 16 inches (or bigger if you get sloppy--I've done it). The 3/8 thickness, referred to as "deluxe" in the parlance of steels, gets and stays hotter when you're making multiple pizzas.  IMPORTANT: Be sure to measure your oven. I was surprised when setting up to make pizza in a strange oven: there was a convection fan in the way. The oven door wouldn't close all the way.
Click here to see the Conductive Cooking 3/8-inch Deluxe 16 x 16 inches square pizza steel on Amazon. 

​But if you're a pizza beast,
​bigger may be better.

THIS STEEL FROM NERDCHEF IS MASSIVE. Measuring 14 inches by 16 inches, it's also a whopping half-inch thick and weighs 32 pounds. That kind of mass is great for pizza because it will retain more heat. When you're making multiple pizzas. It'll recover more quickly between pies. The downside: no fully 16-inch round pizzas with a 14 x 16 surface. But again, measure your oven. And be confident that your oven rack is up to the task of holding this kind of weight. Click here to see the NerdChef Steel Stone - High-Performance Baking Surface for Pizza .50" Thick - Ultimate at Amazon. 

Small and mighty...

NEED A SMALLER STEEL?
Whether your oven's too small or you just don't want to make a pizza that big, the 14 x14 ThermiChef steel is available. Same massive, 3/8-inch thickness. It will stay hot enough to bake several pizzas, and should fit in just about any home oven. Remember: look for the 3/8 thickness if you plan on making multiple pizzas per session. Click here to see the ThermiChef 3/8-inch Deluxe 14 x 14 inches square pizza steel on Amazon.

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THE BUDGET ALTERNATIVE
If you're not ready to invest in steel, cast iron is a great way to test the waters. We've not used this pan personally. But it is cast iron, and based on Amazon reviews, it's a worthy successor to our former favorite from Lodge. To see the Legend Cast Iron Pizza Pan, click here. 

THE OTHER BUDGET ALTERNATIVE
Lodge has changed its pizza pan since we first started using it about 15 years ago. It's less pan now, it's flat, and it's 15 inches in diameter. (The old one was 14.) We haven't used this one yet, but it's Lodge--so we trust it. If you'd like to see the Lodge 15-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Pizza Pan at Amazon, click here.

Command & Control: A peel is ideal for handling pizza with confidence

Launching a raw pizza, especially the first time, is a daunting experience. Anything that improves your handling is a good idea. There are a lot of fancy, expensive peels and a lot of debate. I prefer the dynamic in a typical New York pizza joint: wooden peel for launching the pizza, metal peel for retrieving it. Raw dough often sticks to metal. It slides better on wood. (I recommend dusting the wood peel with semolina. Corn meal works, too. Flour works, but for me is a last resort.) A metal peel is great for easily slipping underneath a baked pie.

​Your friend at launch time...

There are a lot of consumer-grade peels out there. I prefer a food-service grade peel as you'd see in a commercial pizzeria. A short-handled peel is generally better for working in a home kitchen. I've lately started using peels from commercial kitchen supplier New Star. One of the challenges I've faced with other wood peels is warping. (I've tried to mitigate that by oiling the wood with food-grade mineral oil and butcherblock conditioner.) However, New Star's product seems more resistant to warping than the other peels I've used. Click here to see the New Star 16-inch peel on Amazon

​...your friend at retrieval. 

I've been using this American Metalcraft model 3016 aluminum peel for years. It's 16 inches wide, which is sufficient for the biggest pizza I'm ever going to make in a consumer oven. It's exactly the right tool for the job at home, and is also the right size for my road kit. I've caried this peel around the country, making pizzas from Los Angeles to New Hampshire. I've never had to replace it, making it one of the best bargains in my pizza armory. (That's actually my peel in the photo. I normally use the Amazon-supplied images. But theirs was at too artful and angle. This one looks better in layout.) To see more about the American Metalcraft peel at Amazon, click here. 

Pizza Presentation: Aluminum pizza trays for that pro-pizzeria touch

To be clear: You do not need these trays. I served pizza on cutting boards for a couple of years before committing to the tray. And as my pizzas became bigger, the cutting board was becoming a challenge. These aluminum trays are light, durable, store easily, and I carry them in my road kit. (I have a flat canvas tote bag that easily accommodates my peels, trays, and large cutting board for stretching dough.)
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​Tray Chic.
​(The classic is still my favorite.)

