The Perfect Pizza

Learn to make exceptional sourdough pizza at home with this groundbreaking, comprehensive guide from the New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award–winning author of The Perfect Loaf.

Long before he founded the website The Perfect Loaf and became one of the go-to experts on sourdough baking, Maurizio Leo grew up in his family’s pizzeria, watching his dad cook countless pies. In The Perfect Pizza, he returns to his roots, tackling pizza with his signature in-depth, technique-driven approach. You can make unbelievably good homemade pizza using your sourdough starter, in any style of oven, and Maurizio is here to show you how.

The key to making incredible pizza at home lies in making a great dough. Rather than relying on a few master dough recipes like most pizza books, The Perfect Pizza provides unique recipes for more than forty specialty pizza styles, meticulously tested to achieve the best flavor and texture. With helpful QR codes and step-by-step photographs, Maurizio dives into the technique behind creating and maintaining a sourdough starter, mixing dough, managing dough fermentation, and the handling skills needed for balling, stretching, and finally launching the pizza into the oven.

Once you get the hang of the process, you can try out a wide range of pizza styles, starting with familiar classics before exploring doughs that incorporate whole grains and freshly-milled flour, focaccias, and little-known authentic, regional Italian specialties. The expertly tested recipes include:

• Essentials: My Go-To Pizza Dough; Same-Day Pizza Dough; A Pizza and a Loaf
• American and Italian Styles: New York Style; Tavern Style; Sicilian Style; Pizza al Taglio; Pizza Bianca; Pizza Tonda Romana
• Exploring Flours and Grains: Sixty-Forty Whole Grain Pizza Dough; Toasted Flour Pizza Dough; A Touch of Rye Pizza Dough
• Focaccia: A Simple Focaccia; Crispy High-Hydration Focaccia; 100% Whole Grain Focaccia; Focaccia with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

With the delectable recipes and comprehensive techniques in The Perfect Pizza, you’re on your way to crafting a homemade pizza that perfectly suits your taste.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs