Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Season 2 Episode 9 Pizza Party

In "Pizza Party," the ninth episode of the second season of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics, celebrity chef Ina Garten explores the art of making homemade pizza. Garten starts the show by talking about her love for pizza and how it's the perfect food for entertaining large groups of people. She then explains that making pizza from scratch is easy and inexpensive, and can be customized to fit anyone's taste preferences.

Garten starts by making her pizza dough in a stand mixer using flour, yeast, olive oil, and warm water. She then lets the dough rest for a couple of hours to rise. She also shares some helpful tips for preparing the dough, like brushing it with olive oil to prevent the sauce from soaking into the crust.

Next, Garten moves on to making the sauce, which is a simple combination of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. She emphasizes that the quality of the tomatoes is essential for a delicious sauce, and recommends using canned San Marzano tomatoes. She also gives some advice for adding extra flavor to the sauce, like adding red pepper flakes or fresh basil.

Once Garten has her dough and sauce ready, she shows viewers how to assemble their pizzas. She starts with a classic Margherita pizza, which is topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. She then moves on to a prosciutto and arugula pizza, which is topped with sliced prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan cheese. Garten also makes a mushroom and sausage pizza, which utilizes leftover sausage and mushrooms from a previous meal.

Throughout the episode, Garten shares helpful tips for cooking the perfect crust, like using a pizza stone and preheating the oven to a high temperature. She also gives ideas for serving pizza in a more elevated way, like cutting it into small squares and serving it with a fancy cocktail.

In addition to making homemade pizza, Garten also talks about her love for entertaining and shares some helpful tips for hosting a pizza party. She suggests making a variety of different pizzas to cater to everyone's taste preferences, and recommends having plenty of toppings available so guests can customize their own pies. She also talks about creating a cozy atmosphere by setting up a pizza station outside or by the fireplace.

Throughout the episode, Garten's enthusiasm for pizza is contagious, and viewers will undoubtedly be inspired to make their own homemade pies. Her helpful tips and tricks make the process seem easy and approachable, and her mouth-watering creations will have viewers drooling over their screens. Overall, "Pizza Party" is a fun and informative episode that showcases Garten's expertise and love for cooking.