How to Make Gourmet Pizza at Home

Learn how to make gourmet pizza at home, following this easy recipe, with detailed timeline and lots of tips and tricks for making the best pizza at home!

I love pizza, so it’s probably not surprising that I have spent a good deal of time perfecting my at-home pizza. So I thought I’d take a moment to document my easy process for anyone else looking to make gourmet pizza at home.

I’m using the term “gourmet” simply to distinguish it from the thicker, pepperoni-dotted and lotsa-cheese-topped pizza. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I love that pizza, too! This is just a thinner, more sparsely topped kind of pizza that I most often like to make at home. A fancy pizza.

My pizza starts with No-Knead pizza dough, is topped with No-Cook Pizza Sauce (or use store-bought pizza sauce, if you prefer) and includes my favourite toppings. Feel free to top your pizza as you like.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need …

For the dough:

• All-purpose flour or ’00’ Pizza flour
• Active dry yeast
• Salt
• Water

For the sauce:

• Garlic
• Canned whole tomatoes
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Salt

For the toppings (or use what you like):

• Prosciutto
• Goat Cheese
• Shredded pizza mozzarella

For serving:

• Fresh baby arugula

Equipment

Here are the basics of a simple home pizza making toolkit …

• Silicone bowl scraper: Optional, but recommended! A silicone bowl scraper is an inexpensive kitchen tool that more than earns it cost when it comes to dealing with sticky doughs like this pizza dough.
• Hot Oven: Ovens vary somewhat in their top temperature. Mine tops out at 500F. Whatever yours is, preheat it to the hottest temperature. Be sure to preheat the oven at least 30 minutes and more if you have the time.
• Pizza Stone or Baking Steel: I have both a ceramic pizza stone and a baking steel in my kitchen. They both produce great homemade pizza, so use what you have or prefer. If you have neither, simply use a large baking sheet, popping it in the hot oven 5-10 minutes before you are ready to bake your pizza.
• Parchment Paper: I think parchment paper is a “must” for homemade pizza. If you’ve ever attempted homemade pizza and had the toppings slide off and onto a hot pizza stone when you tried to put it in the oven, you’ll appreciate what parchment paper brings to pizza making at home! I assemble my pizza on the parchment, then trim the parchment close to the pizza (so it doesn’t scorch), then I transfer and bake all on top of the parchment. It’s easy, fool-proof and the bottom of the pizza bakes up perfectly well on top of the parchment.
• Pizza Peel: Again, optional, but recommended. A pizza peel just makes transferring the pizza in and out of the oven so much easier.

Timeline

Night before:

• Step 1: Mix up the dough ingredients – In a large bowl. Dough will rise considerably, so be sure to use a large bowl! Cover tightly and leave on the counter to develop and rise.

Next day – 1 hour before you want to assemble your pizza:

• Step 2: Prepare your oven – Place a rack in the lower third of oven. I like to remove the top rack(s), so I don’t have to worry about it being in the way when putting my pizza in or taking it out. PLACE YOUR PIZZA STONE INTO The COLD OVEN, then preheat the oven to it’s hottest setting (500F-ish). Allow it to heat while your dough rests.
• Step 3: Prepare your pizza sauce (if making your own) – Take a minute to mix up your pizza sauce and set aside, so it is ready when you assemble your pizza.
• Step 4: Divide and Rest the Dough – Use a bowl scraper to scrape the dough from the bowl and onto a well-floured surface. Dust the top of the dough with more flour. Cut the dough into two equal pieces (for two 12-inch pizzas) or 4 equal pieces for four mini/individual pizzas. Gently form each piece into a ball, dusting with additional flour it it’s too sticky to handle. Cover the balls with a clean towel and let rest/rise for 1 hour.
• Step 5: Shape the Dough – Dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour or cornmeal (make sure it’s large enough for your finished pizza size). Take a ball of dough and place on your prepared parchment paper. Very gently, using just your fingertips so you don’t deflate the dough too much, press and stretch the dough outward. If it doesn’t seem to be getting larger easily, pick it up by the edge and just let it hang from your hand, allowing the weight of the dough to “stretch” it. Rotate around the edge of the dough, letting it stretch out from a different side. Place back on the parchment and finish shaping it. Once it is the desired size, add your toppings.

• Step 6: Add your Toppings – Spread pizza sauce on top of dough, leaving the edges bare about 1-inch in. Place 2-3 pieces of prosciutto on top (I like to twist them a bit, so they don’t lay completely flat). Scatter goat cheese on top, then scatter a bit of mozzarella. Not too much. Just a bit to fill in some bare spots.

• Step 7: Bake your Pizza – Trim the parchment paper close to your finished pizza. Using a pizza peel, transfer the pizza on top of the parchment paper onto the hot baking stone in your preheated oven. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. If you like, you can carefully grab the edge of the parchment and tug it out from under the pizza, so the pizza finishes cooking directly on the pizza stone. Bake a few more minutes, until the underside is golden in spots and the edge of the pizza is dark in spots, about 12-15 minutes total. Time will vary, depending on the thickness of your pizza dough.

This fabulous No-Knead pizza dough comes from Jim Lahey and is the only pizza dough recipe I use!

Gourmet Pizza Topping Ideas

Prosciutto and Fig: Top your pizza with thinly sliced prosciutto, fresh figs, arugula, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction for a sweet and savoury combination.

Pear and Gorgonzola: Slices of ripe pear, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, caramelized onions, and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts create a balanced and flavourful combination.

Roasted Vegetable Medley: Roast a variety of colourful vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and red onion, then top with goat cheese and fresh herbs.

Grilled Shrimp and Pesto: Grilled shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and a drizzle of basil pesto make for a Mediterranean-inspired delight.

Brie and Caramelized Onion: Spread a layer of caramelized onions over the dough, then add slices of creamy Brie cheese and a sprinkle of thyme.

Thai Chicken: Cooked and shredded chicken tossed in a peanut sauce, along with sliced bell peppers, bean sprouts, cilantro, and chopped peanuts for a fusion-inspired topping.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese: Roasted beet slices, crumbled goat cheese, toasted pine nuts, and a drizzle of honey offer a colorful and delightful combination.

Fig and Prosciutto with Arugula Pesto: Top with fig jam, prosciutto, and dollops of arugula pesto, then finish with a handful of fresh arugula leaves.

Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese: Sun Dried tomatoes, goat cheese, Kalamata olives, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil offer a Mediterranean-inspired burst of flavours.

Top Tip

If you forget to start your dough the night before, or if you just decide in the morning that you want pizza for dinner, all is not lost! Simply prepare the dough as directed, EXCEPT increase the yeast to 3/4 tsp. Mix and let stand at room temperature until close to dinnertime. Pick up the directions from there and you’re good to go. It’s important to note that this will work in a pinch, but when it comes to dough, time = flavour, so the less time your dough sits, the less flavour it will have. The long rise is best for best flavour, when and if you can, but this will work when needed.