Homemade Pizza Tips...Just the Tips

[dad 557]

8 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

I think a homemade sauce will move the needle muuuuuch more than 00 flour.

That’s certainly not to say that I don’t use jar sauce sometime (Rao’s is also my go-to).  I also don’t make my own dough anymore because I don’t enjoy that part and my dough wasn’t thaaaaat much better than the store stuff.

So, in other words, what the hell do I know?

it is fun as fuck though.  My favorite thing to cook.  Glad you’re enjoying it.

I actually did my first one with a home made sauce using this stuff, olive oil and salt but honestly I thought that pizza hut sauce was better so I figured maybe I needed to find a good store bought sauce b/c i'd never be able to channel my inner italian grandma sitting on the stove for 8 hours stirring sauce. I think making the dough is one of my favorite parts. I get the use and justify the mixer and I am fascinated with figuring out how to make it the lightest, fluffiest, crunchiest, bubbliest pizza crust. I just realized I have a bunch of brisket I think i'll see how that tastes but not sure how it'll pair with tomato sauce.. Out of pesto but I want to do some kind of chicken pesto cheese pizza, i think that'll be good

[DDD Dad 14339]

17 minutes ago, dad said:

I actually did my first one with a home made sauce using this stuff, olive oil and salt but honestly I thought that pizza hut sauce was better so I figured maybe I needed to find a good store bought sauce b/c i'd never be able to channel my inner italian grandma sitting on the stove for 8 hours stirring sauce. I think making the dough is one of my favorite parts. I get the use and justify the mixer and I am fascinated with figuring out how to make it the lightest, fluffiest, crunchiest, bubbliest pizza crust. I just realized I have a bunch of brisket I think i'll see how that tastes but not sure how it'll pair with tomato sauce.. Out of pesto but I want to do some kind of chicken pesto cheese pizza, i think that'll be good

This is the sauce I've found to be the best (Jimmy's recommended to me).

[dad 557]

This is the sauce I've found to be the best (Jimmy's recommended to me).

Ordered from amazon. Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pato del Muerto 52520]

I put a can of crushed tomatoes into a pot and start adding sugar, onion , garlic, pepper, whatever I feel like until it tastes good. 
 

my upthread pizza night included mixing the tomato sauce and Alfredo into a pink sauce that works great for some pizzas. 
 

of course with the best pizza of them all, the margherita, you don’t need sauce at all. 

[DDD Dad 14339]

6 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

I put a can of crushed tomatoes into a pot and start adding sugar, onion , garlic, pepper, whatever I feel like until it tastes good. 

This is true.  You also can even just get canned marzano tomatoes and just stick a hand blender in there to chop it up, add some chopped basil and/or oregano and some salt, and voila!

[Landomatic 3813]

2 hours ago, dad said:

I actually did my first one with a home made sauce using this stuff, olive oil and salt but honestly I thought that pizza hut sauce was better so I figured maybe I needed to find a good store bought sauce b/c i'd never be able to channel my inner italian grandma sitting on the stove for 8 hours stirring sauce. I think making the dough is one of my favorite parts. I get the use and justify the mixer and I am fascinated with figuring out how to make it the lightest, fluffiest, crunchiest, bubbliest pizza crust. I just realized I have a bunch of brisket I think i'll see how that tastes but not sure how it'll pair with tomato sauce.. Out of pesto but I want to do some kind of chicken pesto cheese pizza, i think that'll be good

 

46 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:

This is true.  You also can even just get canned marzano tomatoes and just stick a hand blender in there to chop it up, add some chopped basil and/or oregano and some salt, and voila!

Yeah, that's pretty much what I do.  No 8 hour Italian grandma cooks for me.  I use a regular blender, can of peeled SM tomatoes, handful of basil, some garlic, some salt and boom.  Great sauce every time and super easy.

[Landomatic 3813]

56 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

of course with the best pizza of them all, the margherita, you don’t need sauce at all. 

Troof ^

[Landomatic 3813]

2 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

This is the sauce I've found to be the best (Jimmy's recommended to me).

