Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pizza

Gluten free pizza in Portland?

mattbucher — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:47:47 -0800

Can you recommend a pizza place in Portland, Oregon, that has gluten-free options? I am just visiting Portland, so I don't know many places to eat. My son cannot eat gluten, but I'm craving pizza. Are there any pizza joints in town that offer gluten-free dough? Thanks!

Is there an easy recipe for wheat free pizza crust?

firemonkey — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:41:12 -0800

Is there such thing as an easy, wheat-free pizza crust recipe? My husband is allergic to wheat, not just gluten, wheat. Does there exist a pizza crust recipe that is a)easy to make and b) entirely wheat/gluten free? Thanks!

You ate ALL MY PIZZA!

contessa — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:58:49 -0800

Is there a mathematical, economic, logical or game-theory name/description for the following scenario? Let's say you have two pairs of people: Pair A and Pair B.

Both pairs are ordering pizza. Pair A will not eat meat toppings, whereas Pair B wants meat toppings. Collectively all four decide to order two pizzas: one with no meat toppings (pizza #1) and one with meat toppings (pizza #2).

When the pizzas arrive, Pair A of course will only eat pizza #1. But Pair B are not committed carnivores; in addition to pizza #2 (which only they prefer) they also want to eat slices from pizza #1.

At the end of the meal, Pair A have had to struggle to get a "fair" share of pizza #1, whereas Pair B have helped themselves to both pizzas.

What's this called? (Besides "being jerks"?)

Help me recreate Chicken Verde Pizza!

JannaK — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:47:06 -0800

I had the world's most delicious Chicken Verde pizza at Cafe Brasil in Houston last week and want to know what was on it (namely, which herbs). Any Houstonians able to help me out? Menu and Googling haven't helped, and I'm no longer in Houston to go back and inquire. There was chicken, some sort of Mexican cheese and then what looked like basil and parsley, but didn't taste like either. Lemon juice was added too, if I remember correctly.

I'm dying to re-create this pizza, but don't know where to start.

Feeding a focus group: 29 advance registrants = x pizzas?

zepheria — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:06:27 -0800

I need to order pizza for a focus group of undergraduate students meeting at lunchtime. 29 students have signed up in advance (+3 facilitators), but I expect fewer to actually show up; the meeting is voluntary but some will receive extra credit in class for attending. How many 16" pizzas should I order? (and I'll give you extra credit if you can suggest a good ratio of vegetarian pies to meat-bearing pies!)

Thanks!!

Used Pizza Oven?

furiousxgeorge — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:40:39 -0800

How much would you expect to pay for a used restaurant quality pizza oven? Where would you look for such a thing?

How do I prevent pizza dough from forming big gas bubbles in the oven?

markcmyers — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:14:44 -0800

How do I prevent pizza dough from forming big gas bubbles in the oven?

How effective is dabbing a pizza slice with a napkin?

1001 questions — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:25:32 -0800

How effective is dabbing pizza with a napkin in terms of reducing total grease content? I realize there are a number of variables here, but in general I was curious how effective dabbing pizza with napkin is. I often eat pizza and seldom dab, but I watch people do a bit of dabbing and sometimes they act as if they suddenly reduced 75% of the fat content in the slice. How much fat am I removing by doin' the dab?

Can you deliver to a kayak?

fnerg — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:33:55 -0800

Does anyone remember a documentary, or show on PBS about someone researching an old kayak design, where the people doing the building paddled around Manhattan Island? This probably would have been at least 20 years ago. A highlight was the paddlers ordering a pizza delivery mid-paddle, receiving it on a dock, and eating on their kayaks.

The design in question was one where there was a projecty bit below the prow that some really old Aleutian Kayaks had that apparently made the kayak a bit faster, or a bit more stable.

I'd really like to watch it again, but of course the first step would be to figure out what it was called.

Where can I get soy pepperoni?

HappyEngineer — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:27:36 -0800

Where can I get soy pepperoni? Neither Whole Foods nor Trader Joe's seems to have it. Can I buy it online somewhere? Alternatively, if anyone knows of any other type of pepperoni which has no cholesterol then I'd be interested in that. I enjoy eating my cholesterol free sausage pizzas, but I miss pepperoni.

