Destination Pizzerias Around The U.S.

November 15, 2012 By balfour

Here in the United States, pizza is something that many people have strong opinions about. Everybody has a favorite style — from traditional thin crust, New York style, to deep dish Chicago style. If you're a true pizza fan, and want to know where to get the very best, here are a few pizza places that stand out among the crowd.

DiFara’s, Brooklyn, New York
It is a bit of a long train ride out to DiFara’s from center city, but generations of pizza lovers will tell you it’s well worth it. Fabulously toothsome, thin crust pies are topped with a tangy sauce, rounds of fresh mozzarella, and enhanced with herbs from the store’s window garden.

Frank Pepe, New Haven, Connecticut
The classic “tomato pie” of New Haven is an area delicacy that you won’t find anywhere else in the nation. The delicious crust is the foundation for a mild, chunky tomato sauce that just needs a little grated Romano to really impress.

Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles, California
Famed chef Mario Batali is the man behind the menu at this upscale L.A. pizzeria, and, as you would expect, the pies are stellar. The crust is fluffy and balloons up to support outrageous toppings like squash blossoms and fresh burrata.

Al Forno, Providence, Rhode Island
Al Forno first opened its doors in 1980, and specializes in pies that barely stray from flatbread territory but still satisfy. Pizzas here are cooked on a grill and topped with fresh ingredients sourced from local providers.

Pizzeria Blanco, Phoenix, Arizona
You probably wouldn’t expect to find some of the best pies in the United States in Arizona, but the world is full of wonderful surprises. Chef Chris Bianco makes all his crusts with top-notch organic flour, and then fires them in a gorgeous wood-fired oven. Pizza are topped with awesome ingredients that provide outstanding flavor combinations.

By Jonathunder (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Easy Homemade Pizza Crust

September 13, 2012 By balfour

Homemade pizza dough can seem intimidating, but with this simple recipe, you'll be whipping up homemade pies in no time! This recipe yields one large crust that will serve several hungry pizza lovers. Get creative and add your favorite toppings for a perfect pizza night with family and friends at home at Travis AFB Homes.

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.

3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.

5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the pizza is cooked, allow it to sit for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with a side salad for a completely delicious dinner!

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

By David Joyce from Gray, TN, United States (Pizza!Uploaded by rl) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.