Homemade Pizza w/ Sal Reina (Francesca's Pizza)

Pizzaiolo Sal Reina joins me in the Cucina this week to share his best tips and tricks to making a great pizza at home! Sal is one of the owners of Francesca's Pizza, with three locations in Bergen County NJ! Growing up in a half Sicilian and half Chinese household, the man knows good food! He shares memories of heading to the city with his family for dim sum dinners and Italian pastry desserts! But he never thought of food as a career - until his corporate gig started stopped cutting it.

That’s when Sal turned to something he loves - pizza! As well as family. Partnering with his brother they started the first Francesca’s in Glen Rock on a wing and a prayer! With no formal training and a business plan of “be nice to people and make good food” - they found tremendous success! Opening another two locations over the years, and not only surviving through the pandemic, but thriving. Sal says it was the love of the local community that kept his business going, along with his personal mantra “I’ll figure it out!”

In this video he shows us how to make a classic pizza Margherita! His first recommendation to great pizza at home - a pizza stone! Sal says it’s the best way to replicate the super hot ovens of your local pizzeria. He also suggests either using homemade pizza dough, or asking your local pizzeria if they’ll sell their dough. A lot of places will. That way you know it’s fresh, probably made that day. Another tip Sal shares, make sure your dough gets to room temperature! Leave it out for about an hour before you start working with it.

Then there’s the sauce! The secret to the best pizza sauce at home? Nothing! No, seriously. Sal says good quality, Italian, whole, peeled, plum tomatoes, simply ground up, no salt, no herbs, nothing on them will do the trick!

Finally he uses a blend of fresh and shredded mozzarella for the pizza. And we dot it with fresh basil once it’s hot out of the oven.

AND we've got a special surprise for you all because we're creating a Francesca's x Cara's Cucina collab pie! I share the recipe for my lemon prosciutto pie in this video but you can also get one June 4, 5, and 6th (2021) at ANY of the three Francesca's locations! The proceeds will benefit one of my favorite charities, Groundwork Elizabeth! I chose lemons because - hello - Cucina! And I think they add so much flavor to, well, everything! Layered with some smoked mozzarella, and prosciutto, which crisps up SO nicely in the oven - the lemon balances all those delicious, fatty flavors. And of course, I topped mine with some fresh basil as well! Check out both pizzas in the video below!

Buon Appetito!

Carefully transfer the pizza to a pizza peel, and then to the hot stone in the oven. DO NOT try to remove the hot stone from the oven. (watch the video for Sal’s tips if you don’t have a pizza peel!). Cook the pizza for 8-10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove the pizza onto a rack to allow air to circulate underneath it, keeping the bottom crispy. Tear basil leaves and sprinkle over the top of the hot pizza. Allow to cool until easy to handle. Cut into 6 wedges and enjoy!

Francesca’s x Cara’s Cucina Lemon Prosciutto Pizza
Makes 1 pizza

1 10 oz. fresh pizza dough
4-5 thin lemon slices
1/2 C. smoked mozzarella (or buffalo mozzarella)
4-5 slices of prosciutto di Parma
4-5 fresh basil leaves, torn
pinch of salt
1 Tbs. olive oil

Gently stretch the dough to the desired size and shape. Break the cheese into small pieces and spread them evenly across the dough.

Tear the prosciutto into small pieces and add to the pizza.

Space the lemon slices evenly over the pie.

Tear the basil leaves and place them on the pizza. Sprinkle the whole pizza with salt and drizzle olive oil on top.

Carefully transfer the pizza to a pizza peel, and then to the hot stone in the oven. DO NOT try to remove the hot stone from the oven. (watch the video for Sal’s tips if you don’t have a pizza peel!). Cook the pizza for 8-10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove the pizza onto a rack to allow air to circulate underneath it, keeping the bottom crispy. Allow to cool until easy to handle. Cut into 6 wedges and enjoy!

dinner, Italian American, kids, local, lunch, parties, recipes, vegetarianCara Di FalcoMay 27, 2021Pizza at home, how to make pizza at home in oven, easy homemade pizza, homemade pizza toppings, pizza temperature and time, pizza at home recipe, pizza at home in oven, pizza at home with pizza base, how to make pizza at home, how to prepare pizza at home, pizza making at home, pizza sauce recipe at home, pizza ovens at home, homemade pizza, homemade pizza recipe, homemade pizza with store brought dough, how to make homemade pizza with store brought crust, cara di falco, cara’s cucina, cucina, cooking, cooking class, cooking classes online, how to, how to make, how to cook, Francescas pizza, Francesca pizza nj, sal reina, Francescas pizza glen rock, Francescas pizza elmwood park, Francescas pizza fairlawn, traditional Italian food, authentic Italian food, Italy food culture, Italian food is the best, authentic Italian food recipes, the basics of Italian cuisine, traditional Italian recipes, Italian cooking informationComment

Homemade Pizza w/ Sal Reina (Francesca's Pizza)

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