NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Learn to make artisan pizza the American way in this accessible, informative guide to the perfect pie from the creator of "the best pizza in New York" (New York Times).

Pizza is simple: dough, sauce, cheese, toppings. But inside these ordinary ingredients lies a world of extraordinary possibility. With The Joy of Pizza, you'll make the best pizza of your life. Dan Richer has devoted his career to discovering the secrets to a transcendent pie. The pizza at his restaurant, Razza, is among the best one can eat in the United States, if not the world. Now, Richer shares all he has learned about baking pizza with a crisp, caramelized rim; a delicate, floral-scented crumb; and a luscious combination of sauce, cheese, and toppings that gets as close to perfection as any mortal may dare.

You'll learn how to make Razza specialties such as:

• Jersey Margherita, a new classic improving on Neapolitan tradition
• Meatball Pizza, the first time Richer has shared the recipe for Razza's legendary meatballs
• Project Hazelnut, pairing the rich flavor of the nuts with honey and mozzarella
• Santo, topped with caramelized fennel sausage and drizzled with chile oil
• Pumpkin Pie, a cold-weather pie with roasted pumpkin, ricotta salata, and caramelized onions
• And many more inventive and seasonal pizzas, from Funghi (mushroom) and Montagna (arugula and speck) to Bianca (white pizza) and Rossa (vegan tomato pie)

Suited to beginning home bakers and professionals alike, these crusts begin with store-bought yeast as well as sourdough starter. Richer shows how to achieve top results in ordinary home ovens as well as high-temperature ovens such as the Ooni and Roccbox, and even wood-fired outdoor pizza ovens.

The Joy of Pizza is rich with step-by-step photography, links to instructional videos, and portraits of every pizza before and after it meets the heat of the oven-so you'll know exactly what to do to create superior results.

The ingredients are simple. The methods are straightforward. And the results are deliriously delicious.

Dan Richer is the chef and owner of Razza in Jersey City. A graduate of Rutgers University, he skipped his own graduation to fly to Italy and begin his real education: in pizza. He is a four-time semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award, as well as a James Beard Rising Star Chef semifinalist.

Katie Parla is an Italy-based food and beverage writer, culinary guide, educator, and award-winning cookbook author. She is the cohost of the Gola podcast about Italian food and culture and regularly appears as an Italy expert on CNN, the Travel Channel, and the History Channel. She has lived in Rome since 2003, and Razza Pizza Artigianale is always her first stop when visiting her home state of New Jersey.

The ultimate guide to making artisan pizza the American way, from the creator of "the best pizza in New York" (New York Times)

Dan Richer, chef and owner of Jersey City's Razza, has spent his career perfecting every element of the perfect pizza; ten years later, he's still perfecting it as one of America's foremost pizzaiolos. Driven by the desire to make each day's pizza better than it was yesterday, Richer has nailed down a list of 40 characteristics that define the perfect pizza, from the sweetness of the tomatoes to the crispness and aroma of the crust. Perfecting each of these characteristics has led to the creation of a while new art and science of making pizza. Now, he's ready to share his expertise with the home cook.

The Joy of Pizza brings you an insider's look at how to make "the best pizza in New York," right in your own home. Starting from the basics - dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings - Richer takes the reader through the infinite possibilities and expressions of one of the world's favorite foods, from choosing the perfect tomato to making your own naturally-leavened dough from scratch. The Joy of Pizza will provide every home pizza maker with all the tools to master delicious pizzas, from traditional to creative, and discover the craft of making each pizza just a little bit better than yesterday's.