 

1 hour ago, dad said:

Ordered from amazon. Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Me too.  Thanks, @DDD Dad.  I am not above using a jar sauce from time to time.

Damn I fucking love making pizzas.  Maybe we all missed our calling.  Of course, I'm sure if I had to do it for a living it would be a beating like pretty much everything else.

[dad 557]

Kind of thinking of asking my $10 if he wants to make them for people around the neighborhood for $10 a pizza and he gets to keep the money. Teach him how to be a freaking pizza master, manage money and just grind in general. I used to mow yards, he can do what he likes doing, baking stuff with his dad.

[Landomatic 3813]

33 minutes ago, dad said:

Kind of thinking of asking my $10 if he wants to make them for people around the neighborhood for $10 a pizza and he gets to keep the money. Teach him how to be a freaking pizza master, manage money and just grind in general. I used to mow yards, he can do what he likes doing, baking stuff with his dad.

Am I too old to try the same thing in my neighborhood?

[dad 557]

3 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Am I too old to try the same thing in my neighborhood?

Obviously I meant my 10 year old but perhaps that was a Freudian slip of me seeing this as a business opportunity. LOL no you're not too old, there are TONS of people selling food on FB marketplace. But I think i've seen you post in other threads and you seem like a rich guy who isn't about to waste time slinging pizzas on FB marketplace lol. 

[Landomatic 3813]

5 minutes ago, dad said:

Obviously I meant my 10 year old but perhaps that was a Freudian slip of me seeing this as a business opportunity. LOL no you're not too old, there are TONS of people selling food on FB marketplace. But I think i've seen you post in other threads and you seem like a rich guy who isn't about to waste time slinging pizzas on FB marketplace lol. 

Haha not a rich guy.  But I’d do it because it’s fun.  If I enjoyed my real job as much as I like making pizza, I probably would be a rich guy.

[Chewbacca 7780]

I think a homemade sauce will move the needle muuuuuch more than 00 flour.
That’s certainly not to say that I don’t use jar sauce sometime (Rao’s is also my go-to).  I also don’t make my own dough anymore because I don’t enjoy that part and my dough wasn’t thaaaaat much better than the store stuff.
So, in other words, what the hell do I know?
it is fun as fuck though.  My favorite thing to cook.  Glad you’re enjoying it.

I also use Raos, but i think the best is roasting cherry tomatoes with some garlic. Blend them up with olive oil and a little salt. Tastes fantastic and is more of a spread than a sauce, which i prefer.

[NoName 16354]

16 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

This is the sauce I've found to be the best (Jimmy's recommended to me).

woah, and it is available at my local HEB (when it's open)

[NoName 16354]

On 7/15/2020 at 4:14 PM, Landomatic said:

 

Me too.  Thanks, @DDD Dad.  I am not above using a jar sauce from time to time.

Damn I fucking love making pizzas.  Maybe we all missed our calling.  Of course, I'm sure if I had to do it for a living it would be a beating like pretty much everything else.

dude i really want to get an ooni or rockbox pizza oven (honestly, the Ooni after seen Kenji's video on them - that wide opening is money) for exactly this.

there are some kids in our area  that are making and delivering neopolitian style pizza i found on instagram and its amazing, im sure it's hard to roll out but they are doing it out of a backyard before flipping over to a food truck style setup.

Edited October 14, 2022 by NoName

[Baboontyme 2812]

Pepperoni - DeLallo sticks will cup up. They're my current favorite. 

https://www.delallo.com/shop/delallo-short-stick-pepperoni

Vermont is also good.

https://www.amazon.com/Vermont-Smoke-Cure-Smoked-Pepperoni/dp/B01HEHVKKU/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?crid=2N8HSH9VTL3PV&cv_ct_cx=vermont+smoke+and+cure+pepperoni&dchild=1&keywords=vermont+smoke+and+cure+pepperoni&pd_rd_i=B01HEHVKKU&pd_rd_r=344192a4-102a-4cbc-842f-f5515fadf116&pd_rd_w=cHpDv&pd_rd_wg=pjzFq&pf_rd_p=13bf9bc7-d68d-44c3-9d2e-647020f56802&pf_rd_r=KEM3Y3QZTBPDFZHJGGY5&psc=1&qid=1594907583&sprefix=Vermont+smoke+%2Caps%2C165&sr=1-1-791c2399-d602-4248-afbb-8a79de2d236f

