Pizza is life. It’s the best food in the world and it is easy and cheap to make. No wonder it’s a favorite among college students. But that old formula of dough + tomato sauce + mozzarella + toppings can get old after a while. These five tips will help wake up up your tired recipe.
1. Peanut sauce is the new tomato sauce.
Photo courtesy msbuenavida.com
It’s easy enough to turn your Italian specialty into one with some Asian elements by subbing out tomato sauce for a spicy peanut sauce. It’s quick to make and no stove-top skills are required. Top the pizza with onions, cabbage and tofu if you want to make your pizza really crazy and see how much your jar of Jif can change everything.
2. Puff pastry is the new crust in town.
Photo courtesy of saucytomatoes.com
You know that stuff used by bakeries to make turnovers or spanakopita? Well, you can buy it at the freezer section in big sheets easy to unfold and turn into a pizza. Puff pastry means your crust will be more flaky and buttery than usual, but since when is that a bad thing? Add feta and spinach on top for a Mediterranean inspired pizza.
3. Soft, not shredded cheese.
Photo by Steven Baboun
Nothing says pizza quite like some shredded mozzarella (or cheddar in a pinch), but try adding some soft cheese to the mix. Think ricotta, fresh mozzarella, or if you want to get fancy, something like brie or goat cheese. No need to replace those old favorites, because the more cheese the better, but adding soft cheese will create a layer of melty flavor to your slice.
4. Put a bird on it.
Photo by Amanda Shulman
Or, rather, an egg. Wait until your pizza is 10 minutes from being done and crack a couple fresh eggs on top, like in this recipe. Then you can put it back in the oven and cook until the whites turn white.
Remember soft yolks don’t hold that well in the fridge, so avoid eggy leftovers. An egg also adds some healthy fats and protein to make your dinner a little healthier.
5. Make it a muffin.
Photo courtesy of bakersbeans.com
You may have wrapped up your pizza in a crescent roll before, but I guarantee you haven’t tried this way. You can use crescent triangles or torn-up dough as your crust in your muffin tin, then add toppings as usual. Now you have perfectly-portioned pizzas for a potluck. Or keep them for yourself, we won’t judge.
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