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Pizza Practice: Doughs, Techniques + Toppings
Not yet published
Expected 24 Mar 26From acclaimed baker Tara The definitive primer on baking pizza dough, with brilliant color photos, illustrations, and easy-to-follow recipe layouts.
Pizza dough is a gateway for many home bread bakers, allowing them to experiment with different tools, toppings, ingredients, timings, and shapes. This companion guides you step by step from the simplest doughs to artisanal bakes. Here are 87 recipes any baker can perfect, with simple cook-along layouts and ways to explore different ingredients, techniques, flours, and heat sources for perfecting pizza, pita, and focaccia.
Bright and visually rich, with more than 60 color photographs, this baking book provides expert guidance on how
Set up your baking space with the right ingredients and tools
Cook over fire or with an outdoor oven, or trick out the oven that came with your apartment to bake an impressive pie
Learn the perfect ratios of toppings to crust
Build classics such as Margherita, Clam, and Pepperoni pizzas, as well as a collection of fancifully delicious takes, including Breakfast pizza; Delicata Squash, Shallot, and Gruyere; and a particularly luscious Pancetta and Brown Butter Pineapple pie
Craft a foolproof focaccia
Discover all you need to know to make pita with kids
And much more!
No book on pizza is complete without simple sauces, dips, and drizzles, such as Lemony Roasted Garlic Cream, Hot Honey, and a simple, fresh Uncooked Tomato Sauce. For after your pizza, Jensen offers homemade ice cream, cobblers, brownies, simple chocolate chip cookies, and a classic yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting.
The first pizza bible written by a woman and one of the preeminent bread bakers in the US, Pizza Practice offers a new approach and everything you need to bake your best pizzas.
ACCESSIBLE RECIPES FOR ALL SKILL These are baking recipes that meet you where you are, with the equipment in your kitchen. Step-by-step instructions, timelines, and photography for all the phases of the dough-making process, as well as folding, shaping, stretching, and baking, make this pizza cookbook indispensable for all home cooks.
TO YEAST OR NOT TO Many baking books are emphatic in their approach to sourdough, resisting the addition of commercial yeast. Jensen’s dough uses both commercial and fresh yeast—each alone or in combination—so bakers can experiment and know what makes the dough of their dreams.
EXPERT Tara Jensen is one of the country's most acclaimed bread bakers, instructors, and trusted bread baking cookbook authors. Flour Power was named one of the Washington Post’s top 10 cookbooks of 2022.
Pizza dough is a gateway for many home bread bakers, allowing them to experiment with different tools, toppings, ingredients, timings, and shapes. This companion guides you step by step from the simplest doughs to artisanal bakes. Here are 87 recipes any baker can perfect, with simple cook-along layouts and ways to explore different ingredients, techniques, flours, and heat sources for perfecting pizza, pita, and focaccia.
Bright and visually rich, with more than 60 color photographs, this baking book provides expert guidance on how
Set up your baking space with the right ingredients and tools
Cook over fire or with an outdoor oven, or trick out the oven that came with your apartment to bake an impressive pie
Learn the perfect ratios of toppings to crust
Build classics such as Margherita, Clam, and Pepperoni pizzas, as well as a collection of fancifully delicious takes, including Breakfast pizza; Delicata Squash, Shallot, and Gruyere; and a particularly luscious Pancetta and Brown Butter Pineapple pie
Craft a foolproof focaccia
Discover all you need to know to make pita with kids
And much more!
No book on pizza is complete without simple sauces, dips, and drizzles, such as Lemony Roasted Garlic Cream, Hot Honey, and a simple, fresh Uncooked Tomato Sauce. For after your pizza, Jensen offers homemade ice cream, cobblers, brownies, simple chocolate chip cookies, and a classic yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting.
The first pizza bible written by a woman and one of the preeminent bread bakers in the US, Pizza Practice offers a new approach and everything you need to bake your best pizzas.
