Men's Journal

Never mind DiGiorno. Renowned pizza maker Tony Gemignani offers up the tools (and tips) you need to make a perfect pie in your own oven.

 

Interviewed by Seth Kelly 

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Copper Olive Oil Can

“The can keeps the olive oil cool and protects it from sunlight, plus it’s the traditional can that a Neapolitan pizzaiolo in Italy or any certified pizza maker in the U.S. would use. It goes back to when pizza originated ― only these days the interior is usually made of stainless steel. Drizzle oil on your pizza when it comes out of the oven by starting in the middle and working your way out in a circular motion.” [$54; fgpizza.com]

 

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Villaware Pizzagrill BBQ Pizza Stone

“A hot pizza stone produces a crispy crust and keeps the toppings from overcooking. Villaware’s pizza stone comes with a rack that fits into your grill. Gas barbecues can get hotter than your typical domestic oven ― 600 to 700 degrees. But you can take the stone out of the rack and use it in your home oven, making it a versatile tool to have around.” [$75; cookware.com]

Instawares Pizza Screen

“Sometimes the bottom finishes cooking a little early on a pizza stone ― just slip the screen under it to give the top more time to cook. You can also make your pizza on the screen, cook it on a rack in your oven, and then transfer it to the stone for finishing. Make sure to season your screen by coating the top and bottom with olive oil and baking it for 45 minutes at 500 degrees. It will smoke, so turn the fan on.” [from $2; instawares.com]

Epicurean Pizza Peel

“Some wooden peels” ― the big spatulas used to move pies ― “are so thick that people have to sand them down to get under the pizza. This composite one is very thin, making it easy to pick pizzas from your stone. It’s durable enough that you can slice pizza while it’s on the peel, and you can put Epicureans in the dishwasher, too.” [$33; epicureancs.com]

GI Metal Pizza Cutter

“GI Metal is an Italian brand that you can only find from a few importers. I prefer them because they’re very sharp, they’re durable, and of all the cutters I’ve used, this one provides the best leverage. The overall construction, the placement of the thumb rest, and the grip all give you total control over the blade.” [$35; fgpizza.com]

This article originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.