Homemade Pizza Tips...Just the Tips

[hobbes2702 12483]

18 minutes ago, elfenix said:

so the usual culprits for hard crust is baking too long/hot, too little water, not enough rise, too little dough, low hyrdation, overkneading, and too much oil.  could be other factors as well. don't remember if you're here in texas - altitude does all sorts of things to baking recipes. 

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking

well that narrows it down lol. I’ll prolly make another couple on Tuesday or Wednesday. Will report back.

[LCHorn 2527]

14 hours ago, Firemans4Horn said:

My lifehack to homemade pizza is to buy pizza dough from Trader Joe’s

Same here--I used to make my own dough in big batches with the stand mixer, freeze it, defrost and let rise minimum 3 days, etc. 

Now I can just buy Trader Joe's for $1.50 a dough day off and it turns out excellent or let it sit in the fridge for four or five days and it's even better. 

Whole Foods dough (at least in Austin) is even tastier but it's a lot harder to work with. 

[hobbes2702 12483]

Pizza attempt number 2 tonight. I hand kneaded the dough today. Doing a couple pans and couple thins. Will report back

[hobbes2702 12483]

I fucking did it. This did not disappoint. Second one is the kids cheese. It was ok. The Detroit style was perfect. Hand kneading the dough instead of mixer made a huge difference I think. So airy and light with a crunchy crust.

 

[Frank The Tank 1436]

I got a new Blackstone griddle from the in-laws for Christmas. Apparently they bought a bundle that came with a pizza oven as well. I’m excited about the griddle and interested in the homemade pizza possibilities. Anyone here have an experience with this particular oven?

[NoName 16197]

made the kenji chicago style/bar pizza for NYE on a pizza stone in the oven and on a baking steel in a smaller breville oven - side note: always buy the baking steel over a pizza stone, it's awesome.

just a basic oven at my in laws, made 10 of them and honestly all 10 were incredible.

followed the dough recipe to a T in a food processor, balled them, then let rise and cold ferment. drove to austin the next day, rolled them out, let them cure overnight, topped with mutti pizza sauce (i'm lazy) and whole fat, low moisture mozz from the HEB deli. baked for about 8 min per and they rocked.

including both the dough and process info below. highly recommend it. because they cure, don't have to worry about sticking to stone/steel or pizza peel. they crisp up awesome. really, really, really good if you need to bust out a bunch for a group. i'll be making them again soon.

dough recipe:

 

Spoiler

Pizza Dough

 

Yield:2 (14-inch) crusts

• 300 grams bread flour (about 2¼ cups, see Tips)
• 7 grams sugar (about 1½ teaspoons)
• 7 grams salt (about 1¼ teaspoons table salt or 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt)
• 1 gram instant yeast (about ¼ teaspoon)
• 150 grams cold water (150 milliliters, about ⅔ cup)
• 30 grams neutral oil, such as light olive oil, vegetable oil or corn oil
• Semolina or cornmeal, for dusting

1.      Make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer (see Tips). Whisk together to combine, then add the water and oil. Mix at low speed with the dough hook attachment, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the dough comes together in a shaggy ball. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Mix on medium-low speed until the dough is silky and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.

2.      Divide the dough: Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into two even pieces, about 250 grams each. Using lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a smooth ball, then lightly coat each with oil, using your hands to cover every surface. Transfer each ball to a quart-size zipper-lock bag or other sealable container at least three times its volume. (Quart-size plastic deli containers also work for this.)

3.      Ferment the dough: For good results, let the dough rest at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 3 hours. For better results, refrigerate the dough overnight. For best results, refrigerate the dough for at least 3 and up to 5 days.