Once again, American Metalcraft is here for us. I have these trays in four sizes: 16-inch, 14-inch, 12-inch, 10-inch and 8-inch. The smaller ones are really for photo ops with smaller, test pizzas. . It's nice to have a tidy presentation for the camera. The 16-inch are the ones I use the most. To see the entire range of pizza pan sizes, click here. 
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Hardwood Hero

​If you feel a need for something more upscale, this is a pretty board. There are a lot of questionable, round serving platters out there. Sometimes they come grooved for six slices and include a mezzaluna. Why would you want to lock yourself into someone else's idea about how your pizza should be cut--and then force yourself to hit those grooves every time? We hunted around for a while before finding this acacia-wood beauty. And at 18 inches, it's big enough to handle any pizza you're going to make. (We also recommend slicing it on a proper cutting surface and transferring it to this board. Preserve that finish!) Click here to see the BirdRock Acacia Wood Pizza Board on Amazon.

Cutting A Pizza: Any way you slice it, you're going to need an edge...

If you're baking 12-inch pies, cutting them with a chef's knife is easy. I did it that way for a while. But I also like good tools, so it wasn't long before I began looking for a good cutter. I prefer the wheels. But if you want the dramatic presentation of a mezzaluna, I can't blame you. It's kinda cool to whip out that bog blade and play Samurai Pizzeria. My only recommendation: beware cheap tools. They're usually frustrating to use and don't last.
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Slice it like a pro...

This is my new favorite pizza cutter. You'll see this pizza cutter in a lot of pizzerias. There's a reason for that. Besides the durable construction (and that matters--I've broken more than one pizza cutter), this cutter has a replaceable blade. I have no idea if I'll ever make enough pizzas that I'll need to replace the blade. But it's a nice option to have. (And this blade is sharp.) This is the 4-inch version of the tool. There is a 2 3/4-inch version, though I don't enjoy using it as much. Click here to see the Dexter Russell 4-inch pizza cutter at Amazon. 

My favorite consumer-grade cutter

​For my money, the OXO Good Grips 4-inch pizza cutter is the best consumer alternative to the Dexter. I've had one for years, and while it's not as sharp as the Dexter, it gets the job done. To see the OXO Good Grips pizza cutter on Amazon, click here. \
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So ya wanna do the mezzaluna instead?

​This is my favorite mezzaluna, though it might more accurately be called a pizza knife. In fact, that's what American Metalcraft calls it. It's the only such knife that I've used that I enjoy using. For me, it still doesn't have the same ease as a wheel cutter. But that may be in the practice. To see the American Metalcraft Pizza Knife, click here. 
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​This is another, more traditional looking mezzaluna--and another Dexter product. I admit it, I like this one not just because it's a Dexter product (choice of the pros), not just because it's 20 inches long (so it works on larger pizzas), but also because they call it an "Outdoors Pizza Rocker." What makes it outdoors-specific? Dunno. Maybe it's because it's stainless and you can leave it out in the rain. Maybe it's too dangerous to use indoors because you'll feel like going nuts with it and there's the risk of hot, greasy pepperoni flying all over. I've not used this one, but I've used knives like it. The bonus of the design is the grips, which many others don't have. Many of these knives are also much shorter, compromising their useful simplicity for larger pies. If you like to bang stuff around and look flashy, this could be for you.  Whatever it is, you can find the Dexter Outdoors 20-inch Pizza Rocker by clicking here.

Favorite Kitchen Tools

The more time you spend in the kitchen, the more you learn to love (or hate) the tools you have on hand. Besides distinctly pizza-related tools like the ones in the section above, here are some items non-specific to pizza that provide all kinds of simple satisfaction when you're using them. 

Satan's own box grater

Cuisipro 4 Sided Box Grater, Regular, Stainless Steel

This thing is fantastic. If you're not careful, it'll grate off your fingertips. I was frustrated by my dull graters (three of 'em) and went on the hunt. This is the result. Read more about this box grater right here. 

Measure...

OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups with Magnetic Snaps 

If you've ever had dry-measuring cups on a ring in the drawer, you know how annoying they can be. Ring be gone! The magnets on the handles keep everything together and organized. It's a small thing, and I love it. See them on Amazon here.

By measure...

OXO Good Grips 4 Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons with Magnetic Snaps

Just like with the measuring cups, measuring spoons on a ring get all wonky and make a mess in the drawer. No ring! More magnetic snaps! It's hard to believe that something so simple is so gratifying. More product info here. 

By easy-to-read measure.

