My Italian grandmother grew up in Naples so when she talks about pizza people listen.
Nonna was a huge fan of pizza and she ran a small Italian restaurant in Winnipeg, Canada for years. Yet, she was no traditionalist. She embraced experimentation and was always offering new specials for her customers to test.
I gave her a call and asked her about pizza cookbooks. What are the best ones? Which do you recommend?
Great question, she answered, and unprompted sent me this list of the five reasons everyone should own at least one decent pizza cookbook.
- Eat more pizza because it’s a gift from the universe
- Get delicious and creative recipes for pizza in pizza cookbooks
- Learn new and interesting ways to make your favorite pizzas
- Enjoy eating pizza with your friends and family
- Be healthier by incorporating more vegetables into your pizzas
FUN PIZZA FACTS FOR BEGINNERS
- Pizza was first invented in Naples, Italy.
- Pizza became mass appeal in the United States in the 1940s when immigrating Italians brought their classic slices.
Nonna’s Recommendations
Flour Water Salt Yeast
The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish
If you really want to master pizza dough recipes and techniques then you need to grab a copy of this book from Ken Forkish.
Ken is arguably the leading pizza-making authority in America and he understands how to bring together all the elements of pizza to deliver pizza recipes that taste incredible.
Of course, to get the best result, you’ll need an excellent pizza oven too.
You can find it online here.
Perfect Pan Pizza
Square Pies to Make at Home, from Roman, Sicilian, and Detroit, to Grandma Pies and Focaccia by Peter Reinhart
This was recommended to us by one of our favorite Italian food bloggers and pizza making has never been so easy.
Peter Reinhart absolutely nails the dough recipes and ensures that making pizza is easy and enjoyable. Whatever style of pizza you love, he’s got the pizza recipe to make it happen for you.
We can see why this is an award-winning book, it’s just so good.
You can find it online here.
The Elements of Pizza
Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home by Ken Forkish
This is a James Beard and IACP Award winner and it has everything that you need for mastering pizza at home.
Ken is our IACP award-winning author of choice when it comes to making pizza recipes. His fluffy Sicilian pan recipe will blow you away.
You’ll soon be cooking pizza like a pro and your home oven will be turning out a signature pizza that will leave all your friends mouths watering.
You can find it online here.
The Pizza Bible
The World’s Favorite Pizza Styles, from Neapolitan, Deep-Dish, Wood-Fired, Sicilian, Calzones, and Focaccia to New York, New Haven, Detroit, and More by Tony Gemignani
Why not learn to make pizza from a 12-time world pizza champion?
That’s the concept of the Pizza Bible and it’s packed with 75 recipes that use a variety of base doughs to create different styles of pizza each of which is tastier than the last!
This master class in comfort food has you making pizzas from scratch and you’ll master dough, tomato sauce, regional styles, and everything from pizza focaccia to brand-new recipes that you’ve never seen before!
You can find it online here.
Pizza Camp
Recipes from Pizzeria Beddia by Joe Beddia
This was a contender for our best Italian cookbooks list and while we didn’t give a slot up there for specialty work on pizzas, we’re very glad to include this comprehensive guide to baking all things pizza in this list.
They say Joe’s pizzas are the best in America and we can see why. His making process has its own unique style and we made nothing but great pizza from this cookbook.
You can find it online here and here.
The Pizza Cookbook
by Williams Sonoma
We love the format of the Williams Sonoma cookbook range and we think their pizza makers have come up with the best one of their cookbooks, so far.
They start with a great dough recipe technique and build from there!
We like that they went beyond the pizza oven to examine even outdoor grilling for a new pizza style completely!
You can find it online here.
Pizza Stone Recipe Cookbook
Cooking Delicious Pizza Craft Recipes For Your Grill and Oven or BBQ, Non-Stick Round, Square or Rectangular ThermaBond Baking Set by A J Luigi
If you really want to make something different then this book which includes nine different approaches to making a healthier pizza crust might be for you.
We also love the endless different recipes for sauces included in this. It’s a short and simple cookbook that still manages to add something fresh to a competitive genre of books.
You can find it online here.
Artisan Pizza
To Make Perfectly At Home by Bridget Hugo and Giuseppe Mascoli
From the owners of Franco Manca comes this authentically Italian approach to pizza recipes including fried starters and salads to prepare with your dough.
We couldn’t wait to get the dough in the oven when we started working through this book.
You can find it online here.
Authentic Italian Pizza
The Cookbook by Tommaso Sorrentine
This is a fun little pizza cookbook with an emphasis on getting things done in the kitchen.
With over 40 recipes for the dough alone, you know that Tommaso has gone over and above the call of duty to bring together all your pizza options in one book.
You can find it online here.
Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day
The Homemade Bread Revolution Continues by Jeff Hertzberg MD and Zoe Francois
Yes, the focus here is on “five minutes a day” and the authors are all about helping people cook the food they love in the time they have during a busy working week.
Fast and easy often leads to poor quality results but not in this case, the pizzas they make are very tasty, indeed!
You can find it online here and here.