12 chef-approved tips for spicing up takeaway pizza at home
Sure, 90 percent of takeaways are delicious. But ever wondered how to make them taste extra delicious? In our new series, Takeaway Hacks, London chefs reveal their tips and tricks for sprucing up what the delivery man/woman drops off. First up, pizza.
1. James Cochran, 12:51
‘I always add soy sauce to a takeaway pizza, it brings out the sweetness in the tomato while intensifying the cheesy umami goodness.’
2. Oliver Gladwin, Rabbit
‘Melt down Boursin garlic-and-herb cheese with either yogurt or cream cheese and lemon juice. It makes the perfect dipping sauce for your pizza.’
3. Pip Lacey, Hicce
‘Even the worst takeaway pizza can be improved with a hit of chilli. I keep lots of Thai green chillies in the freezer so I can add them to takeaway pizzas when needed. Also, if you ever see chilli oil in a sachet, grab a few extras for future pizzas and go to town with it.’
4. Sara Lewis, Vintry & Mercer
‘I love to add some fresh rocket and parma ham on the top and a drizzle of Spanish extra-virgin olive oil. Delicious!’
5. Ollie Templeton, Carousel
‘Embarrassingly I do like sweet chilli sauce with takeout pizza. It’s a guilty pleasure!’
6. Andy Waugh, Mac & Wild
‘I always whack the oven on ready for arrival and stick the pizza in for a two-minute freshen up before eating it. After that, it tastes like it’s just come fresh out the kitchen.’
7. Paul A Young, Paul A Young
‘I always grate over fresh parmesan and drizzle over Pomora extra-virgin olive oil, and on occasion, I also grate over some 100 percent cacao chocolate, especially on spicy pizzas as this adds depth and can temper even the fiercest of pizzas.’
8. Ani Arora, Hankies
‘I like topping a takeaway margarita with prosciutto and sweet balsamic reduction.’
9. Dario Carvalho, Casa do Frango
‘No matter what pizza I have, home-made garlic and herb sauce is essential. Regardless of the type of dough or toppings in it, I feel that it just takes a pizza to whole new level of flavour without overpowering the other ingredients.’
10. Robin Gill, The Dairy
‘I always have capers and a really good aged parmesan in the fridge and adding those to a pizza last minute is essential. Rocket too.’
11. Joe Fox, Townsend
‘I love to cover my pizza with mayonnaise and ketchup, it’s something I fell in love with while in Montenegro.’
12. Neil Campbell, Rovi
‘It’s in the small details: salt, pepper and good olive oil! it’s simple but sometimes that’s all that is missing. Although adding rocket, anchovies, lemon zest and good quality paramassa cheese is my favourite. If you are working with unbaked, frozen or cooked and warmed home pizza, don’t cook your pizza directly on a tray. I find you get a much better all over crust forming straight on the wire rack.’
Discover our list of the best pizza takeaways in London and you won’t even need to spice up your pie.
Find out how to make Padella’s pici cacio e pepe, Gloria’s lemon meringue pie and Eggslut’s Fairfax sandwich.
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