Secret ingredient: the pizza stone
It has taken a long time, especially compared to the countries around us, but we are finally entering the age of artisanal pizza. Time to get your pizza-gear in order. Essential for this: the pizza stone for the ultimate crispy crust.
Discussions about types of flour, whether or not to use oil, and yeast are rife among pizza makers. But there is one thing they all agree on: the pizza stone.
Anyone without a stone oven needs a pizza stone. Period. (and you can buy them here)
Terracotta
A pizza stone is nothing more than a porous, unglazed and heat-resistant piece of stone, such as terracotta, that fits in your oven. It ensures that the heat is distributed evenly, which is necessary for baking the ultimate crispy pizza crust.
Porous is the key word here, because thanks to the stone’s ‘hole structure’, excess moisture is drawn out of the pizza. Ergo: crispy crust.
No oil!
And no—I repeat, no—oil, butter or other fat is needed on the stone. On the contrary, they ruin both pizza and stone. It is important, however, that the stone is as hot as possible. Heat the stone up together with the oven; do not put a cold stone in a hot oven.
Even meat and fish do well on the pizza stone. Think: tabletop grilling.
And because the stone gets so hot, you should also let it cool down slowly in the oven after use. Never rinse a hot stone under the cold-water tap if you want it to remain intact.
Putty knife
Also important: never wash the pizza stone with dish soap. Instead, scrape off any burnt-on residue with a putty knife and then rinse the cooled stone under the warm-water tap at most.
This is what you drink with your pizza
Pizza turns out perfectly on a pizza stone, but you can actually place all kinds of bread-based foods on it. From croissants to a sourdough loaf and quiche. Even meat and fish do well on the stone. Think: tabletop grilling.
Paving tile
If you like a food hack, don’t go to the kitchenware shop to shell out a few dozen euros for a stone, possibly with handles. Instead, head to a DIY store for a paving tile or earthenware tile. Have it cut to the right oven size and you have your pizza stone.
