Rachael Ray

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I distinctly remember the first time I had really good pizza. I was in college and studying abroad for a summer Florence, Italy. Our professor had arranged for his students to receive a student discount at a local pizzeria called Dante’s. After the long trip, I was tired and jet-lagged and just looking to fill up and go to bed. Little did I know, I was in for a gastronomic awakening.

Where I grew up, pizza was just a convenience food. We would order it from a chain restaurant and most of the time it was pretty doughy and gloppy with cheese. Every once in awhile, my mom would make it homemade and hers was pretty good, but no comparison to the pizza I was about to encounter. (No offense, Mom.)

The pizza at Dante’s was only the beginning of a long-lived love affair. The crust was cracker-thin and blistering, the tomato sauce so fresh and painted on with the same care as though it were a brush stroke of Botticelli. And the cheese. Oh, the cheese, how I loved it so. The taste of that homemade mozzarella with its milk oozing out as each piece was sliced.

From that moment on, I said goodbye to pizzas past. I spent most of that summer in Italy fantasizing about my next meal and not nearly enough time on my studies. Skipping class for a piece of freshly baked focaccia was much more entertaining. Pizza, pasta, gelato—oh my!

Many, many pizzas later, I now reside in New York City. Outside of Italy, I think this city is home to some of the best pizza in the world. My two favorite pizzerias are in New York, and I have two stand-outs in Providence, RI, and Los Angeles. Here are my faves and I hope all you blog readers will post your local faves as well!

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And if there isn’t any good pizza in your city, or if you feel like making a pie at home, I’ve included my recipe for pizza dough. It’s fun to make with friends or with your kids and everyone can customize their own. Have fun!

Co.
(230 Ninth Avenue at the corner of 24th St. NYC)
Jim Lahey, the owner and head baker at the famous Sullivan St. Bakery, has been getting a lot of attention lately for his new pizza place. Every time I looked at a food blog, I was seeing this spot pop up, so I finally decided to try it. I went three days in a row. It was that good. I would’ve gone a fourth day in a row but I was a little embarrassed to show up again. His pizza crust is p-e-r-f-e-c-t. The toppings are all simple and really high-quality. I loved the straciatella – tomato sauce, cheese, and topped with peppery arugula. Also great, the flambé – caramelized onions, cheese, and lardoons. Whew!

Luzzo
(211 First Ave just off 13th St NYC)
This is my go-to spot for a fun, casual dinner with a group of friends. I love the vibe of the place, very old-school Italian with a big open pizza oven. The pizza is so authentic with a paper-thin crust and the freshest mozzarella cheese. I often find myself craving the tartufata – tomato, mozzarella, truffle pate and basil.

Al Forno
(577 S. Main St. Providence, RI)
George Germon and Johanne Killeen, the owners of Al Forno, have such a foodie-following. Their cookbooks, “Cucina Simpatica” and “On Top of Spaghetti…” are staples in my kitchen. Their pizza is cooked on the grill, giving the crust a crunchy finish on the outside and a chewy texture on the outside. The margherita is always on the menu and the other pizza offerings change with the seasons. My personal favorite is served in the summer when the sprinkle a margherita with fresh corn cut from the cob. Each kernel is like a little sugar burst.

Mozza
(641 N. Highland Ave Los Angeles, CA)
Everything Mario Batali touches turns to gold, including this pizzeria. With his partners Joe Bastianich and bread-maven Nancy Silverton, he’s managed to serve up easily the best pizza in LA. I tried several pies here, but my favorite was the pizza alla benno – speck, pineapple, jalapeno, mozzarella, and tomato. Be sure to save room for dessert, the butterscotch budino is absolutely divine.

Katie’s pizza dough recipe-courtesy of her book, The Comfort Table

Pizza Dough

Yield: two 10-inch pizzas

One 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (21/4 teaspoons)

About 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the bowl sit for 2 minutes. Dump the water and in the bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, the sugar, and 1/4 cup of the warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes. The mixture will be creamy, paste-like, and slightly bubbly. If it isn’t, start over with fresh new yeast.

In a large glass or ceramic bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour and the salt. Make a well in the center and with a wooden spoon, stir in the yeast mixture, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 3/4 cup warm water. Mix until dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Coat the palms of your hands with flour and knead for about 8 minutes. The dough will be soft and elastic. Form into a ball.

Pour the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil into a clean large glass or ceramic bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and roll it around to coat all the sides with the oil. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place away from any drafts. Allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

After the dough rises, do not punch down. Carefully place the dough on a floured work surface. Use your fingertips to gently flatten into a disc and cut in half. Use a lightly floured rolling pin and roll each piece into a circle about 10 inches in diameter, or to desired thickness. (I like mine paper thin.) Pinch the edge to form a crust.

I love to make pizza with my friends! Here my friend Anne and me try our hand at a classic margherita.-Katie