# Monday Night Pizzas



## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

I took Monday off to spend some time with the Kids and relax after a few crazy weeks of work. Recently I've been all about making my own pizzas at home. These came out the best I've ever made! I made the dough early in the morning and added some extra yeast and honey to give it a nice flavor. Let the dough rise for 5 hours then started making the pizzas. I don't have a pizza stone at home so I lined the bottom rack of my oven with clay bricks and heat them up to 550 for a good 30 minutes before putting the pizza's in. This way the bricks cook the bottom crust and give it a nice golden finish. Once out of the oven, I put a bit of olive oil on the crust and serve hot! Check out some of the beauties below:

Beef and Bell pepper pizza:









BBQ Chicken Pizza - Best BBQ Sauce in town is Sweet Baby Rays! Forget the kraft stuff, Baby Ray's crushes all others.









Spinach Artichoke and Roasted Garlic Pizza - This was everyones favorite by far - No Sauce - only cheese, and garlic on the crust followed up with more cheese spinach and artichoke on top followed up with grated asiago cheese:


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## reddog1 (May 3, 2003)

Nice. I make my own pizzas every Friday for the wife and I. I do mine on the grill on a pizza stone. Gives it a nice smoky flavor and you also can add a smoke box to give it extra flavor. You are right on though since the key to making pizza is a hot oven.


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## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

Nice Reddog! How big of a pizza stone do you have? Also does the grill retain enough heat to cook them all the way through and crisp up the crust? I thought about lining my grill up with the clay bricks to test it out; however haven't had the opportunity to try that just yet. Also - smokebox idea sounds wicked! Does the flavor permeate the crust as well?


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## wdbrand (May 24, 2007)

akhan, a large square of natural, smooth quarry tile, no glaze, is said to do the same thing. Alot cheaper than a pizza stone at any big box[Lowes, Home Depot] carries them in the tile section.


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## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks WD - Does the quarry tile hold up to high temps fairly well? I have heard of using granite blocks as they hold heat real well and don't crack with heat, they are also fairly thick and heavy. Might have to pay Home Depot a visit this weekend for the next project.


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## reddog1 (May 3, 2003)

The tile should hold up to the temps so long as you don't heat and cool it too quickly (place it on a hot grill or remove it from the grill when hot). Yes the smoke does get into the crust. It is just like eating a pizza from a brick oven pizzeria in my opinion. I like the grill as well because you can crisp it up better and don;'t have to worry about the crust burning and setting off the smoke alarms. I use my grill for pizza all year round even in 20 degree temps, just takes a bit longer to heat up but I put all burners on full blast (every time I make pizza) and the pizza cooks in 10-15 min. Also if you happen to have a rotisserie burner on your grill that helps crisp the top better but it is not necessary.


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## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

Okay cool - That is on my to do list now. Once I make the Pizza on the grill, I will post pictures of the results. BTW Homemade dough crushes Domino's or Pizza Hut any day - my wife said that she liked my pizza better than any of the big chains she has gone to before.


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## Vinnx (Nov 11, 2012)

Ooooo man, that looks delicious. 

I've used frozen Pizza dough from Whole Foods before for those day's you just don't have time to make it from scratch, they came in like these large dough balls and you got to buy organic so it's not riddled with fillers. Comes out pretty good, way better then chains..


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## sudshunter (Jan 20, 2008)

they look awesome...


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## Paymaster (Jan 22, 2009)

Pizza looks fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## reddog1 (May 3, 2003)

Vinnx, the dough is easy to make at home especially if you have a bread machine. I do it every week.


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## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks guys - Vinnx, def. easy to make the dough. You get to control sweetness and level of yeast as well! I winged the recipe; however next time I make it I will be sure to write down the ingredients properly. Reddog - I am going to pick up the Quarry tiles for another round this weekend. Also now that the weather is right; I think pizza on the grill is going to be on the menu!


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## Vinnx (Nov 11, 2012)

I've made the dough before.. I agree it's not that difficult, it's just the waiting for the rise that kills me lol.


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## reddog1 (May 3, 2003)

Actually, I don't let my dough rise. I put it in the bread machine and let it run its cycle, roughly 45 min and then use the dough. It still rises when cooked. Also, the best way to do it is to make the dough the night before and refrigerate overnight. That is how they do it in the pizzeria's.


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## ORF Pete (Sep 26, 2009)

Man those look great, especially the top one. The crust looks perfect on all of them. I've got a bread machine and a pizza stone I need to start putting to use!


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

They look great.


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