Pizza. What's the best part? What "makes" it?

[maxman]

I'm sitting here staring at a piece of Mediterranean Pizza from Boston Pizza.
Leftovers.

It's soooo good.

Here's my question (as I'm about to take a bite).
What part of the pizza do you like best? I mean, what part "makes" it for you?
What part HAS to be awesome and you just won't compromise.

Crust?
Sauce?
Cheese?
Toppings?

I really don't know.
I'll have to think about this.

 

[Rockminer]

I feel like I need everything for it to be great pizza. I will say that I think the dough is the most underrated part for most people. I'm part Italian, so the old school style is what I grew up on and still consider the best pizza.

 

[maxman]

For leftovers, the crust/dough is tops on my list.
Well, that's what I'm eating right now so that's what's on my mind.

A good sauce on a nice fresh pizza is good too.

 

[captaincaveman]

I can really appreciate every part of it, including the dough/crust that seems to be everybody's default answer to questions like this, but what's most important to me is the sauce.

 

[guerreit2]

Everything ties together to be equally important in a great pizza. Ultimately though it comes down to the dough & the sauce.

 

[dpm802]

Its the toppings for me. I like it with The Works, but can't go for pineapple. Anchovies on the side.

Best pizza I ever had was in Venice, Italy. They put out a pie called "Il Mundo" (The World) and it had EVERYTHING.
On another trip we ordered "Vesuvio" which was shaped like a miniature volcano with a poached egg in the crater.

 

[grumpybear]

When I visited Itally I had salami, mystery cheese, tomatoes, olives, peppers, mushrooms, and onions, on a garlic bread crust with some spices. I also like meatlovers pizza with jalapenos. Green olives and banana peppers will make any pizza.

 

[JDTTO]

It's everything together but the key is not to have too much of everything.

Thin crust and not too much sauce and toppings makes it for me.

 

[N1CK]

There's a part in a book called American Pie that I totally agree with.

"I judge pizzas this way: the crust I judge on a scale of one to ten, the sauce and toppings on a scale of one to two.” - Jeffrey Steingarten

“So you’re telling me that the crust is at least five times more important than the sauce and toppings?” - Peter Reinhart

“At least, but probably more.” - Jeffrey Steingarten

 

[YetiDave]

I'm in the boat of it all having to work equally well, but the thing that can quickly ruin any pizza regardless of topping is a soggy base

 

[countrydirt]

Our pizza must have our homemade crust which my wife and I have refined over the past 25 years. Our favorite topping, by far, is the Pueblo Green Chili!

 

[MatteBlack]

For me, it's crust consistency.

 

[Bebe]

Play the vide0, he'll tell you

... don't fool the public

 

[mretzloff]

I think it is the crust. I have had some amazing pizza and some really bad pizza. One thing I have noticed is that a mediocre pie can be made much better by the simple addition of some quality crust.

My rule: if you walk in and the employees speak Italian and can barely speak English, the pizza is probably very good. I have never been to Italy, but there are some amazing pizza places in Germany that are run by Italians.

 

[ouch]

Play the vide0, he'll tell you

... don't fool the public

In the early 70's, I would take the train to NYU at Ave J and E 15 St. At the corner was Di Fara's. It's very good pizza, but despite what the owner says, it's not as good as it was when it was significantly less than five bucks a pop. He may not fool the public, but I could live with a little less rock star attitude.

 

[ouch]

Oh, and the best part of pizza? Finding some in the refrigerator at 3AM.

 

[MatteBlack]

I wouldn't pay $5 for a slice of pizza.

 

[Mick]

It's been so long since I have had a "shop made pie" that I can't recall what they taste like.

I make my own dough and sauce and spice my own Italian sausage (no I don't make the cheese or grow the veggies).

 

[coyotewhisper]

Personally the crust is what makes a pizza great. Without a great crust the rest of the pizza will fall short. Secondly would be the right amount of sauce too much makes it soggy. Selection of toppings need to be fresh.

 

[N1CK]

I like thin crust pie. Neo-Neopolitan. My wife likes big thick crust. Like Chicago or heavy topped thick crust Americana.

I can go either way on commercial yeast or sourdough. I make both.