the BEST kind of pie...

... is a pizza pie! Pizza is one of my go to meals and one of my favorite foods. While I love all of the amazing pizza that Chicago pizza joints have to offer, there's something about homemade pizza that I usually can't go too long without. We never tire of pizza because there are so many different toppings and sauces. The possibilities are truly endless. Here are six of my favorites homemade pizzas and some basic pizza making tips.

basic dough

1/3 cup of barbeque sauce (I use Masterpiece Original)

1 large chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper, cubed and cooked through

1/4 red onion, chopped finely

2 cups of Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded 

Roll out dough, cook without toppings until slightly browned (5-10 minutes). Top with barbeque sauce, cheese, chicken and red onion. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted.

basic dough

1/2 cup of pizza sauce (Trader Joe's brand is my favorite because of the thickness)

approximately 25 slices of pepperoni

1 cup of fontina cheese, shredded

1 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded

Roll out dough and cook without toppings until slightly browned (5-10 minutes). Top with pizza sauce, cheeses, and pepperoni. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese has melted. 

basic dough

2 cups of fontina cheese

2 cups of arugula (topped with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and pepper)

6 slices of prosciutto 

Roll out dough and cook without toppings until slightly browned (5-10 minutes). Top with cheese and prosciutto and cook an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese has melted. Remove from oven and top with dressed arugula. 

basic dough

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon oregano

1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup of ricotta cheese

Roll out dough and top with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and minced garlic. Cook until dough is slightly browned (about 5-10 minutes). Top dough with mozzarella, ricotta and oregano and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted. 

basic dough

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup of feta, crumbled

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup of artichoke hearts, chopped 

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp oregano, juice of half a lemon

Roll out dough and top with 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic. Cook until slightly browned (5-10 minutes). Top with mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, bell pepper, red onion, artichoke hearts and black olives. Pour half of the dressing over pizza and cook for additional 5 -10 minutes or until cheese has melted. Remove from oven and top with remaining dressing. 

basic dough

1/2 cup of pizza sauce

10 thick slices of fresh mozzarella

1/2 teaspoon of italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

Roll out dough and cook without toppings until slightly browned (5-10 minutes). Top with pizza sauce, cheese and spices. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese has melted. 

A few tips:

1. Start with a HOT oven. I set mine to 450 degrees and wait until it's completely preheated before placing any pizza inside. It's how you get the perfect crust - chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

2. I always cook my pizza dough for a few minutes before adding my toppings (especially for saucy pizzas!). It prevents the dough from getting soggy and makes a nice durable base for all of the toppings.

3. Get a pizza stone! I know that a baking sheet also works just fine, but this pizza stone really changed my life. No sticking, even cooking and best of all - easy cleanup! 

4. My favorite homemade pizza dough recipe is this one (but I use regular all purpose flour). If you're looking for the store bough variety, Trader Joe's and Pillsbury are my favorites. 

What's your favorite kind of pizza?
I'm always looking for new combinations to try!