[DDD Dad 14339]

7 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

Pepperoni - DeLallo sticks will cup up. They're my current favorite. 

https://www.delallo.com/shop/delallo-short-stick-pepperoni

 

This is the "stick" I was trying to remember from up thread.

[elfenix 34306]

On 7/15/2020 at 12:14 PM, NoName said:

any recs on buying pepperoni? i want some #pepcups so prefer the smaller ones that crisp up really well...

due to the rona and where i live probably buying online if that matters.

 

this is the stuff they use in columbus, oh, to make pizza that looks like this, just have to find a place to buy it:

http://www.ezzo.com/

 

 

hormel is selling cupping pepperoni so i grabbed a bag of that at HEB, haven't tried it out yet

Edited July 16, 2020 by elfenix

[ChickenSandwich 9843]

H‑E‑B curl up nice but a hair thin

[LosIllini 91]

Mutti's is good (and, Jimmy's also has Don Pepino's, which is also tasty), but, I like to get Cento Tomato Puree (you can find it at Wal-Mart), and add salt and sugar.  Thin crust dough (Basic recipe w/ Italian sourdough yeast, w/ a little neutral yeast for some extra spring), Johnsonville Italian Sausage, and the highest quality/ highest fat Mozzerella I can find (currently, using cheese from Business Costco fwiw, or, in a pinch, regular Costco Mozz cheese, or, Sargento/ Kraft from the grocery stores).  Longer you let the dough ferment/ condition, better it is- up to a point.  High Temp bake/ pizza stone in oven.  Pretty good for home-made pizza.

[Baboontyme 2812]

4 hours ago, elfenix said:

this is the stuff they use in columbus, oh, to make pizza that looks like this, just have to find a place to buy it:

http://www.ezzo.com/

 

 

hormel is selling cupping pepperoni so i grabbed a bag of that at HEB, haven't tried it out yet

I'm so ridiculous. Just ordered 2 sticks. Approx cost ~ $42. I'll do a comp with the DeLallo when I get it. 

[Landomatic 3813]

On 7/16/2020 at 9:57 PM, LosIllini said:

Mutti's is good (and, Jimmy's also has Don Pepino's, which is also tasty), but, I like to get Cento Tomato Puree (you can find it at Wal-Mart), and add salt and sugar.  Thin crust dough (Basic recipe w/ Italian sourdough yeast, w/ a little neutral yeast for some extra spring), Johnsonville Italian Sausage, and the highest quality/ highest fat Mozzerella I can find (currently, using cheese from Business Costco fwiw, or, in a pinch, regular Costco Mozz cheese, or, Sargento/ Kraft from the grocery stores).  Longer you let the dough ferment/ condition, better it is- up to a point.  High Temp bake/ pizza stone in oven.  Pretty good for home-made pizza.

All that fancy shit and you're using Johnsonville sausage?  I only use Johnsonville if I'm really in a bind...like if the store is out of every other much better option.

[Landomatic 3813]

On 7/16/2020 at 8:53 AM, Baboontyme said:

Pepperoni - DeLallo sticks will cup up. They're my current favorite. 

https://www.delallo.com/shop/delallo-short-stick-pepperoni

Vermont is also good.

https://www.amazon.com/Vermont-Smoke-Cure-Smoked-Pepperoni/dp/B01HEHVKKU/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?crid=2N8HSH9VTL3PV&cv_ct_cx=vermont+smoke+and+cure+pepperoni&dchild=1&keywords=vermont+smoke+and+cure+pepperoni&pd_rd_i=B01HEHVKKU&pd_rd_r=344192a4-102a-4cbc-842f-f5515fadf116&pd_rd_w=cHpDv&pd_rd_wg=pjzFq&pf_rd_p=13bf9bc7-d68d-44c3-9d2e-647020f56802&pf_rd_r=KEM3Y3QZTBPDFZHJGGY5&psc=1&qid=1594907583&sprefix=Vermont+smoke+%2Caps%2C165&sr=1-1-791c2399-d602-4248-afbb-8a79de2d236f

 

On 7/16/2020 at 4:50 PM, DDD Dad said:

This is the "stick" I was trying to remember from up thread.

 

On 7/16/2020 at 5:32 PM, elfenix said:

this is the stuff they use in columbus, oh, to make pizza that looks like this, just have to find a place to buy it:

http://www.ezzo.com/

 

 

hormel is selling cupping pepperoni so i grabbed a bag of that at HEB, haven't tried it out yet

 

On 7/16/2020 at 9:57 PM, Baboontyme said:

I'm so ridiculous. Just ordered 2 sticks. Approx cost ~ $42. I'll do a comp with the DeLallo when I get it. 

What's the go-to for slicing this stuff?  Regular handheld mandoline get it done?  Or am I going to need to invest in a commercial grade meat slicer...along with my new pizza oven and all the other shit my dumb ass will "need" for this new hobby of ours.  I swear, homemade pizza is like a Barbie for grown men.

[Landomatic 3813]

Speaking of accessories...what's the go-to for pizza cutters?  Who makes the best one?

Mine is a small piece of shit I've had forever that feels like an accessory for an easy bake oven.  Need to upgrade...

Rocker?

Wheel?

[Spankytoes 1742]

Just ordered a do-Joe for my Kamodo. Shit is gonna get real

[Baboontyme 2812]

40 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

 

What's the go-to for slicing this stuff?  Regular handheld mandoline get it done?  Or am I going to need to invest in a commercial grade meat slicer...along with my new pizza oven and all the other shit my dumb ass will "need" for this new hobby of ours.  I swear, homemade pizza is like a Barbie for grown men.

I use...a sharp knife. And a cutting board. 

It doesn't have to be razor thin to cup up. 

[DDD Dad 14339]

What's the go-to for slicing this stuff?  Regular handheld mandoline get it done?  Or am I going to need to invest in a commercial grade meat slicer...along with my new pizza oven and all the other shit my dumb ass will "need" for this new hobby of ours.  I swear, homemade pizza is like a Barbie for grown men.

Mandolin

[dad 557]

I would think rocker type would make the cleanest cuts. Sometimes those stupid wheels get gunked up and ruin nice clean cuts. What I've done a few times was cut mine on the wood peel, is that a no no for any reason? I don't think a bunch of lines into the wood should do anything to it. Enough corn meal/flour and you're good to go. Also heard something about regularly oiling wood peels but haven't researched that nor see a true need. 

[ChickenSandwich 9843]

Rockers work best when equal or larger than the size of your pie, otherwise they suck.  

 

Find a restaurant style wheel cutter with a 6 inch wheel (not basic 4inches everyone has).  Keep sharp.  With pie on a proper cutting surface, slam wheel down hard enough to cut through the pizza dough all the way to the pizza pan or cutting board before you being your roll forward and back.  The slam ensures a clean cut every time  

 

[luke duke 6413]

Adding grilled chicken pieces has taken it next level.

Add some carmelized onions and roasted garlic to take it to 11.

[Chewbacca 7780]

Rockers work best when equal or larger than the size of your pie, otherwise they suck.  
 
Find a restaurant style wheel cutter with a 6 inch wheel (not basic 4inches everyone has).  Keep sharp.  With pie on a proper cutting surface, slam wheel down hard enough to cut through the pizza dough all the way to the pizza pan or cutting board before you being your roll forward and back.  The slam ensures a clean cut every time  
 

Or just buy an Oxo cutter. Works great. Have never felt lacking in the pizza cutting dept.