4.      The day before baking, roll the dough: Transfer one dough ball to a work surface generously dusted with semolina or cornmeal. (Refrigerated dough can be rolled straight out of the fridge, though allowing it to rest covered for 1 hour at room temperature will make rolling easier.) Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a very thin circle 14 inches in diameter, lifting and rotating it occasionally (use a ruler or measuring tape to ensure the right size). Repeat with the second ball. If the dough feels like it keeps bouncing back as you try and stretch it, cover it with an inverted bowl or a clean kitchen towel, let it rest for half an hour, then try rolling again.

5.      Cure the dough: Transfer the doughs to a flat surface lined with parchment paper or butcher paper. Allow to rest uncovered at room temperature overnight. The top surface of the dough should end up dry to the touch with a leathery feel. If they puff at all during curing, you can push any bubbles with a fork and push them down to flatten them.

Tips

• If you want to make 2 (12-inch) pizzas instead, use 225 grams flour, 5 grams sugar, 5 grams salt, 1 gram yeast, 115 grams cold water and 22.5 grams oil. Use only ¾ of the toppings.
• The dough can also be made in a food processor or by hand. To make with a food processor, combine all the ingredients and process until the dough forms a ball that rides around the blades. Continue running the food processor for 30 seconds, then transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and continue as directed in Step 2.
• To make by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, add the oil and water, and stir with a wooden spoon until a stiff, shaggy dough is formed. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 7 to 10 minutes. Proceed as directed in Step 2.

pizza recipe:

•  

Spoiler

• ¾ cup mild or hot giardiniera (see Tips)
• Semolina or cornmeal, for dusting
• 1 stretched, cured Chicago thin-crust (tavern-style) pizza dough skin
• ¾ to 1 cup pizza sauce for Chicago thin-crust, more or less to taste, or use store-bought pizza sauce
• 2 ounces finely shredded or powdered Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
• 8 to 12 ounces full-fat low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, more or less to taste (see Tips)
• ½ recipe (about 8 ounces) Chicago-style Italian sausage, or use store-bought (raw bulk sausage or raw cased sausage with casings removed)

1.      At least 45 minutes before baking, set a baking steel or stone (larger than 14 inches, see Tips) on an oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Drain excess oil from the giardiniera in a fine-mesh strainer, tossing to get as much off as possible. Discard the oil and set aside the giardiniera.

2.      When the oven is heated and you’re ready to bake, dust a pizza peel with semolina or cornmeal. Lift cured pizza skin with the parchment or butcher paper still attached. The top (exposed) side will be drier than the underside. Place the pizza skin on the peel with the drier side facing down (so the papered side faces up). Peel off the parchment paper or butcher paper and discard. Using a fork, poke the crust all over to prevent large bubbles from forming.

3.      Spread the sauce evenly over the entire surface of the pizza, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with half the Romano or Parmesan. Spread the mozzarella evenly over the entire surface, spreading it all the way to the edges. Use your fingertips to dollop marble-size pieces of the raw sausage all over the pizza. Sprinkle with the giardiniera.

4.      Give the pizza peel a few shakes to make sure the pizza is still loose (if it sticks at all, using a metal spatula or pizza peel to loosen it), then transfer the pizza to the heated baking steel or stone. Bake until the pizza is as done as you like it. (If you like yours browned and bubbly in the center and lightly charred at the edges, that’ll be about 10 minutes, depending on your oven.) You can use a metal pizza peel to lift the edges of the pizza and peek underneath as it bakes to ensure the bottom is done to your liking.

5.      Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and sprinkle immediately with the remaining Romano or Parmesan. Allow to rest for 3 minutes, cut into 1½- to 2-inch squares, and serve immediately. Let the oven reheat for at least 10 minutes before baking subsequent pizzas.

Tips

• This style of pizza works best with minimal toppings–two to three items max. Sausage and giardiniera is a classic combination in the Chicago area. I like using J.P. Graziano hot giardiniera, which is available by mail order.
• Do not use Italian-style (fresh) mozzarella for this pizza. If you cannot find full-fat low-moisture mozzarella, use a combination of widely available part-skim low-moisture mozzarella and shredded Monterey Jack. The cheeses will melt better if you grate them yourself, but pre-shredded can be used in a pinch.
• If you do not have a baking stone or steel at least 14 inches square, 12-inch pizzas can also be baked on smaller stones or on the back of a large overturned aluminum sheet tray set on an oven rack while the oven heats. Follow the recipe for 12-inch pizza dough balls as outlined in the Tip for the Chicago thin-crust (tavern-style) pizza dough.