ACCESSIBLE RECIPES FOR ALL SKILL These are baking recipes that meet you where you are, with the equipment in your kitchen. Step-by-step instructions, timelines, and photography for all the phases of the dough-making process, as well as folding, shaping, stretching, and baking, make this pizza cookbook indispensable for all home cooks.
TO YEAST OR NOT TO Many baking books are emphatic in their approach to sourdough, resisting the addition of commercial yeast. Jensen’s dough uses both commercial and fresh yeast—each alone or in combination—so bakers can experiment and know what makes the dough of their dreams.
EXPERT Tara Jensen is one of the country's most acclaimed bread bakers, instructors, and trusted bread baking cookbook authors. Flour Power was named one of the Washington Post’s top 10 cookbooks of 2022.
- GenresCookbooks
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 24, 2026
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a very enthusiastic home pizza chef, I dove into this book with unbridled joy and was met with equal enthusiasm.
PIZZA PRACTICE feels like pizza cookbook that I needed years ago, and I'm so excited that I finally found it. More than just "make this dough and cover it with sauce", PIZZA PRACTICE takes time to explain why things are. There were so many new techniques and words that I learned and it really helped me understand how to make my home pizzas even better.
The design of the book is really spectacular. Between the bright colors, the fun pictures, and the little "notes" that are scattered in the book, it felt more like reading an heirloom than a cookbook I bought at a store. The book has a bright, maximalist feel that just made me feel happy!
For the first pizza, I took the time suggested in the book. It was no means a quick meal, but it was a thought out process that really made the final result satisfying. The cooking measurements are given by weight, which is always my preferred way to read recipes. I made the burrata pizza and was blown away by how delicious it was! It really proves that sometimes simple is best.
I will never have pizza the same thanks to PIZZA PRACTICE, and I'm really grateful for that.
PIZZA PRACTICE feels like pizza cookbook that I needed years ago, and I'm so excited that I finally found it. More than just "make this dough and cover it with sauce", PIZZA PRACTICE takes time to explain why things are. There were so many new techniques and words that I learned and it really helped me understand how to make my home pizzas even better.
The design of the book is really spectacular. Between the bright colors, the fun pictures, and the little "notes" that are scattered in the book, it felt more like reading an heirloom than a cookbook I bought at a store. The book has a bright, maximalist feel that just made me feel happy!
For the first pizza, I took the time suggested in the book. It was no means a quick meal, but it was a thought out process that really made the final result satisfying. The cooking measurements are given by weight, which is always my preferred way to read recipes. I made the burrata pizza and was blown away by how delicious it was! It really proves that sometimes simple is best.
I will never have pizza the same thanks to PIZZA PRACTICE, and I'm really grateful for that.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Pizza Practice – Doughs, Techniques + Toppings by Tara Jensen
This is not a simple pizza cookbook—it’s a deep dive into the art of pizza making. The book covers absolutely everything: techniques, ingredients, equipment, and the why behind each step, all explained in a clear, approachable way. It includes an impressive range of dough recipes, along with toppings, sides, and plenty of guidance for perfecting classic pizza styles.
Where this book really shines is in its creativity. Alongside advice on achieving that ideal traditional pizza, Jensen offers inspired non-traditional combinations. Some ideas are a hard pass for me (pickle pizza, clam pizza), but others sound incredible—fig, date, and mascarpone; zucchini and summer squash; Brussels sprout and walnut.
If you’re serious about going beyond the basics and truly understanding pizza from the ground up, this book is an excellent resource.
★★★★☆
This is not a simple pizza cookbook—it’s a deep dive into the art of pizza making. The book covers absolutely everything: techniques, ingredients, equipment, and the why behind each step, all explained in a clear, approachable way. It includes an impressive range of dough recipes, along with toppings, sides, and plenty of guidance for perfecting classic pizza styles.
Where this book really shines is in its creativity. Alongside advice on achieving that ideal traditional pizza, Jensen offers inspired non-traditional combinations. Some ideas are a hard pass for me (pickle pizza, clam pizza), but others sound incredible—fig, date, and mascarpone; zucchini and summer squash; Brussels sprout and walnut.
