We often buy kitchenware that we don’t know can be used for cooking a variety of different dishes. One of these can be a pizza stone. When we buy it, we imagine making steamy pizzas on it every now and then. However, what we often miss is that a pizza stone is extremely versatile and can be used to whip out different and delicious foods, ranging from cookies to quesadillas! So, here we bring you 8 food items apart from pizza that can be easily baked on a pizza stone.
1. Pita Bread
Pita bread is a delicious, vegan, Mediterranean flatbread that can be easily made by using a few handy ingredients from your kitchen. Traditionally, people prefer to bake pita bread in an extremely hot stone hearth, so that as soon as the dough comes into contact with it, it starts to rise. However, it can also be cooked on your pizza stone and still have the same deliciousness. So, sit back and enjoy the taste of this warm, fresh, and puffy bread that adds to the long list of foods you can make on your pizza stone.
2. Biscuits and Cookies
Simply put scoops of the cookie dough on your stone and bake them. They may require a slightly longer baking time as compared to your conventional recipes, but they will taste as delicious as they normally do, perhaps even more. You can also take one giant scoop of cookie dough, that is, spread the entire dough on your oiled pizza stone. Cookie sheets that are normally used can often lead to uneven browning of cookie bottoms. But with a pizza stone, there is no such problem because it uniformly distributes heat. Now you can relish the taste of cookies that are evenly cooked throughout.
3. Crackers
The pizza stone can be used to make food crispy. Store-bought crackers don’t have the same crunch as the ones baked on the pizza stones. They should be put on parchment paper to make it easier to get them out of the oven. Season these tasty homemade crackers with salt, your preferred herbs, or anything else you like or pair them with, such as dips, cheese, olives, etc., to add that extra bit of perfection.
4. Potato Chips
You can quite easily cook potato chips on a pizza stone. Traditionally, a lot of oil is used in frying them. So, baking them on your pizza stone is a healthier food choice. Just thinly slice a potato and place the slices neatly on your pizza stone. Put olive oil and salt on the potatoes. While the temperature to cook pizza is 450 °F, potato chips should be baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Let them bake for about 25 to 30 minutes and take them out. Enjoy your crispy and healthy potato chips.
5. Quesadillas
A quesadilla is a Mexican dish that is made with tortillas and filled with cheese, beef, vegetables, and other popular toppings. The advantage of cooking quesadillas on a pizza stone is that you can cook up to four at a time and don’t have to sweat over a hot stove. Make restaurant-quality toasty and melty quesadillas by placing all your favorite toppings in them and baking them on the pizza stone.
6. Roasted Chicken
A perfectly roasted chicken must have crispy skin and moist meat. This can be done by using two pizza stones to absorb the moisture while retaining the heat of the roasted chicken. Your pizza stone must be inside the oven when it is preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice into your chicken and season it. Place it on the stone, skin side down. Place the second pizza stone on top of the chicken and put pressure on it. After that, place it in the oven for 45 minutes. When you take it out, your chicken should be perfectly roasted and delicious.
7. Bagels
For bagels, it is actually better to cook them on a pizza stone because it helps with evenly distributing heat. This gives the bagel an even, chewy, and crispy crust. Two things that help in making the perfect bagel are the alkaline water that it’s boiled in and the crust that is formed by baking it in the oven. Pair these bagels with different toppings, ranging from berries to peanut butter and jelly. Enjoy your homemade, evenly baked bagels, all thanks to the humble pizza stone!
8. English Muffins
An English muffin is a round sourdough bread that is commonly eaten for breakfast. While it can be paired with many side dishes, a typical English muffin is often sliced, buttered, and toasted. They are usually baked on a griddle. However, pizza stones have proven to be an impressive substitute for it without compromising on the deliciousness of griddle-baked muffins. To ensure that you get beautiful golden-brown English muffins that are cooked through, they must be baked at 400 °F.