Of course I have no pics, just this video of the last one:

Spoiler

 

Edited January 2 by NoName

[hobbes2702 12483]

That looks awesome.

[Anastasis 23191]

Looks great. 

[dcbc 14196]

I had a leftover dough ball in the fridge after several pies in the Ooni on Sunday and tried my hand at Detroit style. I didn't have brick cheese, but it was delicious, and I'll definitely be making it again.

[tequila 314]

That looks awesome!

 

Here’s one I made this weekend.  Pepperoni, sausage, jalapeño, onion and fresh garlic.

[hobbes2702 12483]

On 1/24/2024 at 8:57 PM, dcbc said:

I had a leftover dough ball in the fridge after several pies in the Ooni on Sunday and tried my hand at Detroit style. I didn't have brick cheese, but it was delicious, and I'll definitely be making it again.

The substitutes I’ve seen for brick cheese are half and half low moisture mozz and Jack. Works well when I’ve done it.

Ill probably do a couple Detroit/cast iron pies this weekend.

[hobbes2702 12483]

Well I took another round. I find using the sauce on the pizza before cook works better for the Detroit style. This was my best crunchy crust yet.

One pepperoni, one chicken and prosciutto. The dough was fluffy while the crust had a great crunch.

[jimmyjazz 45063]

Total newbie here:  I tried to make a Neopolitan pie at home tonight.  The dough was very difficult for me to handle (71% hydration).  I clearly need to back off on the water.  BUT, the flavor and texture were great.  As good as most pizza shops.  The cook was about 9 minutes at 475 F.  

The pizza itself was an amorphous disaster.  I couldn't get it from the counter to the floured peel w/o some tears, and I couldn't get it off the peel onto a pre-heated pizza stone in the oven at all.  I had to scrape it off with a spatula.  It went from round to a lumpy fucked up "rectangle".

I have some corn meal, maybe that will make the transfer easier, but it doesn't change the fact that getting it ONTO the peel is super tricky.  I would use parchment paper, but I don't want to cook paper at 475 F.  (I've read Fahrenheit 451.)  I don't want to reduce the oven temperature, either.

Other than reducing the hydration, and using corn meal and/or parchment paper, any tips?  Does this just get easier over time?  Honestly, the flavor and texture were right up there, so I'm excited about getting better, but crimony what an aesthetic disaster.

[Anastasis 23191]

13 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Total newbie here:  I tried to make a Neopolitan pie at home tonight.  The dough was very difficult for me to handle (71% hydration).  I clearly need to back off on the water.  BUT, the flavor and texture were great.  As good as most pizza shops.  The cook was about 9 minutes at 475 F.  

The pizza itself was an amorphous disaster.  I couldn't get it from the counter to the floured peel w/o some tears, and I couldn't get it off the peel onto a pre-heated pizza stone in the oven at all.  I had to scrape it off with a spatula.  It went from round to a lumpy fucked up "rectangle".

I have some corn meal, maybe that will make the transfer easier, but it doesn't change the fact that getting it ONTO the peel is super tricky.  I would use parchment paper, but I don't want to cook paper at 475 F.  (I've read Fahrenheit 451.)  I don't want to reduce the oven temperature, either.

Other than reducing the hydration, and using corn meal and/or parchment paper, any tips?  Does this just get easier over time?  Honestly, the flavor and texture were right up there, so I'm excited about getting better, but crimony what an aesthetic disaster.

