The history of the baking stone
The humble baking stone has been revived in the modern kitchen, but did you know that this kitchen equipment has been used for centuries? Perhaps one of the oldest culinary techniques known to man, its history dates back to the early Paleolithic, or between 45,000 and 9,000 years before the arrival of Christ. Archaeologists have found evidence that Stone Age man used stones to grind starches into a fine powder before using the stone to bake food over a campfire, the forerunner of today’s modern ovens.
While baking stones are most commonly used to cook the perfect pizzas, they were first used to make flatbreads that were eaten as a staple. Flatbreads became the forerunners of modern pizza, providing a doughy base, which would then be topped with savory toppings such as tomatoes, fish, and, much later, the traditional margarita of mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and chopped herbs such as basil.
Modern baking stones are usually round or rectangular in shape, although their ergonomic designs are more recent developments, as early man would have used irregularly shaped stones that could fit into the fire pit.
The benefits of using pizza stones
Baking stones are ideal for baking a pizza for a number of reasons. Its main reason, and the reason it was originally conceived by Stone Age man, was to keep food from burning. Because the stone absorbs some of the heat, the edges and bottom of a pizza or flatbread don’t get as much direct heat during the cooking process.
The versatility of the pizza stone
Another great benefit of a pizza stone is its ability to absorb excess moisture during the cooking process, allowing for a crispier crust. This is because it is made of natural stone which has absorbent properties. Using a baking sheet can trap moisture under a flatbread or pizza and make it soggy and prevent even cooking. Pizza stones solve this problem and at the same time ensure that your pizza does not burn due to their superior thermal properties.
While baking stones are great for cooking flatbreads and pizzas, they can be used to cook just about anything, especially foods that need to be crispy. If you want to keep your pizza stone in good condition and prevent it from becoming brittle or susceptible to cracking, you should oil it regularly and use a good quality nonstick spray each time you use it. Allow to cool before cleaning and do not submerge a hot stone in water immediately after use, as the extreme change in temperature can cause it to crack or break.
Using Pizza Stones
Always place the baking stone on the lowest rack in the oven and allow it to heat up when you preheat the oven. You want to use it at the same temperature as the oven, but so that the stone absorbs some of the heat from the surface to prevent burns.