SWMBO asked me to make pizza

[Evets]

for her work-mates. This is all I could come up with in a hurry. (Shameless Promotion)

I hope they like them!

 

[neovox]

The one with peppers looks awesome to me.

 

[weirdboy]

Where did you get the pizza boxes?

Also, shouldn't those be sliced?

 

[Mike M]

Very nice.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Looks great! Do I spy an oyster knife? I've often wondered about a pizza with oysters on it. I've done shrimp, crab, and conch pizzas which all turned out yummy. I might have to whip an oyster one up next time I'm shuck'n. Sadly it won't be for a while as it's getting to be a bit hot for oysters here in SC.

 

[sp1365]

Looks great! Do I spy an oyster knife? I've often wondered about a pizza with oysters on it. I've done shrimp, crab, and conch pizzas which all turned out yummy. I might have to whip an oyster one up next time I'm shuck'n. Sadly it won't be for a while as it's getting to be a bit hot for oysters here in SC.

Actually it looks like a pizza cutter Though a seafood pizza sounds absolutely delicious.

What is the third pizza down? They all look very good, in fact now I am getting hungry.

 

[Evets]

Where did you get the pizza boxes?

Also, shouldn't those be sliced?

They make better pictures pre- sliced.
I get the boxes from a local restaurant supply store. It's like $15.00 for 50 of the heavy duty 16" boxes.

 

[Evets]

Actually it looks like a pizza cutter Though a seafood pizza sounds absolutely delicious.

What is the third pizza down? They all look very good, in fact now I am getting hungry.

Yeah, it's just a pizza cutter.
That's an Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato pie. One of my faves.
I also like to modify that into a Buffalo Chicken Alfredo.

 

[Evets]

I've already done the Alfredo with shrimp. Quite good if I do say so myself.

 

[Bopper]

Those are some mighty fine looking pizzas! Care to share your methods?

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Yeah, it's just a pizza cutter.
That's an Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato pie. One of my faves.
I also like to modify that into a Buffalo Chicken Alfredo.

Ah I see the blade on the cutter now. Funny how sometimes you see what you want to see LOL.

 

[Evets]

I'm about to make three more pies for our HB club meeting tonite. These will be a bit more "specialer", as it were. I'll post more pics later.

 

[Evets]

Those are some mighty fine looking pizzas! Care to share your methods?

Sure! I'd be happy to. What in particular would you like to know?

 

[sp1365]

White sauce pizzas are very underrated. They add a complexity to pizza and really open up the toppings that can go on.

 

[Jaysus]

Sure! I'd be happy to. What in particular would you like to know?

what kind of oven do you use? I think I see it in your avatar, but not sure.

 

[Bopper]

Sure! I'd be happy to. What in particular would you like to know?

Cool! My main question is about dough. Do you make your dough from scratch and what is your process for shaping it? Let me give you some background:

Cooking is another one of my hobbies but I have really struggled with pizza. I think the problem may lie in the dough that I'm using, however, it very well could be user error. I've tried making pizza about a half dozen times using a frozen dough from a local pizza shop. The problem is that the dough just does not stay in the shape that I roll it out into. For example, when making a pizza in the shape of a circle, I'll roll out the dough in the desired shape and it will shrink back in to a much smaller circle resulting in the crust being much too thick. No matter what I do, I can't get the dough to stay put. I've tried both wetting and flouring the dough and it still does the same thing...always shrinking down. This shrinkage happens almost immediately after rolling the dough out. I am using 1lb of dough for 1 pizza. Any ideas where I might be going wrong? I am sure making my own dough will solve this problem and this is my next step, however, I figured I'd ask.

 

[Synovia]

Are you giving the dough ample time to rise (and then punching it back down)?

 

[Bopper]

Are you giving the dough ample time to rise (and then punching it back down)?

No. The dough is frozen and I thought was ready to use after thawing. I thaw it out in the refrigerator over night and then use it the following day. Maybe I need to let the dough warm up more? Come to think of it, I think its been on the cool side every time I've made pizza.

 

[user 22118]

Yeah, warm up your dough, it will help a lot. Just thaw it in a bowl on the counter with a towell over it. It is dough after all, room temp won't hurt it at all.

 

[jpc]

The problem is that the dough just does not stay in the shape that I roll it out into.

Ahhh... there's you issue. Pizza should be hand-formed, not rolled out with a rolling pin.

My tips: check out pizzamaking.com; Tom Lehmann's recipe is awesome. On top of that, make sure to use a high-gluten flour (I use King Arthur bread flour), and knead for a L-O-N-G time. I like to do it the night before, and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. Take it out a couple hours before use, and you'll be good to go.

Also, treat it gently. Don't "punch" it down; as Alton Brown put it, you'll just undo all the work you've gone forming gluten and getting the yeast to puff it up. Softly deflate after rising, but don't beat the snot out of it.

 

[bob1852]

If the dough shrinks back - it's not ready for forming yet; let it rest another 15-20 minutes.

 

[weirdboy]

The problem is that the dough just does not stay in the shape that I roll it out into.

If you are trying to shape your dough right out of the fridge, it will definitely not work. You need to let it warm up to room temperature. If you are trying to shape the dough at room temp and it is still springing back, try rolling it a bit (or stretching by hand, which is my preferred method) and then letting it rest for 20 minutes or so before working it some more.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

When SWMBO asks for pizza, and she gets that kind of quality in return, you'd better be getting some grilled cheese later!

 

[bob1852]

When SWMBO asks for pizza, and she gets that kind of quality in return, you'd better be getting some grilled cheese later!

true 'dat. I'll gladly spend a couple hours making homemade pizza dough & sauce, if she'll make me a grilled cheese in return!

 

[dunnright00]

Cool! My main question is about dough. Do you make your dough from scratch and what is your process for shaping it?

I make my dough from scratch (sometimes) and I toss it. I use to work at a few Italian restaurants and tossing the dough definitely helps to stretch it.

Plus, the kids get a kick out of it!

 

[Jeff_T]

Delicious looking za. I think I'd have to grab some of the sun-dried tomato/alfredo and some of the pepper

 

[Evets]

Here are the club pies from last night.

That's Italian Sopressata, with peppers and onion, Pepperoni with chopped fresh basil and Buffalo chicken alfredo with smoked swiss and mozz.

All the pies in this thread were cooked on a good stone in my kitchen oven at 550.

 

[lehr]

I make my pizza on the grill with the smoker going and man are they good.

Pat

 

[Bopper]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I think I'll let the dough warm up for longer next time. I always leave it on the counter for a while but I have ever let it get up to room temp. I have always made pizza on week nights and have been in a rush after work. If warming the dough up more doesn't work then I'll try a different dough.

Evets, those pics are making my mouth water!

 

[Evets]

This is a portable, semi-wood burning oven I recently built from an old charcoal grill. I added a burner on the bottom, lowered the rack and added fire brick to cook on. There's an open area in the back where the wood sits. There's enough heat that the wood self ignites.
Also, here are a couple pies baked in this. This also the oven in my avatar.