Category archives: Ingredients

Creative recipes with unusual toppings for a unique pizza
Actuality, Ingredients

Creative recipes: unusual toppings for a unique pizza

Hello to all, pizza lovers! Today I want to share with you some ideas to make your pizzas even more special and unique. We are all used to classic toppings like mozzarella, tomato, mushrooms and ham, but what if we try something different? If you are ready to experiment and amaze your guests, read on!

The perfect base for a unique pizza

Before we talk about the toppings, It's important to have a good foundation. The preparation of the dough is essential to obtain a delicious pizza. In many pizzerias, the dough is carefully prepared and left to rise for the time necessary to obtain a perfect consistency. If you want to improve your technique, sign up for our pizza chef courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school. Our experts will teach you all the secrets for a perfect dough!

Unusual toppings to amaze

  1. Smoked salmon and avocado pizza

A combination that might seem strange, but I assure you it is delicious. The smoked salmon goes perfectly with the creaminess of the avocado. Add some’ of red onion and a drizzle of olive oil and you will have a refined and tasty pizza.

  1. Pizza with pears, gorgonzola and walnuts

Another winning combination is that of pears with gorgonzola. The sweet flavor of the pears contrasts wonderfully with the intense flavor of the gorgonzola. Add a few walnuts for a crunchy touch and you're done. Perfect for a special evening!

  1. Pizza with figs, raw ham and rocket

Fresh figs are a real delight, especially in combination with raw ham. Add some’ of rocket for a fresh and peppery note. This pizza is ideal for summer and will make you look great with your guests.

  1. Chicken tikka masala pizza

For spice lovers, this pizza is a must. Prepare the chicken with the tikka masala sauce, add some’ of mozzarella and cook everything in the oven. The result is a spicy and tasty pizza that will make you travel with taste.

  1. Pumpkin pizza, sausage and rosemary

A perfect topping for autumn. The sweetness of the pumpkin pairs perfectly with the flavor of the sausage. Add some’ of fresh rosemary for an unmistakable aroma. A pizza that warms the heart!

Tips for perfect cooking

Cooking the pizza is just as important as preparing the dough and choosing the toppings. Every pizzeria has its secrets, but there are some tips that can make the difference. Always preheat the oven to maximum temperature and use a baking stone if possible. This will help you get a crispy, well-cooked base. If you want to discover all the tricks of perfect cooking, sign up for our pizza chef courses!

Conclusion

I hope these ideas have inspired you to experiment with new toppings and make your pizzas even more special. Pizza is a versatile and creative dish, and with a little’ fantasy, you can create unique and surprising combinations.

If you want to learn more about preparing and cooking pizza, sign up for our pizza chef courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school. And don't forget to visit and subscribe to my YouTube channel, where you will find more of 300 videos of pizza recipes prepared by pizza chef students who enroll in our courses.

Greetings from Silvio Cicchi!

 

 

Find out how to choose the best ingredients for a perfect pizza. Advice from expert pizza chefs
Advice, Ingredients

How to Choose the Best Ingredients for Pizza A Complete Guide

Hello pizza friends! Today we talk about one of the most important topics for those who love preparing pizza: how to choose the best ingredients. Whether you are a professional pizza chef or an enthusiast who loves to try his hand at preparing dough at home, knowing which ingredients to use can make the difference between a good pizza and an exceptional pizza.

Pizza is one of the most loved dishes in the world, but to make sure yours is truly special, you have to start from the base: the ingredients. In this post, I will guide you through the fundamental steps to choose the best ingredients for your pizza. In the end, I will also give you some advice on where to learn how to make pizza like a real professional. Sign up for our pizza chef courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school to become a pizza master!

Flour: The Base of Everything

The choice of flour is crucial in the preparation of doughs. There are different types of flour, but what makes the difference is the soft wheat flour type “00”. This flour is particularly suitable for pizza thanks to its fineness and low ash content. A good type flour “00” it will guarantee you an elastic and easily workable dough, essential for uniform and crispy pizza cooking.

Water: Simple but essential

Water is an often underestimated ingredient, but fundamental in the preparation of doughs. The water must be pure and free of chlorine, which can negatively affect the yeast. The temperature of the water is equally important: it should be lukewarm to help the yeast work best. Generally, for a perfect dough, hydration is recommended between 55% and the 65%.

Yeast: The Magic of Fermentation

Yeast is what makes the dough rise, making it soft and light. You can choose from fresh brewer's yeast, dry brewer's yeast or sourdough. Each has its own peculiarities and unique flavour. Yeast, for example, requires more time and attention, but it gives the pizza an unmistakable flavor and superior digestibility.

