3 super simple ways to make your homemade pizza even better.

Everybody loves pizza! And now summer’s here, you might fancy making your own delicious pizza creations. What could be more enjoyable than the aroma of freshly baked dough as you serve up delicious slices of homemade pizza.

Whether you have all the kit or are starting from scratch, here are a few simple tips to help you get the best results.

1. Cook your pizza on a preheated surface.

If you’ve decided against ready-made pizza dough and taken the time to make your own, all you’ll need are unbleached flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, water, and olive oil. Then kneading it by hand will tell you if it’s the right texture and not too sticky.

After you knead it, shape it into a ball and let it rise for about 45 minutes at room temperature.

The tip here is to make sure you cook it on a heavy preheated surface, like a specially made pizza stone, preheated in a hot oven for at least half an hour before baking your pizza. And just as important, your oven temperature should be 220°c.

2. Use semolina to make your pizza easier to move.

If you’ve been struggling to transfer your pizza from your pizza peel to the oven, a simple trick is to first dust the top of your pizza peel with semolina flour.

Once your pizza dough is on the floured peel, simply add your toppings, and thanks to the semolina flour, the dough should slide right off the peel and into your oven.

A similar trick is to use parchment paper on the peel, then place your pizza dough on the parchment paper before adding your toppings. Try both to see which works best for you!

3. Experiment with sauces and toppings – these make the difference between good and great pizza.

Now you’ve ventured into the wonderful world of homemade pizza, why limit yourself to the usual basic tomato sauce and a few unadventurous toppings?

Spice up your tomato-based sauce with ingredients like minced garlic, onion, oregano, basil and other herbs and spices. For extra spiciness, add roasted red pepper, cayenne pepper, black pepper, or red pepper flakes. For extra sweetness, brown sugar works well. Our Sundried Tomato Chilli & Garlic Sauce brings a hit of complimentary warmth to a traditional tomato sauce and is perfect for pizzas. Don’t like the heat? Stick to our Tomato & Red Pepper Pizza Sauce or If BBQ sauce hits the spot for your pizza sauce, try our sweet and tangy Smoky BBQ Pizza Sauce.

Pesto Sauce made from olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, roasted pine nuts, basil and lemon is a delicious alternative to tomato. Alternatively, why not try our Basil Pesto Pizza Drizzle for a subtle hint of flavour?

Alfredo sauce is a rich white sauce made with butter, cream, cheese and pepper that pairs well with strong flavours like olives, roasted peppers, bacon, steak and chicken.

For toppings, the sky really is the limit, so you can go as wild as you like! Think chicken tikka masala pizza; basil, pesto & goats cheese pizza; grilled honey sriracha pizza; roasted butternut squash and prosciutto pizza with caramelised onions. Just be inventive and experiment.

Whatever ingredients you choose, opt for quality rather than quantity, and always use fresh herbs rather than dried.

If you’re looking for a finishing touch of flavour that’s guaranteed to bring an extra piquant compliment to your pizza party, look no further than Cottage Delight’s magical range of pizza glazes and drizzles. Enjoy them all with our Passion for Pizza set which includes:

Remember: Great pizza needs trial and error, but it does mean you have an excuse to enjoy more pizza! And who is really going to complain about that?

Need more inspiration for your next pizza? Search our recipes for your new favourite pizza recipe and get cooking!