I've only nailed the dough a few times, and just find it easier to buy dough balls from WF. Take it home, work it in to balls and let it come to temp for a few hours. Put a pile of flour and a pile of semolina out. Flour your surface. Take your room temp dough ball and put in the pile of semolina. Flip it over. Take it out and then start stretching and working it. Flour your peel well, but knock off all the excess. Move quickly, have all your ingredients ready to go. You'll still fuck it up every once in a while. Those pies are the chef's snack.   

[CycleTex87 2944]

Semolina flour is what many places use. Honestly, I started using parchment paper and it’s a game changer.  No more sticking period.  Yes it gets a little dark at 500 deg but just throw it away. 

[jimmyjazz 45063]

3 minutes ago, CycleTex87 said:

Semolina flour is what many places use. Honestly, I started using parchment paper and it’s a game changer.  No more sticking period.  Yes it gets a little dark at 500 deg but just throw it away. 

Ah, I didn't realize it wouldn't flame up and didn't want to risk it.  I'll try a test run.  

Do you shape your dough ball on the parchment paper to start?  I started out trying that but couldn't get it to stay still.

[Firemans4Horn 16879]

Fuck corn meal and all that other ball bearings wannabe shit. For a homemade pizza buy some pizza screens and thank me later. 

[LCHorn 2527]

3 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Total newbie here:  I tried to make a Neopolitan pie at home tonight.  The dough was very difficult for me to handle (71% hydration).  I clearly need to back off on the water.  BUT, the flavor and texture were great.  As good as most pizza shops.  The cook was about 9 minutes at 475 F.  

The pizza itself was an amorphous disaster.  I couldn't get it from the counter to the floured peel w/o some tears, and I couldn't get it off the peel onto a pre-heated pizza stone in the oven at all.  I had to scrape it off with a spatula.  It went from round to a lumpy fucked up "rectangle".

I have some corn meal, maybe that will make the transfer easier, but it doesn't change the fact that getting it ONTO the peel is super tricky.  I would use parchment paper, but I don't want to cook paper at 475 F.  (I've read Fahrenheit 451.)  I don't want to reduce the oven temperature, either.

Other than reducing the hydration, and using corn meal and/or parchment paper, any tips?  Does this just get easier over time?  Honestly, the flavor and texture were right up there, so I'm excited about getting better, but crimony what an aesthetic disaster.

Use parchment paper-it’ll not burn between the stone and the pizza.

[dcbc 14196]

12 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Total newbie here:  I tried to make a Neopolitan pie at home tonight.  The dough was very difficult for me to handle (71% hydration).  I clearly need to back off on the water.  BUT, the flavor and texture were great.  As good as most pizza shops.  The cook was about 9 minutes at 475 F.  

The pizza itself was an amorphous disaster.  I couldn't get it from the counter to the floured peel w/o some tears, and I couldn't get it off the peel onto a pre-heated pizza stone in the oven at all.  I had to scrape it off with a spatula.  It went from round to a lumpy fucked up "rectangle".

I have some corn meal, maybe that will make the transfer easier, but it doesn't change the fact that getting it ONTO the peel is super tricky.  I would use parchment paper, but I don't want to cook paper at 475 F.  (I've read Fahrenheit 451.)  I don't want to reduce the oven temperature, either.

Other than reducing the hydration, and using corn meal and/or parchment paper, any tips?  Does this just get easier over time?  Honestly, the flavor and texture were right up there, so I'm excited about getting better, but crimony what an aesthetic disaster.

For the dough, I've had the best results with bread flour (versus AP and 00).  My mixer seems like it's in need of service, so I've be kneading by hand lately (about 10 minutes) after letting it sit for 20 minutes (I forget what that rest stage is called).  After a short rise, I divide it up into separate containers or ziplocks and let it rest/ferment in the fridge for a few days.  On the day I cook, I let it sit out on the counter for a few hours before I shape it.  Don't be shy with the flour when shaping/stretching it.  It'll shake off.  Rub a lot of flour into the peel and put the pizza together on the peel.  You've got to be quick at this point because if you wait, it will stick.  I have a screen, but the bottom didn't get the cheetah pattern as well using it.  And parchment paper tends to catch fire in the Ooni.  So I had to learn to be quick.  I've got a bamboo peel, which seems to work well. 

