Store-Bought Shortcuts: What's Worth It, What's Not

Worth it. If you don't have an Italian deli or pizzeria nearby that sells homemade dough, most supermarkets—as well as specialty stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods—carry plain and sometimes whole wheat varieties (though they may be frozen, not refrigerated, and will take several hours to thaw at room temperature). Weiss prefers brands with short ingredient lists over the mass-produced versions you'll find near the slice-and-bake cookies. One more thing: Check the expiration date, since old dough will be dryer and harder to work with. Weiss likes to defrost frozen chopped spinach, mix it with Parmesan, light cream cheese and shredded, part-skim mozzarella; spread it over the dough and bake it. You can also turn the dough into garlic cheese sticks or empanadas—or cinnamon rolls for breakfast.