Hands-on Cooking Classes in NYC

reticulatedspline — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:26:18 -0800

Where can I find hands-on and *cheap* cooking classes in New York? When I left my last job my coworkers, knowing that I'm a pretty avid amateur chef, chipped in to buy me a cooking class at the Astor Cooking Center. It was a hands-on pizza making class taught by professional pizza chef Mark Bello. He took us through every step of the process: prepping the yeast, mixing the dough, making the sauce, shaping the crust, topping it, baking it (and eating it). Each step he showed us exactly what to do, what could go wrong, how to fix it if it did, techniques for doing it even better, etc. Making good pizza from scratch in your home oven is pretty hard, as I know from previous experience. But by the end of the class I could reliably produce perfect thin crust pizza, something which my friends take advantage of repeatedly to this day.

I'd love to take more classes like this, but unfortunately Astor is pretty expensive. Classes start at around $150. Plus most of their classes center around wine tasting, something I've never really gotten into. Their only other class which would appeal to me is a pasta making workshop which is $175, and spots are generally sold out within a few days of it being posted anyway.

I've looked elsewhere for cooking classes, but haven't found anything that appeals to me. Many are much more expensive than I'm looking for (I wouldn't have ever taken the Astor one if it hadn't been a gift), not hands-on (i.e. you sit and listen to someone talk and demonstrate the recipe rather than actually doing it with them), or not something where you actually produce something.

I'm not interested in classes about knife skills, concepts of taste, the stations in a professional kitchen, basics of cooking, Q&A sessions with professional chefs, or classes about wine pairing or drink mixing.

My ideal class focuses on a particular dish or type of dish, and involves me spending a couple of hours working closely with a professional chef, learning everything there is to learn about how to perfectly prepare it, actually producing it in class alongside the chef with their guidance, and leaving with a newly perfected skill.

And I want to not pay more than, say, $100 per class, max.

Anyone have any suggestions for places I could find other classes like this in New York? Do they even exist?

Atsa soggy pizza!

happy scrappy — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:57:15 -0800

What's the best way to reheat a pizza? My husband made a delicious pizza last night, and we want to eat the leftovers tonight. The crust was homemade (traditional yeast-based crust, which came out just a little tough but not bad), sauce was canned, toppings were mozzarella, feta, sliced tomatoes and mushrooms. It was cooked in a pizza pan -- we don't have a pizza stone.

My normal method of reheating pizza is to wrap it in foil and put it in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes. However, I'm concerned that the sliced tomatoes will make it soggy if I use this method. Would it be all right if I just opened the foil a little to let steam escape? Any other tried-and-true methods I might try?

This question is a bit time-sensitive -- I need an answer within the next 5 hours. Thanks in advance!

How to I construct and operate the most environmentally friendly wood burning pizza oven?

FearAndLoathingInLJ — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:23:44 -0800

How do I reconcile operating a wood burning pizza oven with environmental friendliness? I am as environmentally conscious as the next guy, likely more so, but to make pizza the Neapolitan way, one requires a wood burning oven. What steps can I take in the construction and operation of my oven to reduce the environmental impact?

I know there are carbon credits and things like that, but I'd prefer a reasonable solution that deals with the fuel or exhaust or trapping or something like that.

Pizza Bella, pizza bellissimo

unSane — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:01:40 -0800

What pizzas were on the menu at Pizza Bella in Crouch End, London, during the 1990s? I lived in Crouch End, London for most of the 1990s. During that time I ate hundreds of delivery pizzas from Pizza Bella. They were the best pizzas I ever ate, and had some inventive combinations of ingredients... gorgonzola and anchovies... egg and spinach. Now I would like to make my own versions but I can't for the life of me remember the exact menu. I know there was one called the 'Alba', a good four seasons, a fishy one, a Florentine. But what were they?

(I think Pizza Bella still exists but is under new management and the menu may have changed... in any case I can't find it online).

Any help/memories most welcome. The ones I really miss are the Alba and the one with the egg, but I can't remember what they were!

