However way you slice it, pizza and wine are the ultimate Friday night pairing. Watch our friends from Season 3 toss, sauce and bake some of the best pizzas in Texas. Then, time to “dough” it yourself! We’re sharing the secrets behind some of our favorite pizza places in Texas, plus recipes and new wine pairings — all under $20 from H-E-B.
Pizza Secret #1: Clever Combinations
Calamari and chorizo on pizza? Not even squidding! It’s from one of my favorite hidden gems for pizza: Zinc Bistro & Bar, just off the San Antonio Riverwalk. Their dough is baked fresh daily, and you can choose from hundreds of bottles of wine from their amazing wine cellar. Make Zinc’s Calamari and Spanish Chorizo Pizza, which features a luxurious Manchego cheese sauce and oven roasted tomatoes.
We love this pizza with the Brady Zinfandel from H-E-B that pairs great with pizza. It’s a great buy at $12 a bottle. Watch to see more of Zinc in action below!
Pizza Secret #2: Use the Freshest Toppings Possible
Our friends at Fralo’s in the Hill Country use only the freshest toppings for their pizzas. You can enjoy with a glass of wine on their live music patio, take-and-bake yourself or order out. We’re big fans of the “Little Hottie” with spicy Italian sausage, corn, jalapeño and red onion. We’re also big fans of Fralo’s infamous Porcetta recipe here.
Fralo’s hand-tossed pizza dough and fresh vegetable toppings go great with a light and refreshing Prosecco like the Lamberti Extra Dry. It’s only $14 a bottle and you can learn more about it here.
Pizza Secret #3: Make Your Own Dough
Sure, buying store bought dough may speed up the pizza process, but homemade dough is simple to make and is much more fun! Our friends at Pieous in Dripping Springs are so good at making dough, their Neapolitan-style pizza (above) earned a stamp of approval from the Italian government. The Gran Reserva Concha Y Toro Malbec is a great wine to sip while you wait for the dough to rise! More details here on this amazing new wine that you can find for just $14.
We love this recipe for Bacon Pizza (above) from Gusto Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar in Austin with homemade dough, artichokes, rosemary and mozzarella.
Pizza Secret #4: Give Dough A Rest
And by “rest,” we mean try out a different base for your pizza! Batanga Houston makes their lively Littleneck Clam Pizza using Lavash bread, a soft and thin unleavened flatbread. This pizza pairs great with the Casa Lunardi Pinot Grigio, which you can find for under $10 at H-E-B. Watch here for details.
We also love this easy Pesto Goat Cheese Flatbread from Terra’s Kitchen with fresh mushrooms and bright bell peppers. Best part? You can whip this one together in 20 minutes. We love this pizza with a brand new wine find, Becker Vineyards ‘Springtime’ white wine. More details on this $10 wine find here.
Pizza Secret #5: Turn Up The Heat!
Our brand new recipe from Yellowbird Hot Sauce uses hot sauce to make your tomato sauce base and features homemade dough. Get the recipe for it here. Temper the flames with a brand new Cabernet Sauvignon from H-E-B called “Our Tara.” Cheers!
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