By Mary-Eileen Gallagher

Pizza My Heart

It never hangs up on you in the middle of a fight. It never confiscates your fake ID on a Friday night. Never once has it asked you for quarters to do the laundry or forget to turn off the alarm when on vacation. All whining, griping or complaining is nil.

Some of us like it tropical with juicy pineapple, some fancy dipping it in ranch dressing, while others like it at 8 a.m., chilled, with a tall glass of orange juice. What water is for happy hippos, what gravy is for mashed potatoes, what the O.C. is for Thursday nights, pizza is for college students – perfect in every way.

A match made in heaven

Picco, located at the corner of Tremont and Berkeley Streets, is an appetizing acronym for nothing other than Pizza ‘ Ice Cream Company, a combination this sleek and stylish Back Bay restaurant has perfected. The environment fuses a ’50s style soda counter, where diners can sip ice cream floats or order drinks, with a modern dining room area, accented with blazing red chairs and soft, cushioned sofa seats. This atmospheric blend is almost as deadly as the one-two punch of the pizza and ice cream.

The seven signature thin crust pizzas, which are baked to perfection in a fantastic, $30,000 oven, can also be ordered as colossal, superbly stuffed calzones. The Margherita offers a blend of tomato sauce, basil and cheese, while the roasted vegetable is a vegetarian’s delight. Picco also offers an array of delicious salads, sandwiches and pastas. And don’t forget to browse the specials of the day on the vibrant, wall-mounted chalkboards.

The only necessity diners must consider before consuming dinner is to save room — lots of room — for dessert. The ice cream and sorbet are all homemade at Picco, and all to die for. Some of the notable flavors include caramel, chocolate chip and old-fashioned vanilla. If you order the Fireroasted Apple Tart, pair it with cinnamon ice cream for a divine apple dream. Picco has mastered serving one of America’s favorite combinations – pizza and ice cream. A trip down memory lane has never tasted so great.

Beautiful in the unusual: potato chicken pizza

When asked what your favorite pizza topping is, potato probably is not the first answer that comes out of your mouth. However, this unlikely mix of pizza, potato and chicken is surprisingly delicious, converting all doubters into instant advocates.

One common complaint about homemade pizza is that it is time-consuming. However, with a couple quick shortcuts, you can go from standard, boring delivery to outstanding gourmet in your very own kitchen. Shredding tons of cheese for homemade pizza can be exhausting. Instead, buy pre-shredded cheese, which in some cases is cheaper, so you not only save time, but money time as well. Frozen pizza dough can easily be found in the freezer sections of all grocery stores. But rolling out pizza dough into a perfect shape and width can be messy and tiring. Pillsbury now has a great pizza dough on the market that comes in a tube; it is like pre-made cookie dough, but simply rolls out on a rectangular baking sheet. It produces a thin, crispy, yummy crust.

In the zone

Calzones, which are stuffed pizzas folded over and baked like Cornish pastries, are the perfect anecdote to pizza monotony. They contain all the awesome ingredients of pizza, but are simply packed and eaten in a fun, new way. Similar to topping a pizza, there are endless options for stuffing calzones. Whether filled with pepperoni and sausage, broccoli and cheese, or spinach and artichoke, calzones are a tasty time bomb just waiting to be devoured with a knife and fork. The following recipe for these mini cheese and olive calzones is super easy because it uses an eight-ounce can of refrigerated crescent shaped dinner roles as the crust. Again, another time-saver is to always use pre-shredded cheese.

Get Served: Picco

513 Tremont St. (The Corner of Tremont and Berkeley) 617-927-0066 Hours: Every day, 11 a.m.- 11 p.m. Price: $5- $17

You’ll be sorry if you don’t try: Alsatian Variation. The only way to understand this unique pizza is to try it; you won’t be disappointed. This pizza, small $8.95 or large $15.95, is topped with sour cream, caramelized onions, bacon, roasted garlic and gruyere cheese, creating a concoction like no other that will have your taste buds aching for more.

Let the Hungry Husky suggest: Ice Cream Sandwich. This dessert, which redefines ice cream sandwiches, begins with two light, buttery, homemade chocolate cookies, a side of hot chocolate dipping sauce, and a large dollop of whipped cream. The challenge comes in deciding what ice cream or sorbet to select for the middle. No ice cream can ever be wrong, but for the indecisive, waste no worry and order homemade caramel.

Fowl Spuds: Potato Chicken Pizza

Ingredients: 2 red-skinned potatoes 1 cup cooked seasoned chicken pieces 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup shredded jack cheese 1/4 cup feta cheese 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion 1 teaspoon fresh or dry rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 tube pre-made pizza dough

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open tube of pizza dough and unroll onto lightly-greased baking sheet. Set aside.

2. After washing and skinning potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place in a pot of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes, or until tender. 3. Scatter half of mozzarella and jack cheeses over pizza dough. Lay potato slices in a single layer over the cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover potatoes with remaining cheeses. 4. Place cooked chicken on top and scatter rosemary, onion and feta cheese. Drizzle with olive oil. 5. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until desired crispiness is achieved. 6. Enjoy a fabulous potato pizza!

Inside Out: Calzone

Ingredients: 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend 1/4 cup chopped black olives 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning Flour, for dusting 1 8 ounce can of refrigerated crescent-shaped dinner rolls

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees 2. In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, olives and Italian seasoning. 3. On a floured surface, unroll the crescent dough in one piece. Roll it out to a 16-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Then, using a pizza cutter or a knife, slice into 8 (4-inch by 4-inch) squares. 4. Place 2 tablespoons of filling on half of each square. Lightly moisten the edges with water, fold dough over, and seal. Pierce with a fork to vent. 5. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. 6. Serve hot with marinara sauce for dipping.