(Reviewed.com) — Pizza is a science and like water, it has three forms: Fresh out of the oven, eaten and leftover (frozen pizza is like the fake snow at a ski resort).
And like water, you can turn pizza from one form to another.
One of the hardest tasks we face every weekend is how to turn our pizza from its leftover form back to its fresh out of the oven form.
Personally, I think cold pizza is a delicacy and don't even bother, but we've all had a slice that we know would be better heated up until we put it in the oven or the microwave and it comes out lukewarm and lifeless.
But there is a way to bring it back to life and it's not what you may think.
The best way to reheat cold pizza
Best method: Stovetop
It sounds crazy, but according to many, cooking your pizza in a cast-iron skillet (preferred) or a non-stick pan on the stove is as close as you can get to pie perfection.
Simply put it in a pan on medium-low heat for two minutes or until the bottom is a little crispy then turn it to low, drop a couple drops of water in and cover it for a minute or two. Your pizza should come out good as new.
I gave this method a shot and true to its form, the pizza was about as fresh as you can get it after it's been sitting in your fridge for two days. It works especially well if you wish your pizza was a little bit crispier in the first place, because putting it in the pan will make the bottom crisp up quick.
My one recommendation, though, would be to make sure you don't cook it too hot or too long in the pan, because it can get overly crispy and burn a little.
And of course, this method would be tough if you're trying to reheat more than a couple of slices, so here's a more traditional method to reheat more pie.
Other methods
Oven
For larger amounts or a different method, line a baking sheet with foil (or just use the foil for a slice or two) and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Then, put the pizza in for 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
Again, this is kind of a play-it-by-ear (eyes) situation with how hot you want it or how crispy, but if you aren't going to use the stove, the oven does a great job too.
Toaster oven
Like the oven, it's all about how you want it cooked, but the baseline way is medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then run it through again if it's not to your liking.
The toaster oven is another good way to really crisp up the crust if you so choose.
What not to do
The microwave
This seems obvious, but I've seen people destroy beautiful slices of pizza with just seconds in the microwave.
But if you're in a pinch, putting a slice on a plate and heating it for intervals of a minute or 30 seconds on low or medium power until hot is your best bet. Faced with that choice though, I might use the pavement, a magnifying glass and the sun.
