I've gotten cozy with a pizza or two in my day. I'm going to go ahead and say that's something to brag about.


I've also made a pizza or two in my day, and over the years I've settled for one mediocre crust after another. I'm talking crusts that are too dense, too sweet, too flavorless. And we can't forget to mention my "whole wheat everything" phase. You guys, pizza is not a health food. It will never be. Let's not kid ourselves. Consider that your intervention.

The worst of all pizza sins is the soggy pizza crust. All you homemade pizzateers (trademark pending) know what I'm talking about. When you pull that gloriously bubbly melted cheese on its miraculously soft bread plate out of the oven, cut that baby up, only to find a soggy gooey mess. Heartbreak, you guys. Heartbreak.


I've found a few ways to combat the soggy bottom pizza. Mostly because I love a good pizza, but also a little bit because I never want to have to say the words "soggy bottom" again in my life ever.

1. Heat up that oven. The best pizzas are cooked in a really hot oven for a short amount of time. This allows the crust to puff up and crisp quickly. I crank my oven all the way up (I mean alllll the way up) and always love the results. If that makes you nervous, try baking your pizza at 425 or 475 F. Just make sure that oven is completely hot before throwing that pizza in there. Some people recommend throwing a naked crust into the oven for a few minutes to let it prebake. I don't have the patience for this, but it might work as well.

2. Up your pizza pan game. Invest in a pizza stone, or my personal fave, a cast iron skillet. This will help your crust crisp up. I like to drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the pan, which is basically like frying the crust and I ain't complainin.

3. Easy on the toppings. Listen, just because you cut up that whole green pepper doesn't mean you need to throw it all on your pizza. Don't sacrifice the pizza for the sake of a vegetable. Instead, plan on using a small amount of toppings (especially toppings like veggies, which have a high water content). In the pizza above, I used about a quarter of a red pepper and a maybe an eighth of an onion (but probably less). If you need to, pat down vegetables TSA style with a paper towel to help get rid of some of the water. As far as sauce goes, make sure you can still see your crust through the sauce. Too much and you'll have piz-soup (prounounced peat soup). Nobody wants piz-soup.

And there you have it! Your pizza will come out of the oven all "I woke up like this" and crispy and bubbly and you'll be all heart eyes. Oprah will tweet about it. World peace will be achieved.


Now that we've got that out of the way. Let's talk about this crust. This crust is everything you want from a cheese bed. It's crispy, chewy, and so full of doughy flavor.  As an added bonus, it is so simple. There is no kneading involved, and it's virtually foolproof (unless you add 2 Tablespoons of salt instead of 2 teaspoons, but that's just a theory, not experience). The only downside with this dough is that, just like George Clooney, it get's better with age. You're going to want to give it a good 12 to 24 hours to really sit and develop. I like to make the dough the night before. Since you just mix up the dough in a large bowl, it's pretty mess-free/stress-free.


#Flawless Pizza Crust
Adapted from Serious Eats

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons Kosher salt (I've used sea salt and it has worked fine, regular salt might work as well, but I haven't tried it)
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons water (warm, not hot)
2 teaspoons olive oil (Plus some for drizzling)

Combine flour, salt, water, yeast, and oil in a very large bowl (we're talking as big as you got). Stir until there is no dry flour left. Cover tightly with saran wrap and let sit (on the counter or in the fridge is fine) for 12-24 hours.

When the dough has risen, sprinkle with flour and turn out onto a well floured surface. Separate into two dough balls. If you aren't going to use both, you can throw one back into the bowl, cover, and keep for a few more days.

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on your pan. Place your dough in the pan and turn to coat. Spread the dough with the tips of your fingers and palms of your hands. Let sit for 2 hours (I let mine sit for about 20 minutes, it didn't puff up as much, but it was still delicious).

Once the dough has rested, pop any bubbles that have formed and preheat your oven. The recipe recommends 550 F. My oven only reaches 500 F and it worked fine. Top your pizza as desired. Remember, less is more.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is beginning to brown on top. Let sit for a few minutes before devouring (I know, I know). And there you have it.