Toppings for a cheeseless pizza.

MaryDellamorte — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:03:47 -0800

What do you like to put on your cheeseless pizza? I'm not too creative when it comes to cooking and I usually eat my pizzas with tomato sauce, tomato, pineapple, and spinach...sometimes with basil. It seems to be a really good combination. What other unique combinations are good on a pizza without cheese?

Please do not include anything with meat, dairy, butter, mushrooms, onions or peppers. I'm not really a big fan of vegan cheeses since they usually wreak havoc on my stomach. I'm pretty open-minded otherwise.

Tell me about great pizza

edmz — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:46:19 -0800

Tell me all about your favorite pizzas/pizzerias. I'm helping a friend come up with fresh ideas for his pizzeria. And what better way to find out how people eat pizza in other latitudes.

So, please, tell me about what is great or special about the pizzas you love or what makes you go back to your local pizzeria.

Don't limit yourself to toppings. I'm also interested in ways pizzerias serve the pizza, the shape of it, if they put anything to the bread/dough or what people put on top of it (dressings/sauces/etc).

New York-style pizza in Chicago?

korpios — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:55:11 -0800

Where can we find New York-style pizza in Chicago? My wife and I have been living here in Chicago for almost a year now; being originally from New York, we're thoroughly sick of what passes here for "pizza". :p Can anyone (especially ex-New Yorkers) offer a clue? This is essentially the converse of this question.

We've tried Chicago pizza several times, both in deep-dish and thin varieties, and it hasn't grown on us. (If anything, I'm getting more annoyed at how awful it is each time I have it.) I do, however, quite enjoy Chicago-style hot dogs (minus the sport peppers, perhaps substituted with giardiniera), so at least it isn't a total loss. ;-)

Made-in-advance cracker-like pizza crust recipes?

sdis — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:08:17 -0800

Quick Pizza: What is the fastest way that I can have a pizza-resembling thing in my mouth without buying anything premade? Rules allow for pre-making things at home, as long as those things keep and don't take up too much space. Last passover time, I had a box of matzo in the house and realized that if I dumped tomato sauce and cheese on top of a matzo, and stuck that in the toaster for 5 minutes, suddenly I had a pizza-resembling thing in my mouth that tasted awesome and took care of lunch. Unfortunately, matzo is *really* *expensive* out here.

So, basically, I could use some pre-made crust/large cracker recipes that are good and don't get stale rapidly (I.e., where I could spend a sunday and make enough crusts for 2 weeks, and at the end of the 2nd week, they're still actually usable). Bonus points for not requiring refrigeration/freezing (our fridge/freezer is 4 feet tall, total).

Thanks!

Like Chuck E. Cheese for twentysomethings.

Help, I can't stop talking! — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:43:16 -0800

Where can I throw a pizza dance party in NYC? My boyfriend's birthday is a month away. I want to throw him a party. When I asked him what he'd like, he said, "a pizza dance party, though I don't know where we could make that happen." If possible, I'd like to surprise him with exactly such an event.

Basically, I'm looking for a place in New York with a dance floor (and dance music) that will also serve us pizza. Or, barring that, a place with a dance floor that wouldn't mind if we had pizza delivered. Ideally, it wouldn't be hugely crowded, and it would be gay friendly. I'm on a budget, so I'd prefer to just show up somewhere rather than rent a room or a section of a bar or something.

Any ideas?

Is there fresh & tasty pizza in Westchester County?

Four-Eyed Girl — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:18:22 -0800

Where can I find fresh & tasty made-to-order pizza in the Mamaroneck/Rye/Larchmont, NY area? I recently moved to Mamaroneck, and I'd love to find some great fresh made-to-order pizza. Non-thick crust is preferable.

Please do not suggest a pizza place that fits the following description: The (usually cheese) pizza is already cooked when upon entry, the toppings are placed on the pizza when you order, and then the slice is re-heated. The only pizza places I've been to since moving to NY have been of this variety, and they have not been very good.

Princeton old-school Italian?

brujita — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:01:03 -0800

Princeton, NJ area mefites: What would you recommend for the best independent red-sauce Italian/pizza place?

