Professional chef and food writer Anne Wolf has revealed a straightforward trick that guarantees frozen pizza achieves a perfectly crispy base every time, eliminating the common problem of soggy or undercooked dough.
Wolf, writing for Simply Recipes, explained that most people err by following the instructions on the packaging. While that yields acceptable results, she insists that 'fine is the enemy of great, and great is just a pizza stone away.'
The Key Step: Defrost Before Cooking
Contrary to intuition, Wolf recommends defrosting the frozen pizza before placing it in the oven. This step helps the dough become crispier and less limp. She notes that pizza stones and steels mimic the high-heat, moisture-wicking environment of a commercial brick oven, which is exactly what frozen pizza needs for a properly crispy, evenly cooked bottom crust.
Using a Pizza Stone Correctly
To guarantee a crispy base, Wolf advises using a pizza stone or a specialist pizza tray as a substitute. The stone should be placed inside the oven while it preheats to the appropriate temperature. However, the pizza should not be placed on the stone immediately once the oven reaches the correct heat. Instead, allow the stone to continue heating for a full hour after the oven has reached temperature. During this time, the frozen pizza can be taken out of the freezer to reach room temperature.
Once the pizza has defrosted, position it on the heated stone and cook according to the package instructions. Wolf suggests checking the base of the pizza a few minutes before the end of the cooking time to ensure optimal crispiness.