[dad 557]

I also use Raos, but i think the best is roasting cherry tomatoes with some garlic. Blend them up with olive oil and a little salt. Tastes fantastic and is more of a spread than a sauce, which i prefer.

Good call. I like the sauce a lot. I’ve always liked sauces based out of cherry tomatoes, they seem to have a lot of flavor.













Tried cutting my own pepperonis but I went too think I think.

[Anastasis 23475]

On 7/16/2020 at 7:02 AM, NoName said:

dude i really want to get an ooni or rockbox pizza oven (honestly, the Ooni after seen Kenji's video on them - that wide opening is money) for exactly this.

I ordered a Koda 16 back in May.  Apparently I missed the cutoff for the first batch by like a day, and they put me on backorder until "late August". Looks like they have September ship dates now. 

[LosIllini 91]

On 7/18/2020 at 9:20 AM, Landomatic said:

All that fancy shit and you're using Johnsonville sausage?  I only use Johnsonville if I'm really in a bind...like if the store is out of every other much better option.

Nothing fancy- just a good midwestern, tavern-style pizza.  Johnsonville is consistent/ nice and greasy.

[Landomatic 3813]

48 minutes ago, LosIllini said:

Nothing fancy- just a good midwestern, tavern-style pizza.  Johnsonville is consistent/ nice and greasy.

Johnsonville is crap.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve used it in a pinch, but...it’s crap.

[DDD Dad 14339]

Johnsonville makes pepperoni?

[Hank_Hill 18877]

Highly recommend trying brazilian calabresa on pizza. Actually prefer it over pep  now

[Landomatic 3813]

Been wanting to branch out a little from the standard classics (sausage, pepperoni, margherita, etc).  Wife remembers some sort of potato pizza (yeah, I know it sounds weird) from her childhood that she claims is one of the best pizzas she's ever had.  So, we decided to try to recreate it.

Going off her memory of about 25 years ago, we came up with this.  EVOO and salt on the crust, mozzarella cheese, layer of thin sliced red potatoes, pancetta and she couldn't remember what kind of herb it had on it, but was pretty sure it wasn't basil, so she decided to try sage.  She couldn't remember if it had any kind of sauce and if it did, what it was, but was positive it didn't have red sauce.  We decided no sauce.

Here's the end result.  Not exactly how she remembered it and needs some tweaking...potatoes probably needed to cook a little before being added to pizza, needed more oil if we weren't using sauce (it was a little dry) and probably could have benefitted from more cheese.  I had very low expectations but it turned out surprisingly good...

Also did one of the old standbys just to be safe (as I expected the potato one to be crap).  Damn I love this pizza...

[dad 557]

I would love to get the burnt crust of those legit pizza ovens like the Ooni Koda 16 but the bottom not being that crispy is a concern given that it cooks so fast. Anyone here have any experience with that type or similar? I measured the temps at the metal grate in my Black and Decker once it was hot and it was around 550 to 625 at spots consistently and still at 450+ after finishing a whole cook with lots of opening and closing so that seems good. The crust phenomenon that I desire must happen beyond the 600 deg realm.

[dad 557]

Seems like dough flavor and texture really takes off after day two resting in fridge. Found a lot of good options I hadn’t seen before at the local Walmart. The Margherita style Rao’s sauce was great.

[Sam Lin 3559]

I've got a local pizza place that rises their dough a mininum of 72hr. If you go right after a day they're closed, sometimes the dough was left over and sat an extra day, near 100hr. It's awesome.

Lando, definitely precook the potatoes a bit if you're trying that. Microwave is lazy and easy. Or even lightly pan fry the slices beforehand (lower heat, you aren't really trying to crisp the outside).

[Baboontyme 2812]

A styrofoam cooler packed with dry ice came today via Fed ex. These things are quite massive. I probably could have done fine with just ordering 1. 

[TankedBevo 2483]

22 hours ago, dad said:

Seems like dough flavor and texture really takes off after day two resting in fridge. Found a lot of good options I hadn’t seen before at the local Walmart. The Margherita style Rao’s sauce was great.