OXO Easy-Read Angled Liquid Measuring Cup

Again, so ingeniously simple: a measuring cup that's readable while you're looking down into it. Precision when measuring water for dough is far easier with one of these. Click here to see more. 

It's too darn hot--or is it?

Etekcity Infrared Thermometer

​At under 25 bucks, this is the best tool at the most reasonable price imaginable. Its' invaluable for determining temperature of the baking surface, but for dough ingredients (like flour and water) and anything else randomly around the house that I might be curious about. I've even used it to determine if the air conditioning is working by measuring the temperature of the air coming out of the vents. Click here to read more.

Wiped out, up and sideways

Royal 14 x 25-Inch Classic Kitchen Cotton Towels, White with Blue Stripe (15 Pack)
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The other night, my wife was using one of these, sighed and exclaimed, "I love these towels!" I've said the same thing. These white kitchen towels are soft, absorbent, and can be a great alternative to ripping of a sheet of paper towel. You can launder them to use again and again. They hold up well. And bought in this pack, as of this writing, each towel costs less than a buck and a half. Click here to see on Amazon.

Pinch of steel...

8Pcs x 3.2-inch Pinch Bowl Set
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Mis en place is your friend. It prevents mistakes. And I love my stainless steel pinch bowls. When you're doing a pizza party and you have five pizzas planned, a place for each of your toppings is invaluable. For product info, click here.

Or pinch of ceramic

12 Pack 3 oz Ceramic Pinch Bowls

Ceramic pinch bowls are also nice. What I like about the square ones is the line up better on the counter. They can be more orderly. I use a mix of these and the round steel ones. Click here to see on Amazon. 

Weighing in...

Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Digital Kitchen Scale

If you've read my book, you know I tell you to not weight ingredients. But there will come a time when you realize the digital kitchen scale is your friend. This one is dirt cheap and works well. For more info, click here. 

...at every level.

GDEALER Precise Digital Kitchen Gram Scale 

The challenge bigger scales is they don't weight tiny amounts with accuracy. Trying to weight out a gram of yeast? A precision scale helps. I like this one for the same reason I like the bigger one: does the job at a budget price. Click here for more info.

The best pizza is made with the best ingredients. (Again: Simple.)

Flour Power. Yes, we said it.  

Flour seems so simple, and it is until it isn't. The flour recipe that we use in the Free The Pizza! book is a traditional Neapolitan-style dough--until we substitute American all-purpose (AP) flour for Italian Tipo "00" flour. The latter is a very finely milled product that's intended for use in pizza and pasta. American AP is an acceptable substitute as long as you're not trying to follow the strict rules for true Neapolitan pizza. (We're not.)

That said, you might be flour-curious and want to try "00." After a few years of making pizza, I certainly did. And then, there's bread flour--which is higher in protein and is used in Neo-Neapolitan-style and New York-style pizzas. (The Free The Pizza II book about New York pizza is coming soon, and bread flour will be the call there.)

And then, if you're making pizza for someone who has issues with gluten intolerance there are heritage grains that are sometimes easier for folks like that. (This is not medical advice. It's merely repeating a claim made by the millers of such products and some medical sources.) There are some links to those specialty products. 

All in all, for the pizza recipe we use in the Free The Pizza! book, we recommend sticking with AP flour, and organic if possible. Anything other flour here is represented so if you're branching outjust there so you can satisfy your flour curiosity. And all of this is flour that we use or have used in our own pizza. 

King Arthur Organic All-Purpose Flour: My go-to flour for the Free The Pizza! dough recipe 

King Arthur "00" Pizza Flour was a total surprise--and I love what it does! 

King Arthur makes excellent products. This is the flour I always try to buy when it's in stock in my local supermarket. When I'm traveling and I find it wherever I am, I sometimes buy a couple of bags. It's in-demand and often difficult to find. The shopping situation with these flours on Amazon is always fluid. Right now, as of this writing, Amazon has two bags of organic all-purpose that's about the same price as the supermarket--and free shipping with Amazon Prime. Just click here. 

If you want to use this in your Free The Pizza! dough recipe, have at it. But be prepared for a pizza with slightly different character. In my very humid climate, my regular recipe made with this flour came out crunchy, with a tiny, uniform open crumb structure that I never expected. Yes, at a price-per-pound that's slightly higher than King Arthur Organic All-Purpose, it's expensive. (Note that it comes in 3-pound bags, not 5-pound.) But again, as of this writing, the price on Amazon is competitive with the supermarket. To see King Arthur "00" Pizza Flour, click here.

