The top-most shelf? So it gets nice and crispy?
Also, I recommend some sprinkles of olive oil on top of the whole thing, right before you put it into the oven. Like drawing a little crisscross-action-painting!
Nice and crispy is the way to go. Not so sure about the baking paper, though. I think Room prefers to place it on a shelf below the pizza-shelf itself, (if the pizza is placed on a grate-shelf — or what’s the proper terminology for it?) so the pizza doesn’t cling to it in the end.
The Jalapenos and the olive oil truly sounds delicious. I’m pretty sure Room’s going to try it the next time, he’s preparing his pizza. 😉
Frozen pizza requires a GOOD crust, or it’s crap – Rule #1. Most of them are “biscuit-dough” garbage. Crappy crust will RUIN your improved pizza! Find the right one to start with. (And yes, sometimes cheaper is better in this rule…)
Rule #2 – Soft or delicate stuff, like olive bits, mushrooms, seasonings (garlic powder, onion p., sage, cumin, bl. pepper, etc.) go UNDER the extra cheese. Pepperoni, ham, bacon, onion bits, gr. pepper bits, or tomato bits go OVER the extra cheese – on the top, where they either get crispy or somewhat dried out.
Rules #3 through #8:
– Usually a mix of cheese works best, such as mozzarella+cheddar+parmesan.
– There IS such a thing as too much cheese! A solid layer you can’t see through may be too much. Don’t abuse your cheese, or you will regret it…
– Top shelf in oven works best. Bake until little specks of cheese are browning over the top, then STOP. Solid layers of brown are TOO MUCH BAKED. (Another form of cheese-abuse…)
– Put alum. foil on a baking sheet and spray a LOT of butter-flavor Pam-like oil on it to make the crust really good and crispy across the bottom.
– Set temp according to directions on package (usually), but add about 20% to baking time because of extra topping volume. (High temp+short time=crispier or ‘raw-er’ vegetable matter, Lower temp+longer time=softer or ‘more-cooked’ vegetable matter. It’s YOUR CHOICE, though I prefer High temp+shorter time.)
– Minced garlic bits on top are always better than garlic powder. (Same with onion bits.) Though you CAN use both, if you are careful to not put on too much.
There’s more… but I must retain SOME of the Master-Level secrets of pizza adulteration. 😉
so far, I do it the same. there is never “too much” cheese on a pizza… BUT: whats the most important part???? damn you harper… 😀
The top-most shelf? So it gets nice and crispy?
Also, I recommend some sprinkles of olive oil on top of the whole thing, right before you put it into the oven. Like drawing a little crisscross-action-painting!
aaaaaaaaand JALAPENOS!
Another helpful item is baking paper. Even if you go overboard with the cheese this will only result in some crackers for desert, not a messy oven.
And bacon.
Nice and crispy is the way to go. Not so sure about the baking paper, though. I think Room prefers to place it on a shelf below the pizza-shelf itself, (if the pizza is placed on a grate-shelf — or what’s the proper terminology for it?) so the pizza doesn’t cling to it in the end.
The Jalapenos and the olive oil truly sounds delicious. I’m pretty sure Room’s going to try it the next time, he’s preparing his pizza. 😉
Jalapenos are really a great addition, but I always forget to buy them. 😀
Frozen pizza requires a GOOD crust, or it’s crap – Rule #1. Most of them are “biscuit-dough” garbage. Crappy crust will RUIN your improved pizza! Find the right one to start with. (And yes, sometimes cheaper is better in this rule…)
Rule #2 – Soft or delicate stuff, like olive bits, mushrooms, seasonings (garlic powder, onion p., sage, cumin, bl. pepper, etc.) go UNDER the extra cheese. Pepperoni, ham, bacon, onion bits, gr. pepper bits, or tomato bits go OVER the extra cheese – on the top, where they either get crispy or somewhat dried out.
Rules #3 through #8:
– Usually a mix of cheese works best, such as mozzarella+cheddar+parmesan.
– There IS such a thing as too much cheese! A solid layer you can’t see through may be too much. Don’t abuse your cheese, or you will regret it…
– Top shelf in oven works best. Bake until little specks of cheese are browning over the top, then STOP. Solid layers of brown are TOO MUCH BAKED. (Another form of cheese-abuse…)
– Put alum. foil on a baking sheet and spray a LOT of butter-flavor Pam-like oil on it to make the crust really good and crispy across the bottom.
– Set temp according to directions on package (usually), but add about 20% to baking time because of extra topping volume. (High temp+short time=crispier or ‘raw-er’ vegetable matter, Lower temp+longer time=softer or ‘more-cooked’ vegetable matter. It’s YOUR CHOICE, though I prefer High temp+shorter time.)
– Minced garlic bits on top are always better than garlic powder. (Same with onion bits.) Though you CAN use both, if you are careful to not put on too much.
There’s more… but I must retain SOME of the Master-Level secrets of pizza adulteration. 😉