# Pizza Toppings



## lyndalou (Mar 12, 2008)

I am wanting to start making pizza at home and wonder what your favorite toppings are besides the usual tomato sauce sausage and mozzarella cheese. Also how hot should the oven be and how long does it usually take to cook pizza?

Thanks for your help.


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## flukx (Mar 12, 2008)

My oh my, nothing is safe from being a potential topping on a pizza of mine. To give an example, one of my latest favorites is thin slices of sweet potato.

Regarding how hot it should be, I generally put my oven as hot as it goes (500 degrees or so). I like to get a good balance of some blackened spots on the bottom of the crust and nicely browned cheese / cooked toppings.


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## BreezyCooking (Mar 12, 2008)

I like virtually any pizza topping so long as it's not sweet (like the strangely popular pineapple & so-called "dessert" pizzas).

My favorites are:

Anchovies
Onions
Chopped clams & garlic (on a white pizza - aka no tomato sauce, just ricotta & mozzarella cheese)
White Cheese (no tomato sauce - just ricotta, mozzarella, feta, & parmesan cheese. Fresh thinly sliced tomato is okay.)
Sliced or crumbled turkey sausage
Turkey pepperoni
Spinach
Fresh sliced tomatoes & fresh whole basil leaves
Mushrooms - plain white button or a mix of different kinds (this is particularly good on a "white" pizza)
Ranch Style - this is a variation on white where the base is a good tangy Ranch dressing.  Veggie toppings are particularly nice on this one.


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## GB (Mar 12, 2008)

The sky is the limit for toppings.

I will agree with flukx about the temp. I crank mine as hot as possible. I also use a pizza stone and get that nice and hot before the pizza goes on. It takes about 8 minutes or so for me to cook a pizza to perfection.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 12, 2008)

Check out these threads:


http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f104/favorite-pizza-toppings-22308.html
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f23/favorite-pizza-toppings-16745.html
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f24/alternatives-classic-pizza-toppings-42952.html

And check this out for an ABsolutely FABulous pizza crust recipe with cooking directions: No Knead Pizza Dough: Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread with Baby Arugula and Shaved Parmesan

HTH.


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## kitchenelf (Mar 12, 2008)

What do you like on your pizza?

Also - if you click on this link and check out the titles you will find lots more!

I like a white pizza, but, not what a lot of people call a white pizza.  My version is the crust is drizzled with olive oil, then there is a sprinkling of shallots, walnuts, fresh basil, goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers....this stuff is scattered, not heavy and thick.

I also like a lobster and brie pizza - again the crust is drizzled with olive oil, no red sauce.


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## pdswife (Mar 12, 2008)

I love a good veggie pizza...also do one with white sauce steak, grilled onions, mushrooms and swiss cheese that is very good.

We cook ours at 425 for 12 minutes to 15 minutes.


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## Uncle Bob (Mar 12, 2008)

I have eaten, enjoyed and made breakfast pizzas...Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage of various types, ham, hash browns, cheeses, peppers, fresh tomato, salsa, hot sauce, grits, would be some options...


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## B'sgirl (Mar 12, 2008)

Tomatoes are my favorite! I also like to add green onions, garlic, and I've never tried this--but I just had a thought that it might be fun to try fresh garden peas on my pizza.


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## smag (Mar 12, 2008)

Sliced potato, rosemary and chicken with cheese. Thats my favorite (white) pizza


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## lyndalou (Mar 12, 2008)

smag,
Do you cook the potatoes first? I would think you'd have to.


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## lyndalou (Mar 12, 2008)

Thanks to all of you for some great ideas and links.


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## abjcooking (Mar 12, 2008)

Lately I've been eating pizza with dollops of mascarpone cheese added to some of the other cheeses I decide to use and top it with selections of American style ham, Prosciutto, thin slices of salami, pepperoni (basically meat antipasti's) and top it off with rocket.


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## smag (Mar 12, 2008)

I'm not sure. We had it once in a pizzeria near our old place. It was fabulous. The one time I tried to recreate it home, was not able to achieve the same results. The potatoes where too crisp almost hard..pan fried them in oil and then layered them. Maybe raw red potatoes might work better. Still on the look out for a good potato pizza recipe.


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## *amy* (Mar 12, 2008)

When I order a pizza, my fave toppings are mushrooms, onions, & black olives (w the usual tomatoes & mozzarella). For homemade, I've been experimenting with salad topped pizza, i.e. caesar or spinach salad (drizzle the salad dressing over the crust & sprinkle w fresh grated parmesan & bake - then top w your salad), BLT & avacado, shrimp scampi, mascarpone/smoked salmon/green onions, Asian (peanut sauce & chicken), or an eggplant parm pizza. Pretty much anything that you can place on a sammie or in a salad will work. Have fun with it.


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## B'sgirl (Mar 12, 2008)

Oooh, avacado sounds really good on pizza! I'm going to try that next time. 

I've also had a good Mexican pizza at some restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho. They had cilantro , jalepenos, crushed tortilla chips, salsa...I can't remember what else, black beans maybe.


