Equipment

Pizza Stone

If you are going to make pizza regularly (and you should – it’s really healthy), then buy a pizza stone. These come in both round and rectangular shapes and are made with everything from ceramic to clay to different mixtures of cement. The latter appears to be more durable (I have broken more than a few ceramic pizza stones).

Place the stone in a cold oven and set the temperature to 500°F. It will take about 20 minutes to heat the oven and stone together. I generally place my shaped pizza dough directly on the stone and then add the toppings. You can use a peel (the large paddle you see in pizza restaurants) and assemble the pizza prior to sliding it onto the stone.

By using a pizza stone, the heat will be transferred evenly to your pizza, crisping the crust. Over time, the stone will darken. When you are done cooking, simply shut off the oven and let the stone cool. I don’t use water on mine but simply brush it off or use a spatula to scrape off anything that has stuck to the stone.

Dr. Gourmet Recommends: If you have limited space, the smaller round pizza stone will work well. If you live in a small apartment, it will be easy to store and it will fit fine in smaller ovens.

I use a larger and heavier stone like this one. It's a little more expensive but makes fine pizza. You can squeeze three small pizzas on the stone easily. Seriously, these are great pans and seasoning them is so easy. Just check out the instructions above.