The humble chicken may not be the smartest critter in the world, but it ranks among the tastiest. With more than half of all pizzerias serving wings, sandwiches and pasta and a hefty 98% offering salads, it’s pretty safe to assume that your pizzeria features chicken somewhere on the … More
Build bigger check averages by pairing your pizzas with the perfect brews
For many customers visiting their favorite pizzeria, nothing complements the meal better than an ice-cold beer. The good news is, with an ever-expanding array of brews available from across the country (and world), you have a bevy of options—and these beers can pair perfectly with any style of pizza … More
Signature desserts provide upsell opportunities and better profit margins.
In years past, dessert was often treated as an afterthought on pizzeria menus, but thanks to the rising popularity of dessert pizzas, sweet breadsticks, calzones, gelato and traditional Italian confections, that’s beginning to change. Pizzeria operators have come to realize that patrons usually have room (or can make room) for … More
Italian Quesadilla
My son recently asked me to cook something for dinner. I was tired and didn’t feel like cooking, but he kept asking. Finally, I dug around in the refrigerator, came up with some ingredients for this Mexican/Italian dish and made it for him. He loved it! The Italian Quesadilla is … More
Recipe of the Month: Red, White and Blue Pizza
Ingredients: 1 12” pizza base, pre-baked 12 oz. hazelnut spread 4 oz. mixed red berries (strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, etc.) 4 oz. mixed dark berries (blackberries, blueberries, etc.) 2.2 oz. melted or shaved white chocolate Instructions: Distribute hazelnut spread over prebaked pizza base. Place the blueberries on the outside and … More
How to Freeze Pizza Dough for Later Use
Q: Can I freeze my pizza dough? Yes, pizza dough can definitely be frozen, but it cannot be frozen indefinitely. There are three very different dough freezing methods. Mechanical blast freezing employs temperatures between -20°F and -35°F, combined with an airflow of 600 to 800 linear feet per minute. Another … More
Mushroom Soup with Cannellini Beans
Tasty comfort food that’s also good for you! Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 pound white button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered 2 large onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, finely minced 1 ½ cups fresh celery, finely chopped 1 gallon turkey stock 1 lb. cooked or pulled turkey, skin … More
John Arena: How To Make New York-Style Pizza Dough
John Arena, a master of all pizza styles and co-owner of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, paid a visit to PMQ’s Pizza Kitchen and shared the basics of making New York-style pizza dough using the direct-mix method and four ingredients: Flour, water, salt and yeast. “Typically, in New York, we … More
Lasagna Pizza
Lasagna and pizza in one delicious dish! Ingredients: 16 oz. pizza dough ball, slacked 7 oz. pizza sauce, separated into 2 oz. and 5 oz. portions 3 Tbsp. Romano cheese, grated 3 oz. mozzarella/provolone mild blend, shredded or diced 2 oz. Italian sausage 5 oz. Ricotta Soprafinna Directions: On a … More
Neapolitan Pizza Dough
PMQ’s test kitchen is now open and ready for business. In addition to a recent visit from Las Vegas-based Metro Pizza’s John Arena, PMQ’s resident pizzaiolo Brian Hernandez gets things started this month with a special instructional video on making and stretching authentic Neapolitan pizza dough. Watch the video at … More
Metro Pizza’s John Arena Transforms Breakfast into a Moneymaker With Lulu’s Bread & Breakfast
John Arena, co-owner of Metro Pizza (metropizza.com) in Las Vegas, could hurt you if he wanted to. With 42 years of training in Japanese martial arts, he could take you down with a swift karate chop to the neck or shatter your wrist with a pair of nunchakus. And if … More