How to make the PERFECT homemade pizza – and why using a barbecue is the secret to a mouthwatering result
- A mum has revealed her tricks and tips to making the best pizza ever
- Katie Lolas, 35, from Sydney says she always cooks pizza in her barbecue
- The mum also said less is more when it comes to topping and bakers’ flour is best
Katie Lolas from Sydney revealed she has become obsessed with making pizza for her family using her family-sized Webber barbecue
A school teacher has revealed her five tips to the perfect home made pizza and why she always cooks the meal in her barbecue.
Katie Lolas from Sydney revealed she has become obsessed with making pizza for her family using her family-sized Weber barbecue.
The 35-year-old, who shares recipes and healthy eating tips on Instagram, says she has made pizza every weekend for the last month.
And it appears practice has helped her to perfect the craft with the busy home cook working out game changing tips for everything from the best flour to use to how to choose the best topping.
Always use bakers’ flour
Katie says bakers’ flour is non-negotiable because it has a higher protein and gluten content than plain flour.
‘This improves the texture of the base by making it lighter and with a crust that has larger holes,’ she explained in her post.
The 35-year-old high school teacher said she is obsessed with cooking pizza in her barbecue
Take time with the base
Katie recommends using a 24-72hour pizza base recipe instead of a more convenient instant base.
She always makes her dough from scratch.
‘Once the dough has been kneaded, I cover it with a damp cloth, so it doesn’t dry out and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 24hrs before using,’ she said.
‘The dough turns out light, fluffy and with a proper pizza crust.’
Use your barbecue
Katie also explained that ovens aren’t designed to cook pizzas effectively, which is why it is important to use a pizza stone to get a crispy base.
She swears by her method of using the pizza stone in the barbecue.
‘It mimics the effects of a pizza oven by creating a super hot surface to cook the pizza – It guarantees that the crust is super crispy,’ she said.
She also shared tips on making the perfect dough and how to choose toppings
Less is more
It is important to use high-quality toppings, Katie explained, but to be careful never to ‘over do it’.
‘Easier said than done I know haha. I found the more toppings I added the harder it was to transfer to the stone, and sometimes it made the top a bit soggy. Now my mantra is less is more when it comes to toppings,’ she said.
Ensure your base isn’t sticky
Most people use flour as their go-to when it comes to making sure their pizza doesn’t stick to the stone or pan when cooking.
But Katie says using polenta or semolina is much more effective.
The busy mum said her recipe ensures the most mouthwatering pizza ever
‘Trust me, it’s a game changer! Base 100% won’t stick and it helps the crust turn out even crispier because the texture is coarser than flour,’ she said.
The mother-of-one has 161k followers on Instagram and rose to popularity after sharing her own battles with food.
She now believes in promoting healthy habits rather than the restrictive dieting techniques she used to keep her weight ‘at 65kg’ for much of her life.