Sale: The Final Touch

Don't forget the salt! Added at the end of the dough preparation, salt not only enhances the flavors but also helps strengthen the structure of the gluten, improving the consistency of the pizza. But be careful not to overdo it: the ideal quantity is approximately 2% of the weight of the flour.

Tomatoes: The Heart of Pizza

Tomato sauce is another element that can make a difference. The best tomatoes for pizza are San Marzano, cultivated on the slopes of Vesuvius. These tomatoes have a sweet flavor and low acidity, perfect for a rich and tasty sauce. Puree the tomatoes, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for a perfect sauce.

Mozzarella: The Queen of Cheeses

Mozzarella is the undisputed protagonist of Margherita pizza. For a perfect pizza, choose buffalo mozzarella from Campania DOP, which is creamier and tastier than cow mozzarella. If you prefer a less watery mozzarella, opt for mozzarella fior di latte. Remember to let the mozzarella drain before putting it on the pizza, to prevent it from releasing too much water during cooking.

Extra virgin olive oil: The Touch of Class

A drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil adds a unique and deep flavor to the pizza. Choose a fruity and slightly spicy oil to enhance all the other ingredients without overpowering the taste.

Basil and Other Seasonings

Don't forget the fresh basil, which adds an unmistakable aroma and a touch of color to your pizza. Add the basil leaves only after cooking to preserve their freshness. You can also enrich your pizza with other high quality ingredients such as porcini mushrooms, Parma ham, fresh rocket, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Cooking: The Moment of Truth

Cooking pizza is the moment in which all the efforts made in choosing and preparing the ingredients come to life. The oven must be very hot, ideally between 300°C and 350°C, to ensure quick and uniform cooking. If you use a home oven, set the temperature to maximum and use a baking stone to simulate the conditions of a wood-fired oven.

Become an expert pizza chef

If you want to learn more about pizza preparation techniques and learn from true professionals, sign up for our pizza maker courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school. We offer courses for all levels, from beginners to professionals, with a complete program covering all aspects of pizza preparation, from the choice of ingredients to perfect cooking.

Greetings and Invitation

Thank you for reading this guide on how to choose the best pizza ingredients. I hope that my advice has been useful to you and that you can put into practice everything you have learned to create delicious pizzas. Don't forget to visit and subscribe to my YouTube channel, where you will find more of 300 videos of pizza recipes prepared by pizza chef students who enroll in our courses.

Warm greetings from Silvio Cicchi e… Good pizza at all!

Pizza Gourmet Esploriamo le Nuove Frontiere dell'Alta Cucina con Silvio Cicchi
Actuality, Ingredients

Gourmet Pizza Let's explore the new frontiers of haute cuisine with Silvio Cicchi

Gourmet Pizza Let's explore the new frontiers of haute cuisine with Silvio Cicchi

Dear lovers of pizza and good food, welcome to our blog! Today we will immerse ourselves in the magical world of gourmet pizza, exploring the new frontiers of haute cuisine. We are excited to share with you our journey through the secrets of preparation, of cooking and the sublime art of pizza, led by the expert pizza chef Silvio Cicchi.

Discovering the New Frontiers of Gourmet Pizza

Pizza has always been a beloved dish all over the world, but now it is going through a culinary revolution. It's no longer just about the classic margherita pizza or the Quattro Stagioni; we are talking about gourmet pizza, a culinary art that blends tradition and innovation in every bite.

The key to this evolution is the mastery in preparing the dough. Silvio Cicchi, renowned pizza chef and mentor, guides us through the importance of selecting the right ingredients and mixing them carefully to create a perfect base. His pizza school has become a point of reference for those who want to learn the secrets behind the creation of unique and irresistible dough.

The Heart of Gourmet Pizza: The Perfect Cooking

The magic of gourmet pizza doesn't stop at the preparation of the dough; cooking plays a fundamental role in transforming a simple pizza into a gastronomic masterpiece. Silvio Cicchi reveals the tricks of the trade to obtain perfect cooking, from choosing the ideal oven to the magical temperatures that lead to the desired crunchiness.

His hands-on pizza cooking lessons not only teach basic techniques, but they also explore innovative variations, like cooking on lava stone or in the wood-fired oven. This is the point where art meets science, and every aspiring pizza chef can hone their skills under the expert guidance of Silvio Cicchi.

Sign up for our Pizza Maker Courses: Your Journey Toward Excellence

For those who wish to completely immerse themselves in the world of gourmet pizza, there is no better way to do it than to sign up to ours courses pizzaiolo. In our school pizza, Silvio Cicchi shares not only his experience, but also his passion for the art of creating extraordinary pizzas.

