The Home Made Pizza Thread

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I think I am not using enough dough for my pies!
How much are people using for their thick crust pizzas?

How much do you suggest using for a 23~25 cm (9~9.8 inch) diameter pizza pie?

Thanks!
 
Ok pizza and beer loving friends. Question... I've been making my own dough for about 6 months now and keep having one "problem". My dough keeps coming out more bread like than pizza crust like. It's light and fluffy like bread, but doesn't have that spring and small air bubbles like a good pie. It's still delicious but isn't quite right in the texture Dept.

I think I know my problem but I want to get your opinions. Here's my process.

~1 3/4 cups flour
3 Tbspn veg oil
1.5 Tsp sugar
Pinch salt
2/3 cup warm water.

Knead till it's plyable/stretchy and let it sit covered for 20ish mins. Then form pie crust and bake

I think my issue could be not letting it ferment enough? Usually I make it for my wife and me when I get home from work at night so don't want to wait til 8 or 9 when it's done fermenting but I'm willing to try that if it's the issue. What do you guys think?

Oh and a recent creation. Grilled pesto chicken with fresh mozz, basil, fresh tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes

View attachment 1459400107482.jpg
 
First, I don't use any oil in my dough. Second, I use a high-hydration dough, which means there is a lot of water compared to the flour. Your hydration isn't even at 50%, I think my dough is around 70-75%. Third, I trust time to do for me what lots of people use kneading for - I let the dough "ferment" in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after bringing it together. No kneading! It's a little sticky at first, but that is not a bad thing.

#3 probably isn't as important to a less bread-like texture as the other two, but using all three together makes for some pretty dang good pizza dough. I get decent spring just from a 550°F oven, no stone or steel, no converted grill.

sMxVc8N.jpg


It's a little tough to see, the flash washed out the pic some, but I will take that. I do think using a high-hydration dough with no oil helps keep away the focaccia/bread-y texture.

Hope this helps!
 
slym2none said:
First, I don't use any oil in my dough. Second, I use a high-hydration dough, which means there is a lot of water compared to the flour. Your hydration isn't even at 50%, I think my dough is around 70-75%. Third, I trust time to do for me what lots of people use kneading for - I let the dough "ferment" in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after bringing it together. No kneading! It's a little sticky at first, but that is not a bad thing.

#3 probably isn't as important to a less bread-like texture as the other two, but using all three together makes for some pretty dang good pizza dough. I get decent spring just from a 550°F oven, no stone or steel, no converted grill.

sMxVc8N.jpg


It's a little tough to see, the flash washed out the pic some, but I will take that. I do think using a high-hydration dough with no oil helps keep away the focaccia/bread-y texture.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Do you use regular all purpose flour? I've been using high gluten pizza flour but can't really tell a difference
 
For pizza dough, I find that high-gluten (i.e., "bread flour") is not needed. You want gluten formation, but not too much - otherwise, you end up with that "bready" texture and/or dough that is more elastic than plastic (i.e., it shrinks back to original form when stretched). A lot of pizza-makers use the '00' flour, which is made from low-protein wheat, forming very little gluten.

To answer your question directly - yes, I use AP flour for my pizza dough. I personally prefer it.
 
kev211 said:
Ok pizza and beer loving friends. Question... I've been making my own dough for about 6 months now and keep having one "problem". My dough keeps coming out more bread like than pizza crust like. It's light and fluffy like bread, but doesn't have that spring and small air bubbles like a good pie. It's still delicious but isn't quite right in the texture Dept.

I think I know my problem but I want to get your opinions. Here's my process.

~1 3/4 cups flour
3 Tbspn veg oil
1.5 Tsp sugar
Pinch salt
2/3 cup warm water.

Knead till it's plyable/stretchy and let it sit covered for 20ish mins. Then form pie crust and bake

I think my issue could be not letting it ferment enough? Usually I make it for my wife and me when I get home from work at night so don't want to wait til 8 or 9 when it's done fermenting but I'm willing to try that if it's the issue. What do you guys think?

Oh and a recent creation. Grilled pesto chicken with fresh mozz, basil, fresh tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes
Click to expand...

