Pizza is one of the most popular dishes that everyone can learn to make at first glance. However, in reality there are a lot of pizza recipes - there are both simple and very complicated ones. The process of making classic Neapolitan pizza (its variations are usually served in restaurants called Margarita) was included in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list. Not the dish itself, but the process itself - from preparing the ingredients to serving, and the form in which the pizza is baked is of great importance.
Features
Neapolitan pizza, for example, is baked on a wooden baking sheet in a stone oven, but at home you can restrict yourself to simpler options. Utensil shops offer a wide selection of utensils for baking and baking using a conventional kitchen oven.
Typically, fireproof materials are used to make such cookware to avoid fires or melting cookware in gas ovens.
For a standard pizza, of course, a round shape is more suitable, although it can also be made rectangular if desired - this plays a big role. The popularity of the circle is due only to the tradition of Italian masters. And the most popular sizes are 25, 30 and 35 cm.
Materials used
Pizza molds can be made of different materials. Each has its own characteristics and features of choice.
Metal
Any metal utensil should be chosen very carefully, as its inadequate characteristics can easily destroy your dish. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the presence of non-stick coating, the height of the sides, the type of alloy.
Usually, steel, aluminum and cast iron are used for making dishes.Cast iron is easily recognized by its large weight - such a large-sized form is not easy to hold in fragile hands, but, perhaps, its cons end there. This is the best option when uniform heating is required - cast iron has a very high thermal conductivity. On this form, even optionally non-stick coating or perforation of the bottom.
And in the case of steel, a non-stick coating is necessary, otherwise it will be difficult to keep track of pizza.
It is also desirable to have a perforated bottom, although you can do without it.
When choosing an aluminum mold, remember that This material has a very high thermal conductivity and quickly heats up. The latter is very different from cast iron, so pizza will be baked on it much faster than on any other material. The disadvantage of this option is that any aluminum things are easily bent, so you need to handle them carefully.
Ceramic
Forms from this material are even more whimsical to use. Ceramics - the material is brittle and can crack at the slightest impact on a hard surface.
However, this form can be put not only in the oven, but also in the microwave, and it also warms up evenly and even retains heat for some time.
Therefore, the ceramic form can be used to serve dishes on the table. Often such forms are produced in a small size - 200 mm.
Glass
When choosing a glass form, be sure to pay attention to the type of material. It must be refractory glass, and not just a dish of a suitable shape and size. Like ceramics, glass can for some time maintain the temperature of the finished pizza, and also allows you to control the stage of readiness of the dish through the transparent walls so that it does not burn.
But you need to handle this form very carefully.
Silicone
Recently, silicone molds are gaining popularity. This is not surprising, because unlike all other materials, silicone is flexible and makes it easy to take out pastries. However, large pizzas of 40, 45 and 50 cm are extremely undesirable to cook in silicone forms. Silicone simply cannot give uniform heating over the entire surface of the pizza.
Varieties
Sometimes baking dish can have some features. Some may, for example, perforate. Holes in the form of small holes are sometimes made in steel and aluminum molds. This is useful so that the dough is baked faster, and a crust may form at the bottom of the pizza. It usually does not form on a baking sheet without holes, as this requires air access.
When choosing this form, be sure to check the presence of the non-stick coating not only inside, but also on all surfaces of the holes, otherwise the dough may get into them and burn.
And so that it does not leak, be sure to use only a thick consistency.
Interesting in its solution is the conical shape. For these pizzas, special forms are made in which the dough is placed, baked, and then the filling is reported. The result is pizza in the form of ice cream.
It is convenient to eat, as hands do not get dirty, it is convenient to take with you, separate dishes are not required - you can wrap the cone in a napkin. This pizza has already gained popularity among Europeans as an original variant of street fast food.
For restaurants special cone pizza presses and ovensbut it can be done at home.
However, then you will need a non-stick stand that will support the cups in the oven. Otherwise, the filling may simply leak out.
Reviews
Most consumers in reviews of a form with a non-stick grid note its convenience, high pizza cooking speed and good frying. However, in such forms with holes it turns out to make only thin pizza. For pizza with gingerbread dough, it is advised to take the usual form.
Cons are noted in baking trays made of aluminum and thin carbon steel - they are short-lived compared to cast iron. It is also recommended to use parchment for baking or its analogues, since such baking sheets do not have a non-stick coating. Or you can use the professional secret of cooks - grease the form with margarine so that the pizza does not stick and does not stick. It does not give a large amount of fat and does not spread like vegetable oil.
For an overview of silicone pizza molds, see below.
