Jessica Badalana

Valerie's been on a journey. She's top rack, bottom rack, high heat, low heat.

Valerie's been on a journey. She's top rack, bottom rack, high heat, low heat.

You got to experiment. Yep. I mean, it takes a little bit of effort, I think, to get to know your oven. But it sounds like that is maybe not the main issue. And one of the things that took me a very long time to learn, maybe because I was raised on Pizza Hut pizzas, is more toppings is not necessarily better when it comes to pizza. Mm-hmm.

You got to experiment. Yep. I mean, it takes a little bit of effort, I think, to get to know your oven. But it sounds like that is maybe not the main issue. And one of the things that took me a very long time to learn, maybe because I was raised on Pizza Hut pizzas, is more toppings is not necessarily better when it comes to pizza. Mm-hmm.

And I think a common pitfall is that, well, one of two things. Folks really load up their pizza with sauce, which is wet, and toppings, which both weigh down and add moisture. There's also the problem of what you've done or not done to your toppings before you put them on your pizza. If you're putting raw mushrooms, raw spinach, raw peppers, you see the theme here, raw things, you

And I think a common pitfall is that, well, one of two things. Folks really load up their pizza with sauce, which is wet, and toppings, which both weigh down and add moisture. There's also the problem of what you've done or not done to your toppings before you put them on your pizza. If you're putting raw mushrooms, raw spinach, raw peppers, you see the theme here, raw things, you

That will then release moisture as they cook. Like that moisture has nowhere to go. It's not baking for long enough that the moisture evaporates. And so that moisture from the vegetables just sinks in with the moisture from the sauce and it sogs out your crust, particularly in the middle. So I would say, you know, if you're not already doing this to do to just...

That will then release moisture as they cook. Like that moisture has nowhere to go. It's not baking for long enough that the moisture evaporates. And so that moisture from the vegetables just sinks in with the moisture from the sauce and it sogs out your crust, particularly in the middle. So I would say, you know, if you're not already doing this to do to just...

You know, sort of apply sauce and toppings more judiciously than you think. And to give, you know, vegetables a little bit of a treatment before you put them on there. So saute your peppers and onions, saute your mushrooms or your greens so that everything that's going on has released some moisture already. is par cooked. And I think that would help the soggy center situation.

You know, sort of apply sauce and toppings more judiciously than you think. And to give, you know, vegetables a little bit of a treatment before you put them on there. So saute your peppers and onions, saute your mushrooms or your greens so that everything that's going on has released some moisture already. is par cooked. And I think that would help the soggy center situation.

You taught me it. You taught me this term.

You taught me it. You taught me this term.

I know we talked about baking stones and steels with Dan earlier, but for people who don't know David, can you explain what they are and how to use them?

I know we talked about baking stones and steels with Dan earlier, but for people who don't know David, can you explain what they are and how to use them?

And I think that that bottom heat right away will really help. And then if you find, you know, you get your bottom as brown as you want it to be and your toppings are still a little pale, you can always just pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. So, you know, you can do like dual sort of dual heat sources to achieve that perfect bake.

And I think that that bottom heat right away will really help. And then if you find, you know, you get your bottom as brown as you want it to be and your toppings are still a little pale, you can always just pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. So, you know, you can do like dual sort of dual heat sources to achieve that perfect bake.

Great. Well, I hope that helps, Valerie. Good luck to you.

Great. Well, I hope that helps, Valerie. Good luck to you.

This is. I mean, I was waiting for somebody to ask this question because this is like it's the curse of the amoeba pizza. You know, it's everything's well and good. You have your nice round pizza on your pizza peel. Then you go to put it in the oven, slide it off the peel. It sticks. It rolls upon itself. And you have like a total catastrophe.

This is. I mean, I was waiting for somebody to ask this question because this is like it's the curse of the amoeba pizza. You know, it's everything's well and good. You have your nice round pizza on your pizza peel. Then you go to put it in the oven, slide it off the peel. It sticks. It rolls upon itself. And you have like a total catastrophe.