I think the biggest change to implement is a longer ferm. Your hydration is definitely over 50% ,think slym miscalced that. Oil is more helpful if you use high gluten. Fat in general, butter whatever, helps to soften the gluten structures a bit and let them relax. You may see more Crum form with more time for the yeast to work and build that texture more. Twenty minutes or so isn't enough and like anything yeast related the actual time will be temp and recipe dependent. Nothing seems glaring with your recipe but process is an equal half in my mind.
My other 2cents would be, don't be scared of the salt. A pinch sounds a bit light.
 
hotwatermusic said:
I think the biggest change to implement is a longer ferm. Your hydration is definitely over 50% ,think slym miscalced that. Oil is more helpful if you use high gluten. Fat in general, butter whatever, helps to soften the gluten structures a bit and let them relax. You may see more Crum form with more time for the yeast to work and build that texture more. Twenty minutes or so isn't enough and like anything yeast related the actual time will be temp and recipe dependent. Nothing seems glaring with your recipe but process is an equal half in my mind.
My other 2cents would be, don't be scared of the salt. A pinch sounds a bit light.
Click to expand...

I probably should have put a generous pinch. Or a handful. Something like that.


We like salt :D
 
Here's a nice emergency dough recipe I use, I just let it ferment at room temp for 2hrs. This is for 1 ball for a 12" pie, most of the time I double the recipe to make 2 pie. Got this recipe on pizzamaking forum. I use bread flour or 00 with great result.

100%, High-gluten flour (KASL), 7.14 oz. (202.26 g.), 1 3/4 c. plus 1 t.
63%, Water*, 4.49 oz. (127.42 g.), between 1/2 and 5/8 c.
1.75%, Salt, 0.12 oz. (3.54 g.), 5/8 t.
1%, Oil (extra-virgin olive oil), 0.07 oz. (2.02 g.), a bit less than 1/2 t.
0.7%, Instant dry yeast (IDY), 0.05 oz. (1.42 g.), a bit less than 1/2 t.
* Temp. adjusted to achieve a finished dough temperature of between 85-90 degree F
Total dough weight = 11.88 oz. (336.66 g.)
Thickness factor (TF) = 0.105
Note: All measurements U.S./metric standard
 
Ok... Tried making the dough and letting it rest for 2.5 hours. Definitely better, but still more flat bread like than big fluffy pie crust. So it wasn't bready which is nice but it wasn't what I'm used to. So I'm gonna try the 3-4 days in the fridge to see what happens. I started thinking that maybe it's how I'm flattening/forming the pie. But I'll play with that too. Here's my new control pizza that I'll keep making to see if anything improves

View attachment 1459486815460.jpg
 
slym2none said:
First, I don't use any oil in my dough. Second, I use a high-hydration dough, which means there is a lot of water compared to the flour. Your hydration isn't even at 50%, I think my dough is around 70-75%. Third, I trust time to do for me what lots of people use kneading for - I let the dough "ferment" in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after bringing it together. No kneading! It's a little sticky at first, but that is not a bad thing.

#3 probably isn't as important to a less bread-like texture as the other two, but using all three together makes for some pretty dang good pizza dough. I get decent spring just from a 550°F oven, no stone or steel, no converted grill.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

What's your process like on bake day when you take your dough out of the fridge?
 
olives dominate and overpower everything else on the pizza. No olives! I like them on their own...but on pizza or sandwiches, trash.
 
HoppyDaze said:
olives dominate and overpower everything else on the pizza. No olives! I like them on their own...but on pizza or sandwiches, trash.
Click to expand...

When applied properly they are no more overpowering than pepperoni.

But I think Olives should be added only with the right combination of other ingredients. Their flavor doesn't do well with some other pizza toppings IMO.
 
Having a double oven has made things more fun. Now it's two minutes on the steel in the bottom oven, transfer to broil for about 90 seconds in the top oven, and the next pizza can start on the steel at the same time.

Top is a basic mozzarella and basil pizza with sauce on the top. Bottom is sopressata, hot honey, pecorino, and basil.

