Welcome!

Thank you for visiting this web site.  This site and my book will hopefully bring out your passion for making wonderful pizza.

I will use the blog to add thoughts about the book, pizza, and anything else I hope you might find interesting.

Posted in Introduction | on December 25, 2008 | Comments (0)

Passionate About Pizza Cookbook Earns Top Honors

Pizzameister has run an award-winning pizza web site for almost ten years. He has reviewed 100 (yes that number is correct!) pizza cookbooks. In his own words, he’s never met a pizza cookbook he didn’t buy. Pizzameister recently reviewed Passionate About Pizza: Making Great Homemade Pizza which was given five stars and is NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST out of 100 pizza cookbooks! You can find the list and a link to Pizzameister’s review at:

Pizzameister Pizza Cookbook Reviews

Posted in News, Pizza Commentary | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

“Passionate About Pizza: Making Great Homemade Pizza” Coobook!

 

Passionate About Pizza Cover

This comprehensive pizza cookbook will ignite your passion and help you make great homemade pizza!

  • contains 256 full color pages
  • over 300 color pictures guide you each step of the way
  • 14 dough recipes
  • 10 sauce recipes
  • learn to make 17 different styles of pizza
  • 35 easy-to-follow pizza-making techniques
  • 65 recipes in all!
  • helps you consistently make great pizza every time
  • tips on Having a Pizza Party
  • Troubleshooting Guide with simple solutions to common problems
  • Softcover binding with sturdy color printed cover and 70# coated paper
  • ISBN 978-0-615-25860-7

View an excerpt from the Passionate about Pizza Cookbook. Published by Twin Minds Technology.

Available Now!  Get Your Copy Today!

!Click Here!

Posted in Pizza Cookbooks | on December 23, 2008 | Comments (0)

The Making of a Pizza Cookbook

You might wonder who I am and how I developed such a passion for making pizza and writing about making pizza.

I began making Chicago-style pizza soon after I got married. My wife and I received a Chicago-style pizza set as a wedding shower gift. The kit had a deep-dish pizza pan, pizza cutter, pan lifter, and a pizza cookbook specializing in Chicago-style pizza. One day I asked my wife if she was ever going to make pizza; she said, “You go ahead.” So, I did. I used the kit to make pizza quite frequently. I kept practicing until I could make a better pizza than most of the local pizzerias in the suburbs of Chicago where we lived at that time. After a while, I missed the New York-style thin crust pizza that I grew up with; you just could not buy that kind of pizza in Chicago when I lived there. Therefore, I decided to try my hand at making New York-style pizza. After another intense period of practice, I was able to duplicate and even improve on the New York-style pizza I remembered from my youth.

I practiced making pizza whenever I could. I made and served many hundreds of pizzas to my family and friends over the years. My pizzas became more and more consistent and I kept getting rave reviews; that is, when they were not begging me to make something other than pizza! Many of my friends said, “You should open a pizzeria!” Others said, “Can you teach me to make pizza like that?” I wrote this book to capture the techniques that I had learned and developed so that you can make great pizza, too!

Read More »

Posted in Pizza Commentary | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (2)

Pizza Making Techniques

Preparation Techniques

Working with yeast dough can be a little intimidating.  You have seen a pizza chef stretching out pizza dough and throwing it around as if it is no big deal, but you may have thought, "I could never do that!"  Well, I am here to tell you that you can make a great pizza.  It is not difficult and my Passionate About Pizza Cookbook describes just how to do it.

The book describes:

  • Mixing & Kneading Dough
  • Letting Dough Rise & Making a Dough Ball
  • Stretching, Rolling, and Pressing Pizza into Shape
  • Assembling Pizza & Pizza Peel Technique
  • Baking, Serving, Storing, & Reheating Pizza
Posted in Pizza Techniques | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Feedback from a Pizza-Making Dad

After buying the PDF version of Passionate About Pizza: Making Great Homemade Pizza he says:

I am a divorced dad of 2 teenagers that has limited skill in the kitchen. This book is so well written and put together that it was simple for me to on the first attempt have success.

I made a batch of the basic sauce and dough exactly how it was described in the book. I was expecting to fill a trash can with my first few attempts but to my surprise the first was as good as the sixth. My kids and their friends eat every bite and one even said it was the best pizza he had ever had. This book is a life saver it will allow me to serve my teenagers pizza when they want it now because before it was out of my budget. I can’t wait to work my way thru and learn as I go trying the different types.

Thank You for a remarkable book!

Clay

 

Posted in Pizza Commentary, Pizza Friends | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Julia makes her first Passionate About Pizza pie!

One buyer of my book just made her first pizza.  Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=307053&id=1053367080&ref=mf#/photo.php?pid=307053&id=1053367080&ref=mf.

Posted in Pizza Friends | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Mixing Dough

The goal is to mix the right amount of the proper ingredients together to create uniform dough. Good dough has all the ingredients evenly distributed throughout the dough. There are two basic methods – the dry mix and wet mix methods. Both work well, so use the method that suits your fancy. I generally use the wet mix method because it gives me a chance to see that the yeast is active.

