Hello Claudine, puff pastry makes a wonderfully flaky and quick pizza, but you are completely right to be cautious about sogginess. Because puff pastry relies on steam trapped between thin layers of butter to rise, excess moisture will prevent those layers from crisping up and leave the center doughy.
Here is a reliable method to keep your base perfectly crisp:
1. Preheat your oven and tray. Set your oven hot, around 200°C to 220°C (400°F to 425°F). Place your baking sheet inside while the oven heats up so the bottom of the dough hits a piping hot surface immediately.
2. Prep the dough. Unroll your puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment paper. Score a half-inch border around the edges with a knife, taking care not to cut all the way through. Then, take a fork and thoroughly prick the entire center area inside the border. This allows steam to escape from the center while letting the border puff up nicely into a crust.
3. Blind bake the base. Slide the pastry on its parchment directly onto the preheated baking tray and bake it empty for about 8 to 10 minutes until the base is set and lightly golden.
4. Control moisture in your toppings. Use a very thin layer of sauce, or stick to tomato paste mixed with a little olive oil and herbs rather than watery pasta sauce. If your leftover cheese has moisture (such as fresh mozzarella), pat it thoroughly with paper towels before adding it.
5. Finish baking. Return the assembled pizza to the hot oven for another 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the outer edges are deeply golden brown.
I hope this helps you create a delicious meal and use up that leftover cheese without any mess!
