Glossary of Pizza Terms and Definitions
“Pizza” is a word that any language can understand.
Welcome to the most comprehensive pizza glossary and terms definitions on the internet. We carefully added what we think are all words related to pizza and pizza ovens.
You will find the pizza term definitions, related pizza terms, and related pizza articles to that term.
For a comprehensive list of pizza words, check our article on 900+ Pizza Words.
We have from the most serious pizza terms to pizza slang.
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Glossary of Pizza Terms and Definitions
Whether you’re a pizza aficionado or just a casual fan, this guide will introduce you to the delicious world of pizza.
From traditional toppings to modern twists, this glossary covers the essential vocabulary you need to know to fully appreciate the art of pizza-making. So take a slice of this knowledge pie and expand your pizza horizons!
This pizza glossary will define common pizza terms and ingredients and some interesting pizza slang.
So let’s dive in and explore the savory world of pizza together!
Enjoy!
Pizza Glossary
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- Caciocavallo Caciocavallo Cheese Definition Caciocavallo cheese is a salty Italian pasta cheese made from sheep’s or cow’s milk. Caciocavallo means “cheese on horseback” and gets its name from being tied together with a rope and dangled over a wooden board to drain and age. [lasso(...) Read More
- Cake Flour Cake Flour Definition Cake flour is a relatively low-protein flour (typically 7–8.5%) milled from soft red winter wheat and used primarily for baking cakes and similar soft baked goods. Here's Our Favorite Cake Flour [lasso(...) Read More
- California Style Pizza California Style Pizza Definition California Style pizza is a thin-crust pizza, often without tomato sauce, notable for its use of fresh, nontraditional toppings not typically used by Italians. You can typically find pizza combinations of fresh vegetables and flavor combinations,(...) Read More
- Calzone Calzone Definition Calzone is a stuffed baked pizza. A calzone is more like a folded-over and sealed pizza. Typical calzone fillings include ricotta, mozzarella, and pepperoni. Typically served with a side of marinara for dipping. Some variations on the calzone include the Stromboli(...) Read More
- Caramelization Caramelization Definition Caramelization is the process of sugars being exposed to high temperatures and browning. Read More
- Carbon Burn-Off Pizza Oven Carbon Burn-Off Definition Carbon Burn-off is the stage inside the dome of a pizza oven that reaches about 650°F, and the black soot, or carbon, begins to burn off, giving the impression that the oven dome is turning white. You can see the detail of the dome interior and(...) Read More
- Cart Oven Cart Oven Definition Pizza cart ovens are prevalent in and around Naples and are used for catering parties and outdoor festivals. Read More
- Catering Oven
Catering Oven Definition
A catering oven is any portable or mobile pizza oven used for catering events and parties.
Here's Our Recommended Catering Oven
Read MoreWant to Have Something Different?
Alfa Allegro Outdoor Countertop Wood-Fired Pizza Oven4.5The Alfa Allegro is an elegant, high-quality outdoor wood-fired oven designed for pizza enthusiasts seeking the ultimate cooking experience. Crafted in Italy, this oven not only creates authentic, flavorful pizzas but also excels in cooking various types of dishes with remarkable efficiency.
The dome's high arching form traps heat and evenly cooks food, while the built-in thermometer lets you track interior temperatures.
You may cook everything in your Alfa pizza oven that you would typically prepare in your home oven, including roasts, veggies, desserts, and more, without the need for curing.
Check it OutPros:- Authentic wood-fired taste
- Large cooking capacity
- Versatile cooking options
- Efficient heat-up and retention
- High-quality, durable construction
Cons:- Expensive investment
- Requires outdoor space
- Longer heat-up time compared to electric ovens
- Regular maintenance and cleaning needed
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you! - Cazuela
Cazuela Definition
Cazuela is a Spanish cooking vessel made of glazed ceramic, shallow and round. Great for roasting or baking. Comes in many sizes.
Here's Our Favorite Cazuela
Read More
Terra Cotta Cazuela DishCheck it OutThis cazuela is a 9.5-inch diameter dish that is two inches deep. It is a good size for cooking shrimp, fabada bean stew, fideua, or other traditional dishes -- also good for a small paella if you do not have a pan available. The glaze on the cazuelas is lead-free. We provide directions for a simple seasoning (essentially soaking in water for a few hours) which renders the cazuela suitable for all applications: stovetop, oven, or microwave. When cooking with terra cotta, the key is gradually increasing the heat. Cazuelas, terra cotta dishes, have been used in Spain for thousands of years. The art of cuisine began in clay pots, which can be brought to the table straight from the oven. These cazuelas are unique because they are made by potters who have followed an ancient Roman formula for centuries. Although terra cotta is nothing more complicated than moistened clay, low-fired with an interior glaze so it can hold liquids, this particular technique involves including small pebbles in the mix, which strengthens the bowl and increases its heat retention. La Tienda is the only source for this high-quality cazuela in America.
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you! - Ceramic Ceramic Definition Ceramic is an inorganic nonmetallic material usually processed at high temperatures. Read More
- Ceramic Insulation Ceramic Insulation Definition Ceramic insulation is the most efficient material available for pizza oven insulation. Heat resistant to over 2,300ºF, ceramic fiber boards and blankets offer extremely low thermal conductivity and are twice as efficient as Insulating Concrete. Ovens(...) Read More
- Char Char Definition Char is the slightly or partially burned parts of the pizza cornicione. Shown by blackened spots on the crust, which occur when the pizza is baked at a high temperature. Read More
- Cheese Drag Pizza Cheese Drag Definition It is called a cheese drag in pizza slang when cheese pulls off the top of a slice. This typically happens when there is too much sauce on a pizza, and the cheese has not attached to the crust. Cheese drag has commonly seen on frozen and delivery pizzas. Read More
- Cheese Lock Pizza Cheese Lock Definition Cheese lock is cheese placement on top of the toppings so that it sticks to the crust and won’t slide around. Read More
- Cheese Pull Pizza Cheese Pull Definition Cheese pull is the stretched, stringy connection of cheese from a slice pulled away from the rest of the pizza. The ideal cheese pull typically features nice long strings that cling to the slice as it is lifted from the whole pizza. Read More
- Chemical Leaveners Chemical Leaveners Definition Chemical leaveners are chemical substances that cause the expansion of doughs and batters by releasing gases within such mixtures, producing baked products with porous structures. Such agents include yeast, baking powder, and baking soda. Read More
- Chicago Style Pizza Chicago Style Pizza Definition Chicago Style Pizza is a heavy, pan-cooked pizza. It features a thick buttery crust pressed up along the sides of the pan and covered with about an inch of mozzarella, toppings, and a chunky, canned tomato sauce—a deep-dish pizza made in a high-sided pan,(...) Read More
- Chimney Pizza Oven Chimney Definition A pizza oven chimney is a vertical channel or pipe conducting smoke and combustion gases from a fire. In a pizza oven, the chimney is typically located in the front of the oven. The oven draws in cold air through the oven opening for the fire and exhausts(...) Read More
- Chimney Manifold Pizza Oven Chimney Manifold Definition A pizza oven manifold is the part of a pizza oven that connects the end of the pizza oven to the chimney. Read More
- Clay Brick Clay Brick Definition Clay brick is a basic pressed clay block used for construction. Read More
- Clear Flour Clear Flour Definition Clear flour is left over when the premium white patent flour is removed from the wheat. It's also known as high-gluten flour. Contrary to its name, clear flour has a more robust flavor than regular flour and is darker in color. It is used in whole grain and rye(...) Read More
- Coastline Pizza Coastline Definition In pizza slang, the pizza coastline is the area that describes the exposed sauce between the end of the cheese and the beginning of the crust. Read More
- Cold Cheese Slice Cold Cheese Slice Definition Cold cheese slice is a pizza with a mound of cold shredded mozzarella on top, making the hot slice extra cheesy and preventing the burning of the roof of the mouth. Read More
- Cold Fermentation Cold Fermentation Definition Cold fermentation is the fermentation of dough under refrigeration, typically for an extended period, to develop flavor and aroma in the finished crust. Read More
- Cold Press Pizza Cold Press Definition A pizza cold press is a press used to form the pizza dough without the use of heat. In order to use this press, the pizza dough must have a very soft, extensible characteristic. Here's Where You Can Get It [lasso(...) Read More
- Combined Technology Oven Combined Technology Oven Definition These new, high-tech pizza ovens can utilize three or more baking heat transfer technologies. These pizza ovens will bake a pizza very fast, but they have a limited capacity. Check our types of pizza ovens article for more. Read More
- Commercial Pizza Oven Commercial Pizza Oven Definition Commercial pizza ovens are ovens designed especially for commercial purposes. What differentiates a commercial oven from a residential oven is the quality of the refractory material used and the thickness of the insulation material used for its(...) Read More
- Compressed Yeast Compressed Yeast Definition Compressed Yeast is a fresh form of yeast, also called "fresh" or "cake" yeast. It is a wet form of yeast with a moisture content of around 70%, making it faster to act than dry yeasts. Check our article on the best yeast for pizza for more. Here's Our(...) Read More
- Convection Oven Convection Oven Definition A convection oven is the average kitchen oven that uses forced air circulation in the baking chamber to circulate the air throughout the pizza. The problem with these ovens is that they generally lack the necessary heat to bake a pizza properly. Read More
- Cooking Flame Cooking Flame Definition The cooking flame is the cooking flame of a wood-fired oven. When food is in a wood-fired oven, the flame should be 2-3 inches above the holding flame or 10″ in height. Check our recommended wood-fired pizza ovens for more. Read More
- Cooking Floor See Oven Floor. Read More
- Corner Oven Corner Oven Definition A corner oven is an oven installation where the oven sits in a corner, and the opening faces at a 45-degree angle. Here's Our Recommended Corner Oven If you plan to install a pizza oven on a 45-degree corner, here's the pizza oven that we recommend. [lasso(...) Read More
- Cornicione Cornicione Definition Cornicione is the Italian term for the "lip" or the outer puffy edge of the pizza. In Italian cornicione means cornice or molding. In pizza terms, it means the rim or edge crust on a pizza. Check our Cornicione article for more. Read More
- Cotto Refrattario Cotto Refrattario Definition Cotto Refrattario is the Italian word for “Baked clay.” Cotto refrattario is usually sourced from Tuscany to be used as the floor of pizza ovens. To create a pizza oven cooking surface using baked clay, you do not mortar the bricks in place but instead(...) Read More
- Cracker Style Pizza Cracker Style Pizza Definition Cracker Style Pizza is a pizza style typically seen in Pizza Hut. This pizza crust style has a layered, cracker-like texture. It's super thin and crispy. Not only is it delicious, but it's also a very manageable dough and comes together in minutes. The(...) Read More
- Cracks Cracks Definition Cracks are intended, naturally forming joints created by the normal expansion and contraction that occurs in ceramic as it heats and cools. Read More
- Cross Stacking Cross stacking is the perpendicular placement of dough boxes, one on top of the other at 90-degree angles. This placement allows the air to circulate the dough balls while cooling. Dough balls should generally be cross-stacked for at least two hours if they weigh 16 ounces or less.(...) Read More
- Crumb Crumb Definition Crumb is the structure of the inside of a baked pizza crust or bread. Read More
- Curing Curing Definition Curing is a process for wood-fired ovens in which, after your oven has been installed, you need to bring it up to heat slowly to allow the oven and the installation materials to dry. Failure to follow this curing procedure could result in damage to your oven. Read More
- Cut Cut (Old-Forge, PA) Definition Cut is the name for a slice of the style of pizza native to Old Forge, Pennsylvania. Read More
- Cutter Pan Pizza Cutter Pan Definition Cutterpan is a circular solid or perforated metal pan used to fit the dough to the pan by rolling a rolling pin over the dough to cut the dough. The pan perforations allow direct heat over the crust, making it crispy. How to Use a Pizza Cutter Pan Place(...) Read More
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