I ♥ PIZZA

Anyone who knows me well knows that one of my favorite things to eat is pizza.  I love it so much, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... everyday!  I never get tired of it, which is kinda funny, because when I was little, I wasn't that crazy about it, in fact, I didn't really care for it at all.  Except for home-made pizza, now that was a different story.  When I was little, my family had pizza night every Friday.  My mom bought frozen pizza dough from the local grocery store, and let it rise on the counter-top during the day.  When everyone met up at home at the end of the day, the dough was ready to be rolled, we would chop the veggies, unwrap the pepperoni, grate the cheese and prepare the other toppings.  Sometimes there was dough leftover so my dad would make fresh Parmesan bread sticks.  Hmmm, so good!  My parents have pizza night still to this day, and when I'm visiting them in Québec, I always look forward to it. 

Making pizza is super easy and it's a great way to get the family around the table, and enjoy a meal together.  If you don't have time to make your own dough, or still haven't mastered it yet (like me), no problem, there are plenty of other options that are just as delicious. With pizza, you really don't need a recipe, and that's part of the fun, so today, I'm just giving you some tips on how to make the perfect pizza at home.

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  A hot oven is the key to great crust and bubbly cheese.

2) For the dough, try using large whole wheat pita bread.  There's a store near my apartment that sells pizza-size pita bread, which works wonderfully.  If you can't find the large ones, use the small ones, which are great for individual pizzas.  You can also use naan bread or store-bought thin pizza crust.

3) Keep the toppings to a minimum, otherwise your pizza will get soggy in the oven if you load it with too much sauce and alot of veggies, and it won't cook evenly.  Keep it simple, a good rule of thumb is 3 - 4 toppings including the cheese.

4) Cook or grill your veggies first.  This will add flavour to your pizza and minimize moisture.  For example, try grilling thinly sliced zucchini or peppers or sautéing mushrooms with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

5) Easy on the cheese.  More doesn't necessarily mean better.  Spread it lightly and evenly.  To bring it to another level, use goat cheese or crumbled feta cheese.

6)  Top your freshly baked pizza with fresh herbs like basil or add a peppery flavour with a handful of fresh arugula.

7) Enjoy while it's hot and with a glass of wine! Yum

Photography by: Melissa LeBlanc