Posted in Pizza Techniques | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Questions about Sourdough

Bill Morris asked a couple of questions:

I am making the sour dough starter sponge. After leaving it out for a couple of days, can I put in a closed jar in the refrigerator. (Well it expand and break the glass?)

Also, on page 140ish, Calif sour dough pizza and the next style, do not state how much sour dough starter to use in the recipe. Can you please clarify.

 

P.S.: I bought 3 books and everyone loves them.

PizzaMan replies:

The wild yeast in the sourdough starter will slow down when you refrigerate the starter but it will NOT stop entirely.  If you place it in a closed jar it may very well explode.  Virtually everyone recommends that you use a loose-fitting cover for any sourdough starter.

The California-style Sourdough recipe was written to use the entire quantity of the Sourdough Starter Sponge recipe on the prior page; in other words, a cup of water, a cup of flour, and 1/2 teaspoon yeast.  That works out to be something like 1 1/4 cup of sourdough starter if you already have one made.  Depending on the consistency of your sourdough starter you might need to adjust the amount of flour you use when making dough to reach the consistency you prefer.

Posted in Pizza Techniques | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (2)

Passionate About Pizza has a Facebook Fan Page

There have already been a few discussions about Passionate About Pizza on Facebook.  So, there is now a fan page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Passionate-About-Pizza-Cookbook-Fans/58905449185?sid=8891c79d461a2110dea7d2efee65d2d0&ref=s.

Please visit the fan page and show your support!

Posted in Pizza Commentary | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

PizzaMan’s Book Signing – East 48th Street Market

PizzaMan had a really nice turnout for the book signing at the East 48th Street Market in Dunwoody, Georgia.

PizzaMan's Book Signing - E 48th St Market

The market sells a wide range of Italian specialty products.  They also make fresh pastries, breads, Italian foods, and deli items.  It’s wonderful so stop by!

Posted in Pizza Friends | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

East 48th Street Market

Announcement from Charlie Augello, owner of the 48th Street Market in Dunwoody, Georgia:

Dear Valued Customer,
 
Who makes the best Pizza is like trying to compare who makes the best Sauce or Meatballs. It’s a personal thing. As we have seen here at the Market, over the years many adults and children have become very proficient at making their own pizza at home using the E. 48th Street Market’s “Pizza Kit” (fresh dough, sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni).
It is worth the effort and once you get the technique down your pizza will be the “best baked” whether in the oven, on the grill or on your. Green Egg.
One of our very own customers, Curtis Ide, is “passionate about pizza” and has written a book all about making pizza from the very basics to the advanced, called appropriately enough “Passionate About Pizza”. The book is now available here at the Market. Curtis for years has purchased his special Caputo Italian flour, canned tomatoes, cheese and fresh dough at our Market. The book will be of interest to the novice as well as the pro since it contains many photos and has easy to read instructions describing the many variations in the preparing the toppings, pizza dough and the baking of pizza.
 
Curtis will be here at the Market on Saturday May 2, 2009 from 11AM to 3 PM to sign and personalize his book for you and discuss pizza making techniques.
 
Plan on coming by and take time to enjoy lunch al Fresco (in the patio).
Ciao,
 
Charlie
E. 48th Street Market
Posted in Pizza Friends | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Dough needs help? Don’t forget the Salt!

Here is an exchange PizzaMan had with a friend:

Scott
January 26 at 12:29pm
when you have time. I’ve been working on my pizza for a while now but its still lacking.
 
Scott 
January 26 at 4:34pm
Hi, Scott!

What about your pizza needs improvement?

May your dough rise,
PizzaMan 

Posted in Pizza Techniques | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Dough Thickness Not Right? Adjust it to your taste!

 Here is another consultation between PizzaMan and a friend:

From: ADAM
Date: Sat, 2 May 2009
To: PizzaMan
 
Hey a quick question on my "P.A.P.B."….My biggest problem is being consistent about my dough. It’s a little tough on the bottom. Not as soft as I like. Maybe too tough on the bottom. Did I knead it too long? Not let it rest enough? Too much flour? Stone too low/high in the oven?
 
Hope all’s well.
 
Adam
From: PizzaMan
To: ADAM
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2009
Do you mean too crunchy? Too thick? Too dense?
 
PizzaMan
Posted in Pizza Techniques | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

Family Pizza Nights

Ward writes:

Apparently engineers make great chefs! The author has an engineering background that comes through clearly in this book. It is clear that the author has systematically examined what makes good pizza in every aspect and from every angle, and has assembled that knowledge in a clear and organized manner in this book.  It’s easy to read, too!

The result is that not only does the book provide fantastic recipes to follow, but it provides you with the principles and techniques that you can use to customize the recipes to produce pizzas that are ideal for your personal taste. The ideas are presented in such an orderly and logical manner that it is easy to do. 

The pizzas are so good and the process of designing them and making them is so fun that making pizzas using the book is a fun family event that occurs about once a week in our household. The pizzas we make using the recipes and principles in Passionate About Pizza are so much better than any other pizzas we have ever bought or made that it doesn’t even seem right to use the same word to refer to the bland, circular chewy things that we used to eat before we bought Passionate About Pizza.

Posted in Pizza Commentary, Pizza Friends | on September 19, 2009 | Comments (0)

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