[RMac5 1541]

That 71% hydration is up there for a newb. That will definitely make it harder to handle.

[jimmyjazz 45063]

2 hours ago, RMac5 said:

That 71% hydration is up there for a newb. That will definitely make it harder to handle.

I felt like I was wrestling a greased squid.  I'm gonna try 65% tomorrow.

[52-80 18969]

On 3/13/2024 at 2:17 AM, jimmyjazz said:

Other than reducing the hydration, and using corn meal and/or parchment paper, any tips?  Does this just get easier over time?  Honestly, the flavor and texture were right up there, so I'm excited about getting better, but crimony what an aesthetic disaster.

Proper dough is fucking hard. Procedure is simple but execution is so difficult. 

Dough sticks when it’s overhydrated; when there’s moisture on the peel; when it’s heavy and base makes lots of surface contact.  

Use semolina as the agent. Use perforated or bamboo peel. When the dough is at final size, hoist it in the air a few times to ensure it dries out and maintains shape. Make a thin and even base. (you dont need to leave a thick crust, the exposed edge will puff up).

Minimize the time the pie sits on the peel. After dressing the pizza, make small test lifts all around the pie to release it from where its sitting. Slide it on the peel and rapidly transfer to oven.

[Anastasis 23191]

If you cook your sauce make sure you let it cool all the way before you build the pie. lol. 

[jimmyjazz 45063]

I just use Cento crushed tomatoes + oregano and salt.  No cook.  (Well, except on the pie.)

[Anastasis 23191]

3 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I just use Cento crushed tomatoes + oregano and salt.  No cook.  (Well, except on the pie.)

Yeah. This is the way. Not sure what I was doing but I had a recipe that involved cooking the sauce. Was a massive fail situation. 

[jimmyjazz 45063]

10 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Yeah. This is the way. Not sure what I was doing but I had a recipe that involved cooking the sauce. Was a massive fail situation. 

I decided it made more sense after I topped a pizza with fresh halved cherry tomatoes instead of sauce.  Tasted so much better.  Then I learned that I had "discovered" this a few hundred years late.

The problem is finding shelf-stable tomato products that don't taste like ass.  Cento and Pomi seem to be the best to me.  No other ingredients, just tomatoes.

[dcbc 14196]

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I decided it made more sense after I topped a pizza with fresh halved cherry tomatoes instead of sauce.  Tasted so much better.  Then I learned that I had "discovered" this a few hundred years late.

The problem is finding shelf-stable tomato products that don't taste like ass.  Cento and Pomi seem to be the best to me.  No other ingredients, just tomatoes.

I use the Cento "San Marzano" whole peeled tomatoes (drained), and run them through the blender on low with oregano, basil, salt, pepper, red pepper, and olive oil.  But everything past salt and oregano might be overkill.  Still, it's a good sauce.  I used the Cento "Crushed" tomatoes all the time for pasta red sauce.  With the pizza, since it's no cook, I don't know if the crushed tomatoes still have all the extra juice mixed in, but I'm assuming they do.  The less moisture, the better, is my working theory.

[jimmyjazz 45063]

5 minutes ago, dcbc said:

I use the Cento "San Marzano" whole peeled tomatoes (drained), and run them through the blender on low with oregano, basil, salt, pepper, red pepper, and olive oil.  But everything past salt and oregano might be overkill.  Still, it's a good sauce.  I used the Cento "Crushed" tomatoes all the time for pasta red sauce.  With the pizza, since it's no cook, I don't know if the crushed tomatoes still have all the extra juice mixed in, but I'm assuming they do.  The less moisture, the better, is my working theory.