IMG_6676b.jpg


IMG_6683.jpg
 
jayway said:
What's your process like on bake day when you take your dough out of the fridge?
Click to expand...

You have to let the dough get fully to room temperature. If it's cold, it wants to be more elastic than plastic, and will shrink no matter how much you stretch it out. Other than that, nothing special.

I am not sure what kind of details you want, but I will answer any specific questions.

:)
 
So I tried a new method of pizza dough(ing). I used @slym2none method of letting it ferment in the fridge for 4 days. It had that great fermented dough flavor, but didn't rose quite as much as I'd like. So I think next time I'll let it ferment for 2-3 hours at room temp then fridge it for a few days. Either way, it's getting better.

Pizza: homemade sauce with grilled chicken, homegrown basil, tomato and sun-dried tomato

View attachment 1459827294124.jpg
 
kev211 said:
So I tried a new method of pizza dough(ing). I used @slym2none method of letting it ferment in the fridge for 4 days. It had that great fermented dough flavor, but didn't rose quite as much as I'd like. So I think next time I'll let it ferment for 2-3 hours at room temp then fridge it for a few days. Either way, it's getting better.

Pizza: homemade sauce with grilled chicken, homegrown basil, tomato and sun-dried tomato
Click to expand...

If you can just let it sit at room temp for longer prior to making it. That is more time outside of the fridge the day of making the pizza (not before)
 
AZ_IPA said:
I like that!!

I've tried to finish mine under the broiler after having the oven on at 525*f. I get error codes and it shuts down. Quit doing it, so I don't destroy the temp sensors on my oven.
Click to expand...

That sounds frustrating. Have you tried keeping the oven door cracked open when in broiler mode? I used to do that, leaving it like 3 inches ajar where it would stay open. The sensors usually can get the room temp air it needs to keep the broiler on.
 
italarican said:
That sounds frustrating. Have you tried keeping the oven door cracked open when in broiler mode? I used to do that, leaving it like 3 inches ajar where it would stay open. The sensors usually can get the room temp air it needs to keep the broiler on.
Click to expand...

Right when I switch from oven temp of 525*f to high broiler temp, it puts up the error code (which I've checked on-line is a temp sensor issue).

I think I just need dual oven like yours :)
 
A straight olive pizza wouldn't really cut it. It would be better than any dead fish pizza though.

Dough. No oil until after kneading and just to coat. 2 hr rise. I use 1/3 C water per 1 C flour. I find 3 C flour batch with 1 tsp. salt, 1 rounded tsp. sugar and a rounded tsp. yeast works well. That amount kneads decently and I save about 1/3 of the dough in the fridge for a lunch dough. The 2/3 of the dough I use first does a 12-13" pizza with a decent crust.

Don't knead all that much. I get it mixed and need 20 to 30 times at most. Coat with olive oil, rise 2 hrs at min 70*.
 
Did 3 pizzas on the grill this weekend at a friend's house. The first one was too big and was a PITA to handle. Still working on that aspect. I suspect I need to use more flour in the dough. The others I cut the dough in half and they spread better and handled better.

Large one was Chicken bacon alfredo (Half with onions and Green Peppers) and the others were Meat Lovers and Supreme.

I gotta find some SS to make a peel from.
 
whoa this thread looks awesome, i make 2 pizzas on the grill every friday, 1 of which i try to make experiment with something new
 
Homercidal said:
Did 3 pizzas on the grill this weekend at a friend's house. The first one was too big and was a PITA to handle. Still working on that aspect. I suspect I need to use more flour in the dough. The others I cut the dough in half and they spread better and handled better.

Large one was Chicken bacon alfredo (Half with onions and Green Peppers) and the others were Meat Lovers and Supreme.

I gotta find some SS to make a peel from.
Click to expand...

I've got one of these and it's great. Not flimsy at all. I'm sure it'll carry your fattest extra-cheese pie.

Kitchen Supply 16 Inch x 18 Inch Aluminum Pizza Peel with Wood Handle

81D6-QadKiL._SL1500_.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
for peels look here. I use a wooden for launch and an aluminum one to pick up after baking. I find it easier to launch with a wooden one.
 

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