Pizza cutters. We’ve seen the circular blades on cooking shows, at restaurants, and maybe even in our own kitchens. Despite the seemingly obvious name of the tool, is there really a right way to use one? More importantly, does it do anything other than cut pizza?
Read on to find out more! Your culinary world is about to expand.
Cutting Pizza
Okay, so here’s the obvious use of a pizza cutter. You know, the one where you roll the blade back and forth to cut those cheesy, triangular slices of pizza! Here are some tips to make sure your slice is ready to go (and by that, we mean ready to eat).
After your pizza is finished baking/reheating, let it cool for a few minutes. This is a surprisingly big part of what makes pizza easier to cut, and will make your job a lot easier. However, cutting into the pizza before it completely cools and hardens is also important, so take notice of how your pizza is doing after it comes out of the oven!
It’s also a good idea to make sure that your pizza cutter is sharp enough. Although it has a round surface, a sharp knife will ensure that you are able to present delicious AND beautiful slices–even if it’s just for yourself.
Lastly, use that back-and-forth motion to cut the slices of pizza. It might be helpful to think about pushing the pizza cutter forward, then sliding it backwards and doing it again, in order to avoid jagged pieces. Make sure to use a firm hand and a steady surface. And…voila! You’re ready to feast on those mouthwatering slices.
What Else?
So once you’ve used a pizza cutter for pizza, what else can you do with this handy device? I mean, how can you make it worth your while, especially if you don’t eat pizza often?
We’re so glad you asked. Here are some ways to repurpose pizza cutters into something useful and creative.
Trimming crust off of sandwiches: For those of you with little kids who don’t like crust on their sandwiches, using a pizza cutter to trim the crust off is a quick and easy fix.
Cutting ravioli: Want the sharp and neat edges of this pasta dish? Simply use a pizza cutter after layering the pasta dough with pockets of filling, then seal the dough shut!
Anything messy: If you ever want to split something sticky and small but would rather not get your hands or knives in the mix, a pizza cutter is a great option. This can be used for fruit, like grapes or cherries, or even for marshmallows!
Finely chopped: If you ever need to slice something up into tiny pieces, like green onions or rosemary, a pizza cutter works just as well as a knife (and takes half the time) as it slices both forwards and backwards.
Smaller portions: For the little ones, or if you want to split something with no mess–pancakes, crepes, tortillas, and even desserts such as brownies can be divided equally and easily with pizza cutters.
For the dip: Whether it’s waffle strips for maple syrup, or sushi bites in soy sauce, a pizza cutter can create evenly sized pieces for your dipping pleasure.
Get Innovative
The list above is just a few of the ways that you can use a pizza cutter, and routes to embark on a creative adventure while getting some delicious food in your stomach.Â
Doubt it? Try it! In no time, the pizza cutter will become a staple in your kitchen--for cutting pizza, and for other uses.