Want to go Italian? 
We get it. We've done it. We don't do it often any more. But if you want to try Caputo 00 flour, the Neapolitan standard in pizza flour, consider the red bag, cuoco or chef's flour. (There's a blue bag of "pizzeria" flour, intended for use in ovens over 700 degrees. That's unlikely to be your home oven.) Buying Caputo in bulk is the most cost effective way. At the time of this writing, a case of 10 bags weighing 2.2 pound each (a total of 22 pounds of flour) cost almost as much as 4 5-pound bags (20 pounds total) of King Arthur organic all-purpose flour in my supermarket. 

There's a first time for everything.
I have never in 20 years of doing pizza recommended a pre-made sauce. Welcome to the exception--and it's an exceptional sauce. That's due in large part to exceptional tomatoes and a minimalist recipe. I keep this in my pantry for the sake of convenience. It's an excellent alternative to homemade sauce. Occasionally, I'll run the immersion blender through it to make it less chunky. And we strongly recommend buying the 8-can case. The single-can price is way too high. (As of this writing, Amazon is the only retailer of this product.)

San Marzanos are the magic tomato from Italy--beware imitations!

These tomatoes are excellent. They taste very bright and have an exceptional pop of flavor. I love them. Here's the thing: you have to be careful. REAL San Marzano tomatoes are not called "San Marzano style tomatoes." And thos are everywhere now. They might be from the same seed, but they don't grow in the volcanic soil of Pompei, which is where the real San Marzanos come from. The real tomatoes have a stamp of approval from the government validating that they are as the label claims. You can find them here, and the price is always competitive with the supermarket where I've occasionally found them.  You can also buy them on Amazon . The price right now seems to reflect supply chain issues. We try to keep tabs on these things. One of our favorite brands is LaValle, which is back in the fair-price ballpark. 

​A domestic premium product that is a worthy substitute for DOP San Marzano tomatoes is the Bianco DiNapoli line.

Whether whole or crushed or fire roasted, these organic tomatoes are great. They're also difficult to find, especially if you don't have a Whole Foods nearby. I often buy my Bianco products through Amazon, usually in six-pack quantities for cost savings. 

I've not yet tried the fire-roasted version of these tomatoes, but I have a can sitting in my pantry waiting for its debut. 

Semolina is your friend...

I first tried semolina after being taken to task on a Facebook group about pizza ovens. I said I'd been using corn meal to dust my peel, and the combined force of the mob came down upon me and encouraged me to try semolina--and am I glad I did. Cornmeal burns in the oven. But semolina just cooks, and it develops this nutty aroma and flavor that's delightful. I heartily encourage semolina for dusting your peel. You can find Bob's Red Mill semolina here. King Arthur also makes a semolina flour. The per-ounce price on Amazon is slightly less than Bob's Red Mill--and you get to buy twice as much! (It's a 3-pound bag against Bob's 1.5-pound bag.) You'll find King Arthur Semolina right here.  

Pizza Books​

Are we ever done learning? There's always more to know and new pizzas to try. These are a few of the books that I happen to like. 

Do not buy Modernist Pizza unless you are insane.

Don't get me wrong. It's awesome. Truly. This is a fantastic book about pizza around the world, its history, and the making of pizza of all types. But it's hardcore, with a price to match. You can click the image and link to it on Amazon, or just click here. But the other, smaller books listed below are much easier to read and use. And the price of those books will same sane relative to this 3-volume pizza beast.  

Other excellent pizza books for the somewhat more modest pizzamaker inside you...
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If you're not ready for the rigors of Modernist Pizza... 

This might be the single most intense book about making pizza that I’ve been exposed to. Yes, I rank Modernist Pizza as awe-inspiring. It’s an epic produced by a group of people. The Joy Of Pizza is just one volume, the brainchild of one pizzaiolo, Dan Richer, who makes pizza for a living at Razza in Jersey City, New Jersey. And the team from Modernist Pizza called the pizza at Razza “astoundingly good,” and said it was one of their most memorable visits to any pizzeria in the world. Dan Richer is clearly an uncompromising professional. He raises the bar on pizza making, and offers you a stringent system complete with rubrics and worksheets. You'll find it on Amazon right here. 
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If you're going to read only one pizza book, this is it...