If you’re serious about going beyond the basics and truly understanding pizza from the ground up, this book is an excellent resource.
★★★★☆
January 14, 2026
This was a ride. Likening pizza to religious practices was not the vibe I was expecting and a bit distasteful. The pizza vocab section was fun and eye opening. I didn’t know air bubbles in pizza crust have an actual name! There’s tons of recipes that provide a nice variety and tips for baking pizza with kids. There’s so many kinds of pitas! The caramelized onion and maple pizza sounds so good. There’s even a section on sourdough starters if you want to make your own sourdough.
The pictures are mouthwatering. The fonts, colors, and food pictures are so whimsically classy. But the pages with pieces of photocopied notebook paper with doodles really took away from the overall design of the book and made it feel cheap. They served no purpose and made me cringe.
Release date 3/24/26. Thank you to the author and neutrally for the ARC.
The pictures are mouthwatering. The fonts, colors, and food pictures are so whimsically classy. But the pages with pieces of photocopied notebook paper with doodles really took away from the overall design of the book and made it feel cheap. They served no purpose and made me cringe.
Release date 3/24/26. Thank you to the author and neutrally for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This cookbook will be a great addition to any serious cook’s library.. I’ve made my fair share of breads, pizza dough, focaccia bread, and other items but nothing like the variety of ideas and recipes included inside. The suggestions here would keep me busy all year even if I only tried something new once a month. Quite a variety! Included is not only savory but many sweet ideas to savor. This cookbook means business especially if you’re looking to try your hand at wood-burning pizza. There’s no messing around in this kitchen. Included is also pizza toppings, pita, focaccia, and numerous dessert ideas. You will be experimenting with new ways to enjoy food with all the recipes included inside. Time for me to start making some pizza!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The definitive guide to making pizza. A truly in-depth look at EVERYTHING you might want to know, including ingredients (and what they do), equipment, easily understandable explanations of each step in the process, recipes for so many types of dough, plus recipes for toppings and sides! I'm currently on a hunt for peaches in January so I can try the peach, caper, and red onion pizza recipe! YUM!
If you love pizza and want to make amazing pizza at home, look no further!
Thanks to Chronicle Books, via NetGalley, for this ARC!
If you love pizza and want to make amazing pizza at home, look no further!
Thanks to Chronicle Books, via NetGalley, for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Netgalley ARC- This is the pizza book for serious home cooks. It's a deep dive into the science behind pizza creation and offers a fairly extensive collection of recipes including some interesting combos. Not for the faint of heart or a quick home dinner but it likely will be worth it. Her writing style is approachable and causal and offers one of the better explanations on how to read a recipe written in percentages.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everything you need to know for making many different kinds of pizza, with nearly 90 mouth-watering recipes and gorgeous color photos. I salivated over the pages and can't wait to get into the kitchen to try these delicious recipes!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In this cookbook Pizza Practice Tara Jensen likens making pizza (especially the dough fermentation part) to a religious practice. Within the last month I advised a family member who received an OONI for Christmas that they had to make a lot of pizzas and practice to get the technique, so I am down with this thesis!
While I have a basic dough recipe that I swear by, I want to try Jensen's whole wheat dough. She makes it easy to approach and there is lots of great information about fermentation. You can really tell bread is where Jensen's passion lies! I enjoyed the timeline feature, it helps real people understand the commitment for each recipe (if you start this dough at 9:00am, you'll be putting it in the fridge by 12:00pm) Also some wonderful focaccia recipes. Also included are fun pizza topping recipes, strombolli and desserts.
Beautiful photographs and formatting!
While I have a basic dough recipe that I swear by, I want to try Jensen's whole wheat dough. She makes it easy to approach and there is lots of great information about fermentation. You can really tell bread is where Jensen's passion lies! I enjoyed the timeline feature, it helps real people understand the commitment for each recipe (if you start this dough at 9:00am, you'll be putting it in the fridge by 12:00pm) Also some wonderful focaccia recipes. Also included are fun pizza topping recipes, strombolli and desserts.
Beautiful photographs and formatting!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews