The Quick Tip To Elevate The Crust When Using Store-Bought Pizza Dough

Pizza is one of the most loved foods worldwide. If you want to enjoy it to the fullest, make it yourself from scratch at home. This way you have the leeway to customize it to your unique preferences by, for example, varying the toppings however you want. However, there's a simple shortcut to achieve a personalized pie without going through the whole process of making your own pizza dough: just go for store-bought.

To turn store-bought pizza dough into the perfect crust, you'll need to stretch and shape it right. The trick is creating an edge (about a ½ inch wide) around the flattened dough that's a bit raised, so when the pizza is baked, it'll have a crunchy brim that's not only delicious but also contrasts beautifully with the base covered in toppings. Start by thawing the store-bought pizza dough overnight in the fridge, then let it rest at room temperature for about four hours. Next, place the dough ball on a floured surface and press into the middle with your fingers to create a disc shape. Continue to flatten the middle section while leaving the edge untouched, then stretch the dough out to make a bigger circle. The target is a 10- to 11-inch-wide circle with a thickness of approximately ⅓ of an inch.

With the store-bought pizza dough now stretched and shaped, transfer it to a baking sheet or pizza stone dusted with flour (to prevent sticking), and your dough is ready for the next step. Before adding the pizza toppings, take a bit of vegetable oil or olive oil in a small bowl, and using a brush, apply a thin layer of the oil on the crust's edge. This will help it acquire that signature golden brown color and develop a satisfying crunch. But that's not all. You can sprinkle spices like garlic salt for added flavor or add sesame seeds to the pizza crust for extra crunch.

Another way to turn the outer crust from boring and regular to uniquely tasty and crave-worthy is to create a stuffed crust. The idea here is to fill the edge with cheese, which will melt and form an ooey-gooey delicious core enveloped by the crispy crust. To make this, pinch at the edge of the dough to create a rim all around. Place string cheese or grated mozzarella along the edge, then fold the dough's edge over the cheese and press down to completely seal. Proceed to add your favorite pizza toppings, but only to the base of the crust. Pop it in the oven to bake and get ready for a standout pizza with a delicious raised crust edge.