Perhaps this week’s Works for Me Wednesday post should actually be called “My husband can make pizza and so can you!”
Since my hand has been all wrapped up since I had surgery last week, my husband has been helping out and filling in for me in the kitchen. He’s good like that!
Last Friday, after my surgery, he decided that he would make pizza for lunch with the leftover homemade dough that I had in the fridge. Not only did he make pizza, but he baked it on my pizza stone! I did my best to give instructions, and Yellowdog supervised the whole operation (and cleaned up the cheese scraps that fell on the floor!).
As he was assembling the pizza, I decided to snap a few pictures with the point and shoot camera (since I couldn’t manage to hold the DSLR). Originally I just thought I would document the experience, and possibly get a Project 365 photo out of it, but as I was snapping away, I realized that it would actually make a great blog post!
If you ask me, there’s no better way to bake a pizza than to bake it on a stone in your oven. It’s the next best thing to a wood burning pizza oven. But, trying to get the pizza on and off of the stone can be tricky at times… That is, unless you use parchment paper!
I know that I did not come up with the parchment paper trick on my own, so I can’t take full credit for this one… But, I also have no idea where I first heard it. Either way, it’s definitely the way to go when making pizza at home.
Simply place a piece of parchment paper on top of your pizza peel and assemble your pizza. Then, transfer the pizza (parchment paper and all) onto your preheated pizza stone (I usually heat the oven to about 475°) and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. When the pizza is done, simply slide it back onto the pizza peel. You can slice and serve right off of the parchment paper on the peel! No mess, no fuss… And, most importantly, no burnt pizza stuck to your pizza stone or the bottom of your oven!
And, don’t forget… If my hubby can make pizza, so can you!
Aw, yay for hubby! There is an on-going and friendly rivalry about who makes the best pizza in our house. I’m minimalist in that I only use a few ingredients very well and hubby loads on everything he can get his mitts on for the messiest pizza ever. I don’t have a stone (I have pizza screens) but my mom does and I will definitely pass on such a great tip!
I make home-made pizza regularly here and have yet to get myself a pizza stone. Next item on my list of *must haves* after reading your post. I think your husband’s pizza looks wonderful and just love the shots of Yellowdog. His beautiful face is so full of hope as he looks up at the counter.
I always make pizza on parchment – but I don’t have a stone. Instead, I put the baking sheets in the oven to heat up while I’m assembling the pizzas. Then I take the hot baking sheet out of the oven, slide the pizza (on the parchment) right onto the hot sheet from the counter, and bake. It crisps the bottom crust much better than baking the pizza on a cold sheet.
However, I’m not sure I would leave the process to MY husband…. :)
I use parchment for all my baking needs lately. Love how it just lets my food slide right off :)
My husband cannot even make rice so I’m pretty sure he can’t make pizza. :) I heat my oven as hot as it will go for pizza and I’m afraid the parchment would catch fire. I take it that did not happen to you? I do find the whole cornmeal flouring of the peel to not work all that well. Get better hand!
Good luck with the surgery recovery! Yikes. Pizza looks great.
Yum! Homemade pizza. It looks wonderful. Good job by the hubby!
Ha ha! I love this….“My husband can make pizza and so can you!”
This is so smart! I never thought about using parchment. I gave up trying to slide dough onto our pizza stone. I can’t WAIT to try this!!!
No hubby here to put to work but an idea I’m good with using…makes it so simple! I thought it was a dough trick but I have the simplest dough trick in the world. I buy it fresh from a local pizza shop!
Yellowdog is running the show in the kitchen! When I have a kitchen one day, I may need to invest in the stone. It looks great and kudos to your husband!
I love homemade pizza! We make it all of the time! I hope you are feeling better!
GREAT tip!! That is such a fantastic suggestion!!
I am a huge fan of homemade pizza..where the entire family can help make dinner! Love the dogs pics! Hope you are feeling better, Jen! :)
I love the parchment paper idea but I need help getting my hubby in the kitchen!
Now I want pizza! ;)
I agree. Pizza is best made on a stone and it really is difficult sometimes to get it on the stone without the parchment. I usually pre-bake the crust on the parchment/stone for about 5 minutes then top the pizza and it slips back onto the stone without the parchment.
I’ve been away from my favorite blogs for way too long. I had no idea you had surgery Jen. I hope you’re recovering and all is going well. ((HUGS))
Nothing better that homemade pizza, it’s one of our favorite Friday night dinners. I keep meaning to get a pizza stone and I LOVE your parchment tip!
What a fantastic idea; I can’t believe I’ve never thought of doing that! It’ll be so much easier to clean up now when we make pizza. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so proud of your hubby! How are you feeling? I hope you are on the mend and doing well!
Pizza is one of our favorite things to make. So easy and so much fun!
We use the parchment trick too, though we don’t have a pizza peel so it’s a bit more tricky. Still works though and definitely keeps things neater! Hope your hand is healing well :)
What a fabulous idea! I’m for anything that makes it easier to get pizza into my mouth :) Hope you’re feeling better quick!
Love this recipe and love that I can just make it on parchment!
I got a pizza stone for Christmas and kept wondering and wondering how I was going to get the pizza to the stone… so thank you!
Yay Darron and Yellowdog for looking after you! That pizza looks amazing!
Parchment does not work my pizza is stuck on it right now… I’m so PO my kids have to have eggs now.
Hi, Larissa – I am sorry it didn’t work for you! I use parchment for my pizza once a week and have been for years without any issue. Are you cooking on a pizza stone? And, are you sure you used parchment and not wax paper?