The courses cover every aspect of preparing gourmet pizzas, from the choice of ingredients to the final presentation. Each participant will have the opportunity to put into practice the lessons learned and receive personalized feedback from the teacher himself. Subscribe to ours courses pizzaiolo and turn your passion for pizza into next-level culinary expertise.

Conclusions: Gourmet Pizza is an Experience to Savor

In conclusion, gourmet pizza represents an exciting evolution of the Italian culinary tradition. Thanks to the skills and passion of pizza chefs like Silvio Cicchi, we can explore new frontiers of haute cuisine through a dish loved all over the world.

We are excited to continue this journey with you, sharing recipes, culinary tricks and stories that make gourmet pizza an experience to be enjoyed. Join us in our love for pizza and discover the world of haute cuisine through the magic of perfect dough and impeccable cooking.

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

Visit and subscribe to my youtube channel

 

 

Exploring alternative flours for a healthier and lighter pizza
Actuality, Ingredients

Exploring alternative flours for a healthier and lighter pizza

Hello to all, pizza lovers and aspiring pizza makers! Today I want to tell you about my experience in exploring the wonderful world of alternative flours to make our pizza even healthier and lighter. I've always loved savoring a delicious slice of pizza, but I realized that I could make this traditional dish healthier without sacrificing taste. It was a journey of culinary discovery that led me to enroll in pizza courses at Silvio Cicchi's pizza school, where I learned to create unique pizzas using different flours.

It all started with a passion for pizza that pushed me to explore new culinary avenues. I often frequented the neighborhood pizzeria, where I could enjoy traditional pizzas, tasty but quite caloric. My curiosity led me to wonder if there was a way to make pizza lighter and healthier, without compromising the flavour.

So, I started doing some research and discovered the vast universe of alternative flours. I never expected that there was so much variety and potential in the world of flours other than wheat flour. My adventure had just begun, and decided to try some of these flours in my kitchen.

The first alternative flour I tried was spelled. I had heard about the nutritional properties of spelled and wanted to see how it would behave as a base for my pizza. I mixed it carefully, letting it rise lovingly, and the result was a thin, crunchy base with a slightly rustic, nutty flavor. The pizza was delicious, and encouraged me to continue my exploration.

Subsequently, I tried buckwheat flour, which has a distinctive flavor and slightly thicker texture than farro. I experimented with different combinations of ingredients, and I found that this flour went beautifully with ingredients like grilled zucchini, goat cheese and fresh cherry tomatoes. It was a very unique and tasty pizza!

Determined to go further, I came across the flour of ceci. This gluten-free flour has added an earthy note to my pizzas, making them particularly tasty. One of my favorite chickpea flour creations was the “Pizza Mediterranean”. Based on chickpea flour, I added lemon hummus, olive, Red onion, it passes. The result was an explosion of Mediterranean flavors that made my mouth water.

But the real revelation was brown rice flour. This light and delicate flour created a light, crunchy base that lent itself perfectly to a variety of ingredients. I created one “Pizza Primavera” with this flour, covered in fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, peas and a splash of olive oil. It was an ode to freshness and lightness!

After exploring these alternative flours, I decided to deepen my knowledge and I enrolled in pizza courses at Silvio Cicchi's pizza school. Here I met other pizza enthusiasts and had the opportunity to learn from the skills of an experienced master pizza maker.

The Silvio Cicchi's pizza school it was a welcoming and inspiring place, and Silvio himself was a passionate and patient teacher. During the courses, we explored different alternative flours and learned the best techniques to work with them. Silvio encouraged us to experiment and be daring with ingredients, always with an eye to health and taste.

Thanks to the courses, I honed my pizza making skills and discovered more alternative flours, such as chestnut flour and lentil flour. Chestnut flour has a sweet and nutritious taste, perfect for creating fall pizzas with pumpkin, bacon and gorgonzola. Lentil flour, instead, gave birth to a soft base with a slightly nutty aftertaste, ideal for one “Vegan Pizza” con hummus, grilled vegetables and avocado.

My adventure in the world of alternative flours for a healthier and lighter pizza continues today. Silvio Cicchi's pizza school gave me the skills and confidence to explore new combinations of flours and ingredients, creating unique and tasty pizzas.

If you too want to discover new ways to make your pizza healthier and lighter, I encourage you to enroll in the pizza maker courses that we organize in our pizza school Silvio Cicchi. You will discover a world of flavors and possibilities that will surprise you!

