Fresh out of the oven at Pizzeria Verità Credit: Matthew Thorsen

Pizzeria Verità is known for its Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza. The restaurant is nominated annually in Seven Days readers’ choice awards, and is No. 1 on TripAdvisor (up from No. 2 last week) for Burlington-area pies. (See my story about learning tricks of the dough here.) This means that sometimes you can’t get a table at the restaurant.

If you find yourself out of luck — or you’re planning a party — here are five secrets from Verità co-owner Leslie Wells for making the best-tasting pizza at home:

  • Use a dough recipe with a long fermentation process; this gives the crust more structure and airiness.
  • Source the freshest, highest-quality ingredients for topping. 
  • Never underestimate a great cheese. 
  • Get your oven as hot as possible, and finish with the broiler to cook the top.
  • Keep it simple; don’t over-top the pizza. The key is to have flavors that complement, rather than overwhelm, each other.

Of course, Wells also has a sixth suggestion: “When all else fails, come to Pizzeria Verità!”

What tricks do you have for making pizza at home? 

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Melissa was a food writer at Seven Days.

2 replies on “Five Tips for Making Perfect Pizza”

  1. Here is my most important trick to making home pizza – Don’t make the dough ! Go to your favorite pizzeria and ask if they will sell you their dough . Most will at a reasonable price . Frankly making your own dough is a big pain . Time better spent elsewhere and frankly the results won’t be as good as what you can buy . Second trick is using a pizza stone . Well worth the purchase as it can be used for bread , focaccia or reheating baked items . It can last for decades .

  2. Best dough you can buy: Pepe’s (from Amsterdam, NY). “Perfect Pizza dough”. Not sure if all Hannaford’s markets carry it, but Lantman’s in Hinesburg does, and it makes a perfect Neopolitan “apizza” dough, like from New Haven. Or a nice sicilian for a change.

    Key is heat. Your oven has to be at least 450 degrees.

    And NEVER use part-skim mozzarella. Whole milk only, and not the major supermarket brands (Kraft or Cabot).

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