Peter Reinhart's groundbreaking pizza book, American Pie ​is what made pizza real in my kitchen.
​​Yes, this sounds high-friction. It involves purchasing a book and reading it. Here's the thing: if you love pizza, it's an easy read. It's a fun read. And it's a road trip that follows the evolution of pizza from Naples to New York, New Haven, Chicago, Phoenix and California before ever getting to the details of how to make pizza. You learn the story of why pizza is the way it is. And that anthropology (pizzaiology?) gives you a much more thorough understanding of pizza and how to make it. If you follow no other tip, read this book. You'll be glad you did. It gives you the context you need to make pizza happen. NOTE: Since Mr. Reinhart wrote this book back in 2003, home pizza baking has evolved to higher-heat baking using the broiler. I encourage the broiler. I talk about it here.   To learn more about American Pie, click here to read about it on Amazon.

A world-class book by a world-class guy

Tony Gemignani might be the world’s best known pizzaiolo. He was the first American to win the title of "World Champion Pizza Maker" at the World Pizza Cup in Naples. He’s known for his motto, “Respect the craft.” It's even tattooed on his hands. He may be the world's most prolific pizzamaker. He has many restaurants, and his San Francisco flagship apparently has seven pizza ovens. The Pizza Bible is a book that may home pizzamakers find to be a game changer. I don't find it as intense as Dan Richer’s book, and it covers a broader range of pizza. (The subtitle is, after all: The World's Favorite Pizza Styles, from Neapolitan, Deep-Dish, Wood-Fired, Sicilian, Calzones and Focaccia to New York, New Haven, Detroit, and More.) The Pizza Bible is here on Amazon.​

Big fun at pizza camp with the pizzameister of Fishtown...​

Joe Beddia's book is a no-nonsense pizza guide from a current media darling in the pizza world. That is, if there is such a thing. Chris Bianco of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix is also kind of a celebrity, and some people are buzzing about how Pizzeria Beddia in Philly is the new best pizzeria in America. Joe Beddia says that's just over-hyped. Anyway, he's disarming and his book is a fun read if you like to read cookbooks. It does not replace American Pie, but it does augment it. NOTE: Mr. Beddia advocates using the broiler, as do I. However, he also calls for the pizza stone or steel on the bottom rack, which I question. I prefer it near the top. As I write this, I'm experimenting with different oven locations. (Peter Reinhart wrote American Pie before anyone was talking about the broiler. That's the only challenge I have with what is an otherwise comprehensive guide to pizza.) You'll find Pizza Camp at Amazon right here. 

Silicon Valley tech guy turned pizzamaker​

Ken Forkish is another man very serious about his pizza. He was a Silicon Valley engineer and then a sales guy before turning to his dream job: opening a bakery. The pizzeria soon followed. His attitude in this book seems to strike a balance between The Joy Of Pizza and The Pizza Bible. He’s about precision while also being a realist. If you want to work with biga and try a range of fermentations, he goes there. He offers various specialty doughs. But he also covers what he believes is the “easiest” pizza for the home cook, and offers a range of broad range of recipes. Find The Elements Of Pizza at Amazon by clicking here. 

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If you've never thought about making pan pizza, think again...

A lot of folks will want to argue that this is not pizza. Tough. Pan pizza has a long history of its own, and the Detroit-style pizza scratches a particular itch. I don't make it a lot, but it is really good, it's somewhat easier than traditional pizza, and Peter Reinhart is the guy you want explaining how to make bread products. I love this book. I love the pies I've made by following it. And frankly, it's a genuine crowd pleaser in its own right. (And when you're going to a party, it's easy to bring a pan pizza, re-heat it there, and take your rightful position as a pizza god.) Highly recommended. Click here to read more at Amazon.

And, of course, the simplest of all these books: mine. One good dough recipe. One easy set of instructions. One fun read.

​Yes, this thing. It's different than the others. It's less cookbook and more how-to manual. You can find it at Amazon, or you can download a free sample of it by clicking here.
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"I went from never having baked anything in my life to making an amazing cheese pizza and now I am not interested in boxed or chain store pizzas anymore! Thanks for writing this book!"
--WKS

"Read about this in my local paper and picked it up. My first outing with the oven, the pizza steel and Blaine’s book took place last night. It was AWESOME! Thank you! So much easier than making pizza on my Big Green Egg, and saved me a fortune from buying a wood pizza oven!"
--Frank W.

"Fantastic book for anyone who wants to make great pizza in their own oven. First cookbook I’ve read cover to cover."
--Amazon Customer