Have fun on your culinary adventure and bon appétit!

Sign up for our pizza maker courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school!

Ciao

Visit my youtube channel, you will find beyond 300 Video recipes of pizza

 

 

how to cook mushrooms for pizza
Advice, Cooking, Ingredients, preparation

How to Cook Mushrooms for Pizza

How to Cook Mushrooms for Pizza. Mushrooms are a very popular ingredient for pizza, both for their taste and for their nutritional value.

However, cooking mushrooms so they're perfectly pizza-ready can take a while’ Practice. Here are some tips for cooking mushrooms for pizza in order to obtain the maximum result.

Fast and just enough

First of all, choosing the right mushrooms is very important. If you want mushrooms to be the star of your pizza, then you should choose porcini mushrooms or button mushrooms.

Both have an intense flavor and are very tasty, which makes them perfect for pizza. If instead you want the mushrooms to be just an accompanying ingredient, then you can also choose other types of mushrooms, like mushrooms shitake or mushrooms oyster.

How to Cook Mushrooms for Pizza

Once you have chosen the mushrooms, it is important to clean them thoroughly. To do this, just use a damp cloth or a soft bristle brush to remove any traces of earth or other residues. It is not necessary to wash the mushrooms under water, as they may absorb it and become soggy.

Once cleaned, mushrooms should be cut into thin slices. If you use the porcini mushrooms i Champignon mushrooms, it is advisable to remove the stem, since it may be a bit’ stand. In addition to, it is important to cut the mushrooms into thin slices so that they cook evenly on the pizza.

Mushrooms in the pan

Once cut, the mushrooms are put in a pan with a little’ of olive oil and a clove of minced garlic. It is important to cook them on medium heat, mixing them often, until they become tender and golden.

At this point, they can be added spices to taste, like thyme or rosemary, to give a little’ of extra flavor to the mushrooms.

Notes on conservation

Once cooked, i funghi they should be left to cool slightly before being added to the pizza. It is important that they are not too hot otherwise they could make the mozzarella melt too quickly.

Once the pizza is ready to be baked, just add the mushrooms on top of the sauce and mozzarella, and then bake as usual.

Greetings

Mushrooms are part of the professional program of our "Professional Pizzaiolo Course" You will find all the information here.

If you have not already done, subscribe to my youtube channel, You will 300 Video recipes of pizza.

 

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

 

We know the Calabrian Nduja
Advice, Ingredients

We know the Calabrian Nduja

Nduja is a spreadable sausage. Spicy lovers love it the Nduja. Pork sausage combined with Calabrian pepper. The pepper acts as a preservative.

Produced in the Vibo Valentia area. The original recipe called for two kilos of meat and one of chili peppers.

Nduja in the kitchen

Delicious on pizza, spread on bread, seasoning for pasta, fried, risottos, soups.

We know the Calabrian Nduja

During the professional courses that we do in our own School pizzaioli, we use a lot the Nduja. Everyone seems to like spicy. If you would like more information about our workshops, follow this link.

Greetings

Appointment in a few days for more news on pizza.

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

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Grow Spinach on the Balcony
Advice, Ingredients

Grow Spinach on the Balcony

Grow Spinach on the Balcony. This wondrous plant contains carotenoids, LUTEIN, vitamin C to strengthen our immune system, vegetable iron e folic acid which is useful in stimulating the production of Red blood cells.

Spinaches, vegetables a broad leaf they are very tasty, having no land on which to cultivate them, I cultivate them in pot.

The super vegetable spinach

Get a rectangular pot with natural soil, Sowing goes from March to November. Make holes with your finger a couple of centimeters deep and sow the spinach.

Cover the holes with more soil and water. In a few weeks, fantastic plants will sprout and grow luxuriant day after day.

Grow Spinach on the Balcony

Collect leaves without damaging the central shoot from where the new leaflets will arise. Plants will do very well in cold temperatures, but they need to luce.

Spinach is used a lot in pizzeria, spinach pizza is in great demand. About pizza, I remind you that in ours School pizzaioli we organize professional courses to become real professional pizza chefs. More information about our courses are available here.

Greetings

You can find other recipes with spinach in my recipe collection called: Non Solo Pizza. Available for download at this link.

See you soon

Silvio Cicchi

Follow my You tube channel, It contains 300 Video recipes of pizza.

 

 

What are the best vegetables to eat
Actuality, Advice, Ingredients

What are the best vegetables to eat

What are the best vegetables to eat. It has long been known that vegetables are very good for our health, very rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Someone vegetables they are better than others, let's find out what they are

Garlic: More than confirmed by medicine, garlic reduces the level of triglycerides and sugars in our blood.

