DIY pizza: how to make pizza at home using a stone and clean it afterwards

Who doesn’t love pizza? Once you know how to make your own you’ll never order takeout again - but you'll also need to learn how to clean cooking equipment like pizza stones. To help, we're going to let you in on a few secrets to successfully making pizza on a pizza stone and share pizza stone cleaning tips so you even know you how to clean a pizza stone after each use. 

Never start cleaning a pizza stone when it's still hot as the boiling hot stone can crack when hit with water!

Benefits of using a pizza stone

Cooking on a pizza stone is a method that’s been used for hundreds of years and certainly gives you the best pizza results. Why? It’s because a pizza stone can hold more heat than a regular oven tray and distribute that heat more evenly. That means a crispier base and an even cook for your DIY pizza!

How to use a pizza stone

To get the real benefits of using a pizza stone you have to let it heat up fully. That means popping it in your oven and whacking up the heat to at least 225°C – ideally, you’d get it to around 240°C. Always put your pizza stone into a cold oven - if you put it in a hot oven then the stone may crack or damage. When the oven, and stone, has reached the right temperature, use a paddle to place your raw pizza on it.

Always wear oven gloves when handling a hot pizza stone or doing anything with the oven. Keep children and pets away from the kitchen when cooking.

How to make pizza at home

Making pizza at home is really easy once you know how:

1. Combine 350ml of warm water with 600g of plain flour, 1tsp of salt, a 7g packet of dried yeast and 50-60ml olive oil.

2. Knead until your dough becomes smooth and elastic.

3. Place in an oil-covered bowl and leave until it doubles in size.

4. Whilst the dough is proofing you can make the tomato sauce – use whatever flavours you like, such as onions, garlic, basil, and oregano, or cheat with a pre-made sauce.

5. Prepare your toppings – add all your favourites like mozzarella, pepperoni, mushrooms … even pineapple!

6. Roll out your dough, add the sauce and the toppings.

7. Slide into the oven and cook for around 10 minutes or until crisp.

How to clean a pizza stone

After you’ve enjoyed your pizza treat it’s time for cleaning the pizza stone. The first time you do it, it’s vital to scrape off as much as you can, as over time the debris will become more baked on.

The following steps show you how to clean a pizza stone:

1. Let the stone cool completely.

2. Scrape off excess debris with a plastic utensil.

3. Wipe down with warm water – never use soap, as pizza stones are porous, and your next pizza may end up with a soapy taste!

How to clean a pizza stone burnt by sauce and dough

When it comes to figuring out how to clean a pizza stone burnt by your ingredients, soaking can work wonders - bit but so can baking soda!

1. Make a cleaning solution of equal parts warm water and baking soda.

2. Gently scrub the solution onto burnt areas with a soft brush. 

3. Wipe with a clean cloth - the slightly abrasive nature of baking soda will help break down burnt-on debris and make it easier to remove.

There you have it – an easy to follow guide for making pizza on a pizza stone and cleaning up afterwards. Now that you know how to use a pizza stone and clean it properly, you can enjoy a perfect DIY pizza every time.

• Place the pizza stone inside and then pre-heat the oven.

• Make your dough and then prepare your pizza sauce and toppings while it proves.

• Cook for around 10 minutes, or until your pizza is fully cooked.

• Allow the stone to cool before cleaning.

• Soak your pizza stone or use a baking soda solution to remove burnt on food.

• Never use soap to clean pizza stones.