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| The Pizza Book: Everything There Is To Know About the World's Greatest Pie | 
 enlarge | Author: Evelyne Slomon
Publisher: Crown
Category: Book
List Price: $23.00
Buy Used: $3.08
You Save: $19.92 (87%)
New (3) Used (19) from $3.08
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 285486
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 276
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 7.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 081291113X
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.824
EAN: 9780812911138
ASIN: 081291113X
Publication Date: August 12, 1984
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
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 A good introduction, but certainly not authoritative June 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I recently received a copy of this book when it appeared on my desk at work while I was away at lunch. I have been trying to make good pizza and this book appeared to hold a lot of promise. So, I dug in! I discovered that some of what I discovered in this book has been improved upon in the time between now and when it was written.
I cannot say this is a bad book, because it's not. It's actually quite a good book and a VERY good introduction to pizza. At the time, this probably was quite authoritative and complete, and while some of the material can be set aside as having been improved upon, it still holds value for allowing someone starting out to make pizza that is worth serving to company.
The book has a number of sections, including sauces and crusts as well as some complete pizzas that you can make in your own kitchen. There is good variety in it and there are a number of angles with which to experiment.
My primary interest in pizza is in the crust, so I attacked the recipes in this book for crust first. My family complained that I had changed the way I made pizza when I did so. The difference is that the crusts in this book are all "fast rise", bowl to peel in a short period of time, and several other books on the subject have migrated to a slower rise and more gentle handling of the crust. The result with the former is a firmer crust but with less flavor, while patient handling and letting the dough age longer results in a stronger flavor.
I experimented with the sauces and this worked out better than my attempts with the crusts. There are a few sauce recipes in the book and the ones that I have tried have definitely improved my offerings from the oven. That said, each is a matter of personal preference I and found myself tweaking and adjusting. This is not a shortcoming; I suspect the author had this in mind.
I have not tried to make the specific pizzas. That is a matter of pairing the crusts and sauces together with specific toppings.
There are other recipes for things such as focaccia, and I have found these to be ok at best and dull at worst. Again, this comes down to method and patience, and neither of these seem to be considered. That said, for a quickly-produced product the end result is usually pretty good!
It depends on what is important to you - speed or quality. I personally prefer quality, whereas this book favors speed. That said, the results that come from following the recipes in this book are certainly better than take-out pizza and are likely better than what you will find in other basic pizza books. There are better books on the subject now, but this one is a fine starting point.
 A GOOD READ: BRAVO EVELYNE February 10, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
A great pizzaiolo doesn't become a "great pizzaiolo" because s/he reads a book; it requires hands on experience under the guidance of a master. There is a big difference between good pizza and great pizza, and the same can be said about any bread product. However, I take issue with the reviewer who made an issue about flour types; one uses what s/he has available. Those who want to get overly technical about flour should recommend Caputo Flour (farina di grano tenero tipo 00) and Evelyne knows this, but not everybody reading her book has ready access to it. She's not writing for the professional Italian pizzaiolo; she's writing for the American home-baker who probably shops at an American supermarket. Evelyne's pizza book preceeds most and is, in my opinion, still the standard. Other good pizza books available through Amazon include: Pizza Napoletana (Johns); Pizza (Morgan & Gemignani); and Peter Reinhart's book. Remember: it takes more than reading a book to become a great baker, but a good book helps. BRAVO EVELYNE!
the last word on pizza making for me July 28, 2003
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
i first saw this book in the library years ago and checked it out so much i had to have a copy for myself. since then i have made most of the recipes in it, and loaned it to many friends to get in on the secret of my great pizza. i am sure you will love the recipes and just reading the book.
 Why? May 29, 2002
6 out of 13 found this review helpful
I cannot imagine why people rave about this book. Any "expert" on pizzas that says to use "bread flour or all purpose" for the dough--as if they are interchangeable and it does not matter which you use...well, they must not know what they're talking about! This isn't a terrible book, it's just not, in my opinion, the great book that people claim it is.
Best manual on homemade pizza making November 7, 2001
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I was surprised to see that this little gem is out of print. Shame! As a pizza freak, I've toiled for ~20 years in search of the perfect homemade thin-crust pizza. The closest thing to a perfect guide is this book. A great pie is only as good as the dough/crust it sits on, and it's this emphasis that convinced me Ms. Slomon knows her stuff. Knowing where to look (NYC's finest pizzerias) for clues doesn't hurt, either. A great variety of pizzas are covered here, from thin-crust or deep-dish to calzones, strombolis, and more. What's appealing about his book is the passion the author exudes about her subject, something that genuinely comes through.Always remember: If you must add oil to the dough for thin-crust pizzas, NEVER add it at the start; instead, make a sponge with the full amount of water, half the amount of flour, and yeast. Add salt, oil (if you must!), and the remaining flour later. This way, the dough stays elastic while developing a more tender crumb than if you were to avoid using oil altogether (as in the classic Neapolitan recipe). Adding oil at the start will give you a short, crumbly dough. Sadly, most pizza recipes insist on this CRIMINAL shortcut! Long live the world's most perfect pie!
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