Which vegetables do you prefer

Carrots: When we say carrots we immediately think of the high beta-carotene content, they are very rich in vitamins.

Peas: They are very rich in fiber, they contain saponin and are a real cure-all for our digestive system.

What are the best vegetables to eat

Asparagus: It is said that those who eat asparagus every day never get old. They are rich in antioxidants.

Kale: Rich in vitamins A., C, K, kale reduces blood pressure and bad cholesterol.

The super vegetables

Spinach: This vegetable reduces hypertension and therefore is a panacea in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Broccoli: They contain sulforaphane, useful for preventing tumor development. Those who eat it often can reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Tonight I'm preparing the vegetables

Ginger: There is no better remedy in nature for lowering blood sugar and relieving inflammation.

Beets: Swiss chard is good for our cardiovascular system, excellent for reducing the sugar levels in our blood.

Conclusions

These are just some of the fantastic vegetables that you can prepare for dinner tonight. One last recommendation, follow the seasons.

Vegetables in the pizzeria they are used a lot to season our pizzas. About pizza, if you like, subscribe to one of ours practical courses that we organize weekly in ours school pizza. You will find all the information here.

Subscribe to my canale you tube, you will find available further 300 Video recipes of pizza.

See you soon

Silvio Cicchi

 

Potato Salad First Second Course and Side Dish
Advice, Ingredients, Recipes

Potato Salad First Second Course and Side Dish

Potato Salad First Second Course and Side Dish. Just so dear friends, it's just like the title says. Our potato salad as well as being famous all over the world for its simplicity, it is also highly appreciated for its taste.

Each country has its own version with the addition of different ingredients, it could be described with a simple word, dish "jolly”Since it can be used comfortably as first course, come second dish, or simply like contour.

The Super salad

Today I will limit myself to providing you with one of the most famous recipes ever, the preparation is simple, but with a unique flavor.

After boiled potatoes cut them into slices, wait for them to cool and season with one salsa prepared by blending anchovies, Taggiasca olives, a hard-boiled egg yolk and chives.

Potato Salad First Second Course and Side Dish

It might seem like a simple dish to present, but it is an absolute delight. In pizzeria you often meet, since many pizzerias always have blanched potatoes available ready to be added as topping on pizza.

A vegetarian pizza with the addition of potatoes it becomes a super pizza. Potatoes boiled remaining a few minutes in the oven on the pizza form one crust that becomes crisp.

Potatoes in the Pizzeria

In our School Pizza our students pizzaioli during their training they use potatoes a lot. About pizza: If you are real pizza lovers I suggest you subscribe to one of mine Professional practical courses to become pizza chefs. You will find all the information here.

Other very useful tips on how to use potatoes in a pizzeria can be found on my latest collection of recipes called: Non Solo Pizza which is already available for the download at this link.

Greetings

Did you know that here on my site you can find more 300 video recipes of pizza? Many of them are prepared using potatoes as an ingredient. Sign up to my You Tube channel.

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

Mushrooms Let's Know Them Better1
Actuality, Ingredients

Let's get to know the mushrooms better

Let's get to know the mushrooms better. I mushrooms these strangers, rich in Phosphorus, potassium and minerals, they are very useful for our immune and cardiovascular systems.

Let's start by saying that they do not belong to the plant family and are certainly not animals, but nutritionally they could be compared to vegetables and should be consumed just as such.

How many types of mushrooms are there

To name a few: porcini, cockerels, mushroom, prataioli, tacks, pioppini perhaps they are the most famous. They are harvested in spring and autumn.

If you are an expert gatherer, I recommend that you take long walks and collect them, otherwise be very careful because there are species poisonous. For the less experienced ... buy them at the supermarket.

Go for mushrooms

In commerce it is easy to find too dried mushrooms. Mushrooms are anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, rich in fiber and vitamins, contain potassium and copper.

Calorie: They vary from species to species, on average 100 grams of mushrooms are equivalent to approx 30 kcal.

How to use them

With our mushrooms you can make many recipes, in pizzeria they are used trifolati and they are an absolute delight for the palate.

Other common recipes are the pappardelle with mushrooms, the famous ones tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, the mushroom risotto, and some main courses of meat, like the escalopes with mushrooms.

Mushrooms in our school

In our School Pizza Italian we prepare i mushrooms to use as a topping for pizza. If you are interested in ours professional courses to become a pizza maker access all information here.

Follow my youtube channel for tons of mushroom pizza recipes.

 

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi