Practice makes perfect (pizza)

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff

According to Panhandle Pizza Kitchen owner Mike Johnson, a great pizza starts with four ingredients: water, flour, salt and time.

Yes, time — not thyme. Patience is the key to creating consistently delicious Neapolitan pizza, which is Johnson’s specialty. The crust is made from naturally leavened sourdough — cold-fermented for 48 hours to preserve probiotic qualities and allow for easy digestion — then baked in a wood-fired oven at 750 degrees.

Owner Mike Johnson and his son Ryder. Courtesy photo.

“It’s very light, very fluffy,” Johnson said. “It’s my favorite pizza, which is why I got into making it.”

Johnson said he used his recent downtime during the coronavirus pandemic to turn his pizza hobby into a business, so the Panhandle Pizza Kitchen was born. What started as he and his family enjoying his perfected recipe soon made it to his neighbors, and now — thanks to popular demand and a few connections — Johnson has hosted three pop-up style events at the Longshot cafe and wine bar in Sandpoint. He said he was “shocked” by the demand he experienced in just those few outings, and has received a lot of encouraging feedback.

Part of what sets Panhandle Pizza Kitchen apart is Johnson’s use of organic ingredients and commitment to staying away from additives like sugar.

“I’ve got a strong dedication to using the best quality stuff that I can find,” he said. “It makes a difference.”

For instance, Johnson’s tomato sauce is made from whole San Marzano tomatoes, which he processes in a food mill — preserving some of the chunkiness — then combines with a little salt and basil.

“It’s really simple, really fresh and really basic,” he said.

However, most who have tasted Johnson’s cooking wouldn’t be throwing around terms like “simple” and “basic.” Also found among Panhandle Pizza Kitchen menu ingredients are chili-infused honey and 10-year, oak barrel-aged balsamic vinegar. Johnson said he loves exploring flavor combinations, so when his wife requested a mushroom pizza, Johnson decided to invent a roasted garlic and truffle sauce to go on it. The result is a fan favorite: Sandi’s Special.

“The Longshot” pizza. Courtesy photo

“When I created [the sauce], I had a bunch of friends over to do a taste test — like a focus group for sauce,” he said with a laugh. “A lot of them said, ‘You should just put this on every single pizza.’”

Ultimately, Johnson is aiming to create pies that are flavorful and satisfying without doling out pizza-induced comas.

“You can eat a whole pizza because they’re so light, not stacked up with a bunch of crazy stuff,” he said. “You’re going to be able to eat a whole pizza and not feel gross afterwards. You can finish your beer and walk around and enjoy yourself.”

Johnson’s culinary passions do not stop with Neapolitan pizza. He’s also committed to creating the perfect burger, made from specific beef cuts and complete with a homemade pretzel bun — but it’s all still in the works.

“I’ve got a little more experimenting to do, but it’s coming down the road soon,” he said.

Johnson said the popularity of his pizzas has become a driving force for expanding his skills and offerings, so it appears that operations at the Panhandle Pizza Kitchen are just heating up.

“The responses I’ve gotten about the pizzas already — I’m so happy,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of positivity out there, and it’s inspiring me to do all that I can.”

The Panhandle Pizza Kitchen will be serving good eats at the Longshot (102 S. Boyer Ave.) on Friday, June 12 from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday, June 13 from 6-9 p.m. Follow the business on Facebook or Instagram @panhandlepizzakitchen. To contact Johnson about offering pizzas at a local event, email him at [email protected].