Your favorite tomatoes suck.

bondcliff — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:16:44 -0800

Help me find the tomatoes Bertucci’s uses on their pizza or at least a close approximation. I think I make a pretty decent pizza at home. I’ve got the dough / crust down, cheese is a no-brainer, but the weak link is the sauce / tomatoes. I’ve been looking for a certain taste, a taste that Bertucci’s (A brick-oven pizza chain in the Northeast U.S.) gets in their tomatoes. I can only describe the taste as “bright.” There’s no acidic taste, just a very fresh tomato-ish flavor. If memory serves me well, Pizzeria Regina (the chain, I’ve sadly never eaten at the original) gets a similar fresh taste.

I believe when it comes to pizza simplicity is best. I usually use crushed San Marzano tomatoes and while tasty, they still don’t match up to the taste from Bertucci’s. I asked at a restaurant once and was told they use “Bertucci’s brand.” Certainly someone else makes these tomatoes.

As far as I can tell their “sauce” is just crushed tomatoes, which is what I prefer to use with maybe a little fresh basil. Is it a technique? The brick oven certainly helps the crust but I don’t think that’s the secret to the tomato flavor. Do they add a bucket of High Fructose Corn Syrup to every pizza?

I’ve used 6-in-1 brand tomatoes, which the pizza nazis on the pizza nerd forums suggest because they don’t add citric acid or something like that. These were ok, but not what I’m looking for. I’ve tried several other brands as well. I’ve done all manner of fresh (including direct from the garden), I’ve tried adding sugar, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, etc. I’ve tried roasting the tomatoes ahead of time. I’ve made elaborate sauces and I’ve used nothing but sliced fresh tomateos. They all make a great product but I’ve still never been able to achieve the flavor I’m after.

I’ve seen that amazingly detailed site where the guy explains the steps he goes through to make a pizza. Great site but I know how to make a pizza already.

Please note I’m not looking for Your Favorite Sauce Recipe or your opinion of Bertucci’s pizza. I’m aware there are better pizzas around.

A free slice from Pizzeria Bondacliffo to whoever can find me these tomatoes.

Top my homemade pizza

nitsuj — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:19:56 -0800

What are some good, unique pizza toppings? I make homemade pizza about once a week. I've got the dough/crust down, but I'm getting bored with the standard selection of toppings. What are some interesting, del.icio.us combinations I can experiment with?

Is it possible for gluten to transfer into the air and harm a celiacs sufferer?

isopropyl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:24:02 -0800

Is it possible for gluten to transfer into the air and harm a celiacs sufferer? I work at a pizza franchise and they use a semolina and flour based product to coat the dough for tossing and prepping. I was recently diagnosed with celiacs disease and I'm trying to figure out if this could be adding to my continuous health problems. Could the gluten transfer to the air and be harmful to me through my lungs instead of my stomach? The manager did inform me that the flour and semolina is constantly in the air and ventilation because of the high volume of pizza tossing flour flying everywhere.

I want my home-made microwave foods to be crisp, but how?

vytae — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:50:51 -0800

I want relatively crisp reheated food from the microwave. Can can I buy or make something to do this for me, like that silvery-coated paperboard that comes with frozen foods? Many bread-related frozen foods come with microwave crisping devices - frozen personal pizzas have round trays, hot pockets have wrap-around sleeves, and Lean Cuisine paninis come with the "revolutionary grilling tray". I know I can put together a healthier, cheaper melt sandwich or mini pizza if I make it myself, but the only source of heat in my office kitchen is a microwave. Without the magic crisper thing, I get soggy, unappetizing food.

Using google I've discovered that these coated paperboard things are called "susceptors" and I've found a couple companies that manufacture them for the food industry, but so far nobody seems to sell them directly to the consumer. Do you know where I could buy them? Or, can I make something at home to help crisp up my microwaved foods? I would experiment with aluminum foil, but I'm nervous about setting my kitchen on fire.

I've seen the Waveware Microwave Crisping Dish, but the reviews don't inspire much confidence. If you know anything more about this or similar products, I'd love to hear it.