Great homemade pizza <i>can</i> happen at home

Ever thought great homemade pizza was possible? It is! And the trick? Well, beyond a good dough and sauce, it’s about tweaking your oven to get the heat just right. I did a story a few years back on homemade pizza:

“There are many components that go into a great pizza, and opinions vary as to what they are. But any pizza lover will agree that you can’t bake one without a super-hot oven, and you can’t replicate the effects of a great pizzeria oven with a standard home model -- even with a pizza stone or ceramic tiles. A home oven simply can’t reach the right temperature or mimic the necessary radiant heat.

“Short of remodeling your kitchen or constructing a wood-fired brick oven in your backyard (that’s assuming you have a backyard, and the necessary permits), great homemade pizza is just not going to happen at home. You’re better off keeping your favorite takeout number on speed-dial when you’re craving a great pie in the sweet comfort of your living room.

Photos: Making pizza at home

“At least that’s what I’d always thought. Boy, was I wrong.

“For about $15 worth of brick and a few ceramic tiles or a pizza stone, even great pizza is possible at home. That and a bit of an odyssey -- well, for me at least.”

Continue reading the story for tips and a breakdown of what I learned. Then give it a try, customizing your homemade pies to suit your tastes. Did I mention it makes a great weekend project?

Check out these links for how-to tips on converting your oven, as well as some homemade pizza recipes:

• Convert your range into a pizza oven
• A pizza parlor in your kitchen
• Recipe: Basic pizza dough
• Recipe: Pizza Margherita
• Recipe: Potato pizza
• Photos: Making a brick-oven pizza in your own home

If you have any kitchen tips or questions you’d like me to explore, leave a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected].

ALSO:

Cupcakes 101... and 11 recipes

Food photography 101: Using background and props

So you want to be a Test Kitchen intern: Meet Arianna Navarro

You can find Noelle Carter on Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest. Email Noelle at [email protected].