So cheesy, so crusty, so yummy

Pizza munchers know too well that when it comes to pizza, it’s the toppings that count! And so the country’s top pizza chains try to outdo each other in coming up with the most flavorful, unique, and daring toppings that will tickle not just the taste buds but the curiosity of the diners as well.

Leading the pack is Greenwich, which in 2010 alone launched eight new pizza variants: the Ultimate Hawaiian Pizza Overload, the Limited-Edition American Idol Pizza, the 5-Star Bacon Burger Melt Overload, the Angus Maximus Overload, the Hungarian Sausage and Bacon Overload, the Shrimp and Garlic Overload, the Top That pizza variants (Buffalo Chicken and Onion Rings Pizza, and the Meatballs and Fries Pizza). Whew! That’s eight new flavors in a span of 12 months. Can other pizza parlors top that?

For me, the most delish and exciting was the Top That pizza. Unlike the flat pizza we’re all used to, Greenwich came up with a three-dimensional treat that’s not only scrumptious but fun to eat as well.

Greenwich R&D head Suzanne Cruz “slaps” the pizza dough. Slapping is one of the steps in making the freshly made crust of Greenwich.

This year, however, Greenwich felt it was about time they created their signature crust to complement their Overloaded and “sobrang cheesy” toppings.

“Filipinos are more adventurous now with their food and we’re taking advantage of that. We’ve been so successful with our two major pizza innovations (on toppings and cheese) so we’re now launching the new, freshly made crust,” enthuses Suzanne P. Cruz, head of Greenwich’s Research and Development Department.

Introducing new flavors or food items at Greenwich is not an easy task. In fact, Suzanne and her team spent two years to come up with a crust that’s “crispy on the outside, while soft and chewy inside that’s made upon order.”

Greenwich brand manager Allan Tan and R&D head Suzanne Cruz

Greenwich doesn’t just introduce new flavors, or in this case, a new crust, to be labeled as an innovator.

“We work around the Filipino palate in coming up with the right formula: sauce that’s slightly sweet, sour, and spicy, with lots of cheese, flavorful meat items, crisp veggies, caramelized pineapples, and now, a good crust, the base that makes a pizza tastes good,” explains Allan Tan, brand manager, Greenwich.

Tan adds that based on the research they conducted, 62 percent of the respondents preferred the new crust over the previous one.

The Freshly Made Crust can be enjoyed with any of your favorite Greenwich pizza variants. Diners also have the option to order the crust they want — thick or thin — for a truly delightful dining experience.

Pizza-Making 101

To give us an idea on how to make pizza from scratch, Suzanne and her team performed the “pizza dance” to the tune of Black Eyed Peas’ Boom, Boom, Pow. Gee, not only does Suzanne make perfect pizza dough (she’s a good dancer, too, giving Fergie a run for her dough!

After the demo, we (media participants) were given 20 minutes to do a double-size pizza. First, you have to knead the dough ball in cornmeal, stretch it by “slapping” (you have to make the dough round and even, otherwise your pizza would look like a panizza or panini pizza). Once you’ve achieved the shape and thickness of the crust, you can now spread olive oil on it; then turn it over so you can put the sauce. Again, you have to spread the sauce evenly so that it won’t burn. Brush garlic oil on the outer crust, put toppings in the right order — an inch away from the edges — then plop it in the oven.

Let’s dough it: Budding “pizza makers” outdo themselves in making the perfect dough.

Easy? Not really for a newbie like me. Thank goodness, Flavors magazine editor in chief Dolly Dy-Zulueta was my “cheatmate.”

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The pizza-making demos will soon be offered at selected Greenwich stores.

The all-new freshly made Greenwich pizzas are available at all Greenwich stores nationwide. Dial 5-55-55 for Metro Manila delivery.