Assembling Your Pizza (Pie)

Assemble your pizza directly on a short-handled wooden pizza peel so it is ready to transfer onto the Mighty Pizza Stone. Lightly dust the peel with flour before placing the dough on it to help prevent sticking. Use just enough sauce to cover the pizza while leaving approximately 1 inch around the outer edge uncovered so the crust has room to puff and brown.

Next, add a light layer of cheese. Avoid using too much, as excessive cheese can add unnecessary moisture and overpower the other toppings. If you are using fresh mozzarella, cut it into cubes or slices, or simply tear it into small pieces and distribute it evenly over the pizza.

Add your favorite toppings to complete the pizza. Avoid overloading it, especially with ingredients that contain a lot of moisture.

Before transferring the pizza to the MPS, use short, quick back-and-forth movements to make sure it slides freely on the peel. If part of the pizza is sticking, gently lift that area and sprinkle a small amount of flour underneath it.

If desired, finish the pizza with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil just before baking.

How to Use the Pizza Peel

Using two pizza peels can make loading, turning, and removing your pizza easier: a short-handled wooden pizza peel for assembling and launching the pizza, and a small round metal peel for rotating the pizza during baking and removing it when finished.

Before assembling your pizza, lightly dust the wooden peel with flour to help prevent the dough from sticking. Avoid using too much flour, as excess flour can burn on the baking stone and create an unpleasant taste. Assemble the pizza shortly before you are ready to bake it. If it sits on the peel too long, moisture from the dough can work through the flour and cause the pizza to stick.

Before transferring the pizza to the Mighty Pizza Stone, hold the peel level and use short, quick back-and-forth movements to make sure the pizza slides freely. If part of the pizza is sticking, gently lift that area and sprinkle a small amount of flour underneath it. Once the pizza moves freely, position the peel over the baking stone and use a series of short, quick backward movements to slide the pizza onto the stone. Avoid trying to launch the pizza with one large movement.

A wooden pizza peel can last a long time when properly cared for. Keep it dry to help prevent warping or cracking, and do not use it as a cutting board. Cuts and scratches can damage the smooth surface and make it more difficult for pizzas to slide freely.

Baking

Baking your pizza is when all your preparation comes together.

Once the Mighty Pizza Stone has reached your desired baking temperature, slide the pizza from the wooden peel onto the baking stone as described above. If the cornicione, or outer rim of the pizza, begins to puff within approximately the first minute of baking, this is a good indication that the stone was sufficiently hot.

Because heat may not be evenly distributed inside every grill or oven, rotate the pizza as needed during baking to promote even browning and prevent one side from overcooking. Use the round metal peel to rotate the pizza while monitoring the crust and toppings. Baking time will vary depending on the baking stone temperature, heat source, dough, and amount and type of toppings.

Your pizza is ready when the cheese and toppings are cooked to your preference, the outer crust is well browned, and the bottom has reached the color and crispness you prefer. After removing the pizza, add any finishing ingredients, such as fresh basil or a light drizzle of olive oil, then slice and serve.

Every grill and heat source performs differently. Part of improving your pizza-making skills is learning how to fine-tune the MPS setting, grill temperature, and baking time to achieve the balance you prefer between the bottom crust and the toppings. It may take a few bakes to find the ideal settings for your equipment.

The Finished Masterpiece

Your finished pizza should have a well-browned crust with some blistering and a bottom that has reached the color and crispness you prefer. If the bottom of your pizza is too pale, the baking stone may not have been fully preheated. Allow the stone to reach the desired temperature before baking your next pizza.

Each pizza removes some stored heat from the baking stone. If the bottom of each successive pizza becomes lighter, allow a few additional minutes between pizzas for the stone to regain heat before loading the next one. An infrared thermometer is useful for checking the baking stone temperature between pizzas.

If the bottom of your pizza is burned or tastes bitter, you may be using too much flour on the wooden peel. Excess flour can fall onto the hot baking stone and burn quickly. Cornmeal can also burn at high temperatures and may produce a bitter or gritty taste. Use only enough flour to allow the pizza to slide freely from the peel.

The crust should be crisp on the outside while remaining tender and slightly chewy inside. If the crust is excessively hard, brittle, or tough, the dough may have been overworked. Handle the dough gently when shaping it and avoid using a rolling pin if you want to preserve the air developed during fermentation.

The cornicione, or outer rim, should puff during baking and develop an open, airy interior. If the rim is heavy or dense, review your dough hydration, fermentation, and shaping technique. Avoid pressing excessive air out of the outer rim while shaping the pizza.

If your pizza is excessively chewy or the dough does not bake through properly, check the thickness of the pizza base. A very thick base may require additional baking time. Keep the dough reasonably even when shaping it while leaving the outer rim slightly fuller to form the cornicione.

Too much sauce, cheese, or other toppings can also add moisture and make it more difficult for the crust to bake properly. Try using a lighter amount of toppings and focus on balancing the ingredients and flavors.

Share Your Pizza-Making Skills With Us

Have a pizza-making technique, MPS setup, or favorite pizza you would like to share? We’d love to hear about your experience and the tips you’ve discovered while making pizza at home.