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## expatgirl (Mar 12, 2008)

That's it!  Hubby just went out of town and it's too cold and snowy to walk around in the snow.  I'm making a pizza for myself  tonight and topping it with mozzarella, mushrooms, tomatos, onions, olives, and jalapenos.  I love bacon, too, but I might forgo that.  Since we like crispy crusts I put mine on the bottom rack of the oven at 450F preferably on a pizza stone or pizza pan with holes.  5-7 minutes about does it.


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## Jeff G. (Mar 12, 2008)

I like ham, pepperoni and green olives...


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## Steamboater (Mar 22, 2008)

This is from a local pizza place. 
    1. Baby spinach, marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatos, feta cheese, fresh garlic, fresh basil, oregano and mozzarella cheeze. 
     2. Another is: Frijoles negros y Salsa (Black beans and salsa), grilled chicken or green chilies, black olives, red onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and chedder cheese


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## Yonsen (Mar 22, 2008)

Caramelized onions, bleu cheese, and pancetta.


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## Steamboater (Mar 22, 2008)

I love bleu cheese!


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 22, 2008)

Some of my favorites:
Hawaiian: Sweat and sour sauce, pineapple, Canadian bacon, and mozzarella
BBQ Chicken Pizza: BBQ sauce, chunk Chicken, red onion, Monterey jack and cheddar
Taco Pizza: taco sauce, taco meat, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and Doritos. Sour cream on the side.
Shredded BBQ Pork/beef: Shredded BBQ Pork/beef and cheddar cheese

DW likes veggie pizzas and the new flat bread pizzas, which I have to admit are pretty good as well.


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## BBQ Mikey (Mar 22, 2008)

I love me some BBQ chicken pizza with sauteed onions.

Also, a friend recently ordered a pizza with onions and banana peppers. I was drunk but man was it good.

I also love peppers, onions, and sausage. Pepperoni on there too, why not>?


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## BBQ Mikey (Mar 22, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> Some of my favorites:
> Hawaiian: Sweat and sour sauce, pineapple, Canadian bacon, and mozzarella
> BBQ Chicken Pizza: BBQ sauce, chunk Chicken, red onion, Monterey jack and cheddar
> Taco Pizza: taco sauce, taco meat, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and Doritos. Sour cream on the side.
> ...


 
Oh yes my friend.  You have seen the light.


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## Steamboater (Mar 23, 2008)

Actually, when it comes to pizza I like it traditional with the exception of the crust/bread base as whole wheat and only because I'm diabetic. White flour turns to sugar in your body. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, olive oil dripping off the pizza (very New York pizza), oregano and basil.


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 23, 2008)

My concept/experience of a "white pizza" is a little different from kitchenelf ...

Take a cold pot and add some EVOO, crushed garlic, and a few basil leaves. Bring the pot up to a point where the oil starts to sizzle around the garlic, turn the heat off, put the lid on the pot, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to steep. Strain the solids out of the oil.

Take your pizza dough ... brush or dizzle on the infused EVOO liberally - then top with mozzarella (fresh is best if possible) ... then bake.


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## Shani (Mar 24, 2008)

I make pizza all the time, they taste better than the ones from the shops.
My favourite is BBQ sauce on the base (I make my own) then add cooked chicken and some Avocado then plenty of cheese. We love our pizzas nice and chunky and filling 
The oven I put at 200C.


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## KitchenScrapbook (Mar 24, 2008)

Our favorite pizzas have pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, cheese, and Italian seasoning. We vary it a little sometimes, but that's the norm for us.


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## SixSix210 (Mar 24, 2008)

Nothing like ranch dressing and bbq or spicy chicken with some scallions


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## meshoo96 (Mar 24, 2008)

We are going to attempt a breakfast pizza. We got sausage and eggs and  cheese and honey is gonna use his awesome new dough. Now that he gets it to rise.  ;-)


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## Wart (Mar 24, 2008)

White pizza: Sliced tomato, onion, mushrooms, cheese, oregano.

Normal Pizza: Reduced and herbed tomato juice from stewed tomatoes, sliced stewed tomatoes, anything including but not limited to mushrooms, olives, hot cactus, capers, ... then cheese and pepperoni. I'm not a big sausage fan.

Temp? I cook mine in a 12 or 14 inch iron skillet. I use the dough made from one pound of flour. 400 ~ 450, usually 400 f for 10 to 15 uncovered, then 15 to 20 with foil on top. Makes a thick, light crust.

All pizza gets olive oil. In the pan, drizzled over top, and a healthy bead laid around the pans perimeter. Result is a oil crust. If there isn't some oil in the pans bottom (1~2 ts) when I remove the pizza I didn't lay the oil in heavy enough.


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 24, 2008)

I once had a kinda pizza that was made out of portabello mushroom caps breaded and fried, then topped with sun dried tomatoes and shredded leek and mushroom monteray jack cheese and some Italian herbs.
Yum!


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