User name checks out

[NoName 16354]

2 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

A styrofoam cooler packed with dry ice came today via Fed ex. These things are quite massive. I probably could have done fine with just ordering 1. 

i mean at that point might as well order 2 vs 1

whoever recommended the pep sticks from vermont - they were spot on. really damn good

[texasdago 7575]

Tried the Mutti this past week and I liked the flavor.  It works in a pinch - less effort.

Our real estate agent bought us an Ooni Koda (not the 16) as a housewarming present and my first impression is that it is awesome!  Going to use it again tonight.  

[UTPhil2006 3807]

On 7/20/2020 at 6:51 AM, Landomatic said:

Been wanting to branch out a little from the standard classics (sausage, pepperoni, margherita, etc).  Wife remembers some sort of potato pizza (yeah, I know it sounds weird) from her childhood that she claims is one of the best pizzas she's ever had.  So, we decided to try to recreate it.

Going off her memory of about 25 years ago, we came up with this.  EVOO and salt on the crust, mozzarella cheese, layer of thin sliced red potatoes, pancetta and she couldn't remember what kind of herb it had on it, but was pretty sure it wasn't basil, so she decided to try sage.  She couldn't remember if it had any kind of sauce and if it did, what it was, but was positive it didn't have red sauce.  We decided no sauce.

Here's the end result.  Not exactly how she remembered it and needs some tweaking...potatoes probably needed to cook a little before being added to pizza, needed more oil if we weren't using sauce (it was a little dry) and probably could have benefitted from more cheese.  I had very low expectations but it turned out surprisingly good...

Also did one of the old standbys just to be safe (as I expected the potato one to be crap).  Damn I love this pizza...

I've had the mashed potato pizza at my aunts place in CT they always order every summer.  Here is the ingredients from the menu of the place we order from 

Mashed Potato Pizza
Mashed potatoes, bacon, onions, cheddar & fresh garlic.

[Baboontyme 2812]

Late start tonight. Luckily my first call isn't until 10:30 EDT tomorrow. I need to try that ezzo Roni. Oven preheating at 525 with my steel on the third rung from the top. I poured a drink, we'll see how this goes. 

[Baboontyme 2812]

Late start tonight. Luckily my first call isn't until 10:30 EDT tomorrow. I need to try that ezzo Roni. Oven preheating at 525 with my steel on the third rung from the top. I poured a drink, we'll see how this goes. 

[Sam Lin 3559]

On 7/21/2020 at 1:32 AM, dad said:

I would love to get the burnt crust of those legit pizza ovens like the Ooni Koda 16 but the bottom not being that crispy is a concern given that it cooks so fast. Anyone here have any experience with that type or similar? I measured the temps at the metal grate in my Black and Decker once it was hot and it was around 550 to 625 at spots consistently and still at 450+ after finishing a whole cook with lots of opening and closing so that seems good. The crust phenomenon that I desire must happen beyond the 600 deg realm.

I'm not quite following you, but I think you want more char on the crust? Are you wanting more on the ring of topside crust, or on the bottom? (or both?) For bottom, easy way is preheat more, or preheat a stone or steel and cook on it. That'll get more heat into the crust.

For topside, it's a little more tricky balancing toppings cooking with crust cooking, but from your pic, it looks like the ring of crust is very thick and wide. Try pulling it thinner and see if that helps.

[Baboontyme 2812]

I'll have pictures to support tomorrow but I want to post initial impressions. No dog in the fight, in fact if I wanted to take sides I would side with the brand that I just bought ~ 5 lbs of. I think DeLallo is better. It curls more if that's your criteria. The Ezzo had more of a richer, beefier flavor and was a little more spicy. Not much. I found that the heat seemed to grow with the DeLallo the more I consumed, whereas with the Ezzo it was immediate.

Pepperoni wars. Covid. So stupid.  But yeah I prefer DeLallo and even though I didn't do a direct comparison I think I would prefer Vermont. Now what the hell am I going to do with 4.99 lbs of Ezzo pepperoni sticks.