I Challenged Dominos to a Pizza Bake-Off and This is What Happened

There are some who consider pizza the perfect food. It has complex carbohydrates, vegetables, dairy, and protein. Okay, maybe “perfect” is stretching it a bit, but I remember when pizza was something you shouldn’t eat too much of because it might spoil your dinner. Now it is dinner.

 

Millions of families rely on pizza because it is quick, cheap, and convenient. But is it? To find out, I conducted a somewhat less-than-scientific test. Could I make, bake, and get a reasonably delicious pizza on the table in less time and for less money than it would take to order and wait to have a pizza delivered? 

The Challenge

I ordered a large 14-inch thin-crust tomato and cheese pizza from Domino’s for delivery. As soon as I closed the app, I went to work on my homemade version of that pizza with a no-rise crust.

No-Rise Crust

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tspn cornmeal
• 1 (.25oz) package active dry yeast
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110℉)
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tspn salt

Tomato Cheese Topping

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 3/4 pound Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly
• 2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425℉.
2. While the oven is heating, rub 1 teaspoon of olive oil over a 14-inch pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. In a small bowl, Stir yeast and sugar into the warm water and let stand until foamy (2-3 minutes).
3. Combine flour, salt, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade*. Turn on the machine.
4. Pour the yeast mixture through the feed tube. Process until dough forms into a ball inside the bowl. If dough sticks, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time. When you reach the desired consistency, process the dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.
5. Roll dough immediately on a heavily floured board to a 14-inch circle. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.
6. Transfer dough to pizza pan. Work the edge to form a rim. Brush with remaining oil. Sprinkle on minced garlic and cover with an even layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 6 slices. Serve!

Challenge Results

My homemade gourmet-style pizza was out of the oven, cut, and partially consumed before the doorbell rang. It’s difficult to give an unbiased opinion on the homemade versus the commercial product because, well, I am anything but impartial. 

Just let me say there’s nothing like the taste of fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on freshly baked homemade dough.

As for the time factor, I beat Dominos by a full 20 minutes. And the cost? My homemade pizza: Less than $4. Dominos: $28.92, including tip. I declared myself the winner! Haha. That’s how it works when you create the challenge, enter yourself into the challenge, and then also name yourself the judge! 

Here’s a tip for you

I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’re probably not going to make a perfectly shaped pizza on your first try. If at first you don’t succeed: Make more homemade pizza! It’ll get easier every time and can only get more delicious.

RELATED: Homemade English Muffin Bread

 

 

 

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