The Home-made Pizza thread

[pepperdawg]

Damn some nice work in this thread....

[Powder Ho]

No pics but made a nice pie with Italian Sausage, mushrooms, fresh oregano from our garden, and our family dough recipe. It was, ,, , ,, very,,,very nice.

What temps are you guys cooking at? Our oven goes to 550ºF and that's what I usually go to but left the dough slightly thicker this time and it coulda used another few minutes for the crust, but the toppings were totally done. And yeah, I heat the stone before.

I go 550 and use a Lodge cast iron pizza pan that I don't preheat.
My dough is usually 18oz that's rolled out to 16" with the end doubled over.
I'm at 7500' and cook my pies for 18 minutes.

[sb]

[sb]

Did the above pie at 540F for 20 mins on the middle rack. Toppings of garlic, bacon and mushrooms.

Paired with Scotty Skull Splitter, a Scottish Wee heavy aged with Old Pulteney and medium American oak.

[Name Redacted]

I go 550 and use a Lodge cast iron pizza pan that I don't preheat.
My dough is usually 18oz that's rolled out to 16" with the end doubled over.
I'm at 7500' and cook my pies for 18 minutes.

Good beta, I've been rolling my dough lately too, but have heard that it forces all the air out of the crust which can make it a little dense and cracker like. Gonna experiment with a batch soon, one rolled, one tossed. I've got a large Lodge pan too, might experiment with that as well. I don't usually double over the crust.

We are at 9500' so that could affect things. Maybe cooking at a lower temp would cook more thoroughly. Water boils at 194ºF here.

Shrooms have become one of my favorite toppings, but I sauté them first, with some sausage or butter.

[sb]

I will add that I allow the dough to rise thoroughly, I then gently spread the dough onto my cast iron pan. I then cover it and allow it to rise again for at least an hour. Sometimes I will turn on burner for a few seconds to gently heat the pan while this is on going.

I am of course going for thick crust that is golden brown underneath. So far its been worth the effort.

[Tele 'til You're Smelly]

Been making pizza for a long time, but sometimes have trouble with snap-back when stretching. I always let the dough warm up for a couple hours after cold proofing, but I think it may be because I don't make the dough balls until right before stretching, so it maybe gets overworked at that stage? If that's the case, do you think it matters whether you make the balls before cold proofing, or maybe ok to make the balls when it comes out of the fridge before warming so they can rest already balled up?

[Peruvian]

We make the dough balls before cold proofing. Then allow them to come to close to room temp before stretching/tossing.

[Dantheman]

Your "room temp" may not be warm enough. Ideally you want to dough to be at least 75* F before you start stretching: http://www.rumford.com/oven/temperaturepizzadough.pdf

[Peruvian]

Your "room temp" may not be warm enough. Ideally you want to dough to be at least 75* F before you start stretching: http://www.rumford.com/oven/temperaturepizzadough.pdf

I like Chris Kimball and have several ATK cookbooks, but he doesn't know my kitchen and oven.

[Dantheman]

That was for Tele.

[Name Redacted]

Your "room temp" may not be warm enough. Ideally you want to dough to be at least 75* F before you start stretching: http://www.rumford.com/oven/temperaturepizzadough.pdf

Good point, I don't think we hit 75 F even in the middle of summer. I do allow the dough to sit on top of the oven under warm heat while it is preheating.

We will usually make a few servings of dough at a time and freeze a good portion of it for use at another time. That or we just buy dough from the local pizza shop for a few bucks. I tend to like the stuff we make at home better though.

[Tele 'til You're Smelly]

Your "room temp" may not be warm enough. Ideally you want to dough to be at least 75* F before you start stretching: http://www.rumford.com/oven/temperaturepizzadough.pdf

ooh this is good stuff. I always wonder why the good pizza shops make it looks so easy- their kitchens are always very warm so that may be alot of it.

May explain why it's more of a problem sometimes than others- kitchen is usually 75 in the summer at dinnertime

[dookeyXXX]

Danke gracias on the altitude beta.
I used to make pizza all the time when I lived in SF, but that was 10 years ago and my roommate broke my stone and I lost my paddle in the move to the mountains.
I have not tried to make pizza here yet (I am at about 6500 elevation), but the foccacia and bread I have made comes out really, really dense.

I also wasn't as high falutin' as some of y'all in that I just used regular flour (King Arthur mostly). I did get all artsy, California with my sauces and toppings, though. I regularly used edamame, beets, and other non-traditional toppings.


This thread has me thinking it might be time to fire up the oven again.

Only other difference, other than living at a higher altitude, is that when I lived in SF I had a classic gas stove/oven, here I have an electric. So my question: go with regular bake option or convection?

[Tele 'til You're Smelly]

when I lived in SF I had a classic gas stove/oven, here I have an electric. So my question: go with regular bake option or convection?

Not convection- the reason for the stone/steel is to cook the crust more than the top, you want it cooking from below- I don't think it matters if it's electric

[dookeyXXX]

Not convection- the reason for the stone/steel is to cook the crust more than the top, you want it cooking from below- I don't think it matters if it's electric

[Powder Ho]

Good beta, I've been rolling my dough lately too, but have heard that it forces all the air out of the crust which can make it a little dense and cracker like. Gonna experiment with a batch soon, one rolled, one tossed. I've got a large Lodge pan too, might experiment with that as well. I don't usually double over the crust.

We are at 9500' so that could affect things. Maybe cooking at a lower temp would cook more thoroughly. Water boils at 194ºF here.

Shrooms have become one of my favorite toppings, but I sauté them first, with some sausage or butter.

I've tried stretching as well as rolling and it comes out the same.
The doubled over end is a Buffalo thing. Thin crust with a chewy end.
I usually put all toppings on raw, but carmelized onions and mushrooms sounds really good.
My typical pie.

[Buke]

My kids complained about my neopolitan style crust so Friday I experimented with a pizza hut clone recipe. It called for oil, sugar and milk powder. It turned out pretty good. A little dry but certainly passable. My oldest said it was better than Costco pizza. Coming from a 7 year old, il take it.

Now, if I'm going to be making exotic crusts, I need a recipe that produces a crispy crust that's greasy. Anybody do something like that?

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[shroom]

when i want that style i go cast iron and lube it up

[NW_SKIER]

when i want that style i go cast iron and lube it up

You talking dirty?

[shroom]

i brown my sausage in there first

[Powder Ho]

Anyone made dough using beer instead of water?
I made some today it smelled awesome and had a really nice texture.
Can't wait to try it.

[garyfromterrace]

Anyone made dough using beer instead of water?
I made some today it smelled awesome and had a really nice texture.
Can't wait to try it.

Standing by.

[Powder Ho]

Standing by.

Probably after turkey day. I freeze my dough for a few days before I use it.

[dfinn]

Just because or you've found that improves it in some way?