Well, the whole peeled product seems to include either tomato puree or tomato juice, so it seems to me you're draining off additives.  The crushed product is nothing but tomatoes.

[dcbc 14196]

14 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Well, the whole peeled product seems to include either tomato puree or tomato juice, so it seems to me you're draining off additives.  The crushed product is nothing but tomatoes.

It's not juiceless by any means.  I may be trying to rationalize my recipe by the mere fact that it works and I haven't tried it with the crushed product, which does indeed list fewer ingredients.

[RMac5 1541]

Also, go easy on the toppings at first. A heavy pizza makes the peel launching more difficult. 

[jimmyjazz 45063]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

It's not juiceless by any means.  

I'm not trying to start an argument, but the ingredient list would seem to differ:

[dcbc 14196]

8 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm not trying to start an argument, but the ingredient list would seem to differ:

No argument.  The Cento S/M whole peeled have more ingredients. I've also Googled "what are the best crushed tomatoes" and read the same label.  I'm onboard.  But when it comes with pizza, I've just stuck with what I was doing when I got it right once.   WIth Neapolitan pizza, it's about how much liquid is in there ultimately to some extent.  Obviously, all things being equal, that would just be tomatoes.  I don't know why the same company adds more into their whole tomatoes, but I assume it serves a preservative purpose.  Again, big fan of the crushed Cento for a cooked sauce. 

Edited March 15 by dcbc

[52-80 18969]

agreed on the no-cook sauce.  i do neapolitan style exclusively, so i stick with whole san marzanos and just squeeze them by hand directly on the pizza. 

these guys do standard american/new york pies and blend whole san marzanos with canned crushed tomatoes.

in the mood to make some pies but my backyard and oven still under a cover of snow 🥶

[jimmyjazz 45063]

13 hours ago, dcbc said:

WIth Neapolitan pizza, it's about how much liquid is in there ultimately to some extent.

Next time I'll see if I can strain the All-Purpose Crushed tomatoes through a fine mesh strainer and get a little liquid out.

[CycleTex87 2944]

Tomatoes are mostly water is the problem.  I’ve piled up pizzas with tomatoes and mushrooms and they come out a soggy mess.  Purée the tomatoes and add some herbs and spices to get the best tomato flavor. 

[FloridaHorn 4725]

On 3/12/2024 at 9:38 PM, CycleTex87 said:

Semolina flour is what many places use. Honestly, I started using parchment paper and it’s a game changer.  No more sticking period.  Yes it gets a little dark at 500 deg but just throw it away. 

This is the trick. I use parchment on the Green Egg pizza stone and have never had an issue. Pizza never sticks and paper never burns.

[jimmyjazz 45063]

My second attempt was much more successful.  I dialed back the hydration from 71% to 67%, which made it possible for this amateur to handle the dough.  I par-baked the crust on a hot pizza stone for 4 minutes at 475 F, pulled it and quickly topped it, and then finished it off in the oven for ~ 10 minutes longer.  The dough had a little sugar and olive oil in it in addition to the flour and yeast.  It tasted fantastic, and had a pretty good crunch.

I used a very simple canned tomato sauce which I goosed with some dry Greek oregano.  I didn't use mozzarella, as I was attempting to mimic St. Louis style pizza, which uses a processed white cheese called Provel.  It's basically cheddar, swiss and provolone, so I just shredded those three in equal parts (in this case, extra sharp white cheddar).  I definitely got the flavor right, although the texture wasn't the same.  No big deal.  Next up, I'll try a pizza margherita with good fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes (if I can find them).

[CycleTex87 2944]

I’d eat that 

[Anastasis 23191]

God damned right, I would too. 

[ChickenSandwich 9751]

If you can find someone to sell it to you, buy this. Tons of high end pizza shops use this brand (way more expensive than competitors). 
 

The browning plus reheat qualities make it next level. 
 

https://www.grandecheese.com/product-spec-sheet/106-grande-mozzarella-wm-loaf-7lb/

[LCHorn 2527]

On 3/29/2024 at 8:43 AM, jimmyjazz said:

My second attempt was much more successful.  I dialed back the hydration from 71% to 67%, which made it possible for this amateur to handle the dough.  I par-baked the crust on a hot pizza stone for 4 minutes at 475 F, pulled it and quickly topped it, and then finished it off in the oven for ~ 10 minutes longer.  The dough had a little sugar and olive oil in it in addition to the flour and yeast.  It tasted fantastic, and had a pretty good crunch.

I used a very simple canned tomato sauce which I goosed with some dry Greek oregano.  I didn't use mozzarella, as I was attempting to mimic St. Louis style pizza, which uses a processed white cheese called Provel.  It's basically cheddar, swiss and provolone, so I just shredded those three in equal parts (in this case, extra sharp white cheddar).  I definitely got the flavor right, although the texture wasn't the same.  No big deal.  Next up, I'll try a pizza margherita with good fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes (if I can find them).

If you want to upgrade the edges of your crust you can brush them with olive oil before you put on your sauce.  When I make homemade dough the edges can get overly crispy and this solves for it.

[jimmyjazz 45063]

7 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

If you want to upgrade the edges of your crust you can brush them with olive oil before you put on your sauce.  When I make homemade dough the edges can get overly crispy and this solves for it.

Thanks, I'll try to remember that.

[52-80 18969]

On 3/15/2024 at 1:19 PM, 52-80 said:

agreed on the no-cook sauce.  i do neapolitan style exclusively, so i stick with whole san marzanos and just squeeze them by hand directly on the pizza. 🥶

Best pizza ive made to date. My primary issue was shaping a good pie base so it cooks evenly. When I stretch it thin, it would either break or contract back instantly.

The solution is to shape in multiple stages. Do the initial flattening by any method you like (i prefer the palm flip). Let it sit. It might contract a little. Then pick it up and continue to shape. At this stage the best method is probably draping it over both fists. 

Now when you sit it down, itll hold its shape. And on a bamboo or birch peel with lots of surface texture, it wont stick. I barely use any flour at all. 

For the tomatoes I crush the San Marzanos through a potato ricer so each spoon is mealy instead of watery. 

With 12” Ooni Koda I let center of pizza stone hit 380C (so far end is 450 and near end is 300C or so). Turn heat to minimum when firing the pizza. This gives right balance of heat on top and bottom, and adequate time to rotate pizza before it burns on one end. 

No pix but will be doing tons more pies this season now that ive nailed my cooking. 

[Anastasis 23191]

Interesting. But at the price point shit is getting real. 

 

 

 

[52-80 18969]

i bought a pizza-turning peel (the small circle one) and it makes all the goddamn difference in the world.

no more pulling the pizza out, rotating it on the peel, and sliding it back in.  just rotate the pie in-place.

 

[52-80 18969]

Marg + bacon + shallots + fine sprinkle of grana padano

[elfenix 34001]

Great char and cornicione 

[52-80 18969]

26 minutes ago, elfenix said:

Great char and cornicione 

How i feel reading this compliment

[ChickenSandwich 9751]

1 hour ago, 52-80 said:

Marg + bacon + shallots + fine sprinkle of grana padano

hand stretch or roll?

[52-80 18969]

6 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

hand stretch or roll?

hand stretch.  that was my biggest hurdle , next to temp management in the koda 12. 

i finally got the technique down to this:

1. use all fingers to press dough ball roughly flat (looks like a focaccia)

2. sandwich dough flat between palms and flick palms left and right to sling the edges of the dough outwards. rotate the dough and keep flicking so it stretches in rough circular shape.

3. once its too large to manage with palm technique, drape the pie across both fists for the final stretch

previously when i was trying to pull the the pie flat on the board or do the steering wheel technique the pie would tear in many places.  doing the above ensures i never have excess fingertip pressure on any part of the pie.