The Home Made Pizza Thread

[Temptd2]

Sniff hell - lickin' the screen!

 

[Chuginator]

Sniff hell - lickin' the screen!

Sorry, that was a sniff as in an openly weeping type sniff...

 

[HoppyDaze]

Just bought forty dollars worth of 00 flour. Hope it's worth it

 

[passedpawn]

This thread is full of WIN. I need to make pizza soon.

 

[Evets]

Just bought forty dollars worth of 00 flour. Hope it's worth it

What kind of oven/temps are you cooking in?

 

[bottlebomber]

What kind of oven/temps are you cooking in?

He bakes them at 350°. It's what it said to do in Joy of Cooking

 

[HoppyDaze]

What kind of oven/temps are you cooking in?

my dial goes up to 500 but I've never tested the actual temp. I usually cook with the dial at 475

 

[unionrdr]

I've found that even with the country style pizza I posted,that 500F oven works better to get the crust & toppings done better & at the same time.

 

[bottlebomber]

I've found that even with the country style pizza I posted,that 500F oven works better to get the crust & toppings done better & at the same time.

Unfortunately in my experience what is good for the crust is not always good for the cheese. In a 750°+ oven the crust more or less flash bakes and it works out. But in a 550° oven it takes longer and it gives the cheese time to overcook and lose all its moisture, giving you rubbery cheese. This is especially true of fresh mozzerella where it hasn't been in contact with the enzymes long enough for the proteins to sufficiently weaken. I can't always add cheese later because if I put the pizza in with no toppings it will turn into a giant pita bread. This is basically the one issue I still struggle with in my pizza baking. I need to do a pizza oven build.

 

[ChugachBrewing]

There are several things that can help you out. Great results with both methods.

1. Bake as high as your oven goes. put the stone in the BOTTOM of the oven. This will allow the crust to char from the direct heat of the element, as well as keep the cheese away from the semi-heat-reflective oven top. this results in a crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside crust.

2. Option 2. Bake on a screen rather than a stone. Preheat oven as high as possible. pre bake crust for 6 min on 2nd to top rack. top quickly, bake for 5-6 more minutes. broil 1-2 min on high to finish it off. If you start to get the "pita, poke a few holes as it starts to rise.

Both of these methods have produced the best pizza I've ever had - and I'm a monster of a critic.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Unfortunately in my experience what is good for the crust is not always good for the cheese. In a 750°+ oven the crust more or less flash bakes and it works out. But in a 550° oven it takes longer and it gives the cheese time to overcook and lose all its moisture, giving you rubbery cheese. This is especially true of fresh mozzerella where it hasn't been in contact with the enzymes long enough for the proteins to sufficiently weaken. I can't always add cheese later because if I put the pizza in with no toppings it will turn into a giant pita bread. This is basically the one issue I still struggle with in my pizza baking. I need to do a pizza oven build.

talk about first world problems. I feel for you buddy, hang in there...

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

There are several things that can help you out. Great results with both methods.

1. Bake as high as your oven goes. put the stone in the BOTTOM of the oven. This will allow the crust to char from the direct heat of the element, as well as keep the cheese away from the semi-heat-reflective oven top. this results in a crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside crust.

2. Option 2. Bake on a screen rather than a stone. Preheat oven as high as possible. pre bake crust for 6 min on 2nd to top rack. top quickly, bake for 5-6 more minutes. broil 1-2 min on high to finish it off. If you start to get the "pita, poke a few holes as it starts to rise.

Both of these methods have produced the best pizza I've ever had - and I'm a monster of a critic.

Cooks illustrated says that you put the rack at the top with the stone, creating a pizza oven type shape. Pre heat oven to 500 for 45 minutes and cook for ten. This is what I do and it comes out perfect every time. And I use fresh mozzarella along with about 1/4 lb parmesan.

An old retired Italian pizza maker once told me that everything that goes on a pizza should cook on the pizza and not before.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Cooks illustrated says that you put the rack at the top with the stone, creating a pizza oven type shape.

forgive me, but this is confusing

 

[bottlebomber]

forgive me, but this is confusing

It confuses me too, but I am familiar with the Cooks technique. Basically the pizza stone is placed on the top rack so that the dome shape of a real pizza oven is approximated with the radiant heat of the top of the oven coming into play. Oven is preheated to it's max temp for at least 45 minutes. And then according to what I remember the pizzas are baked with the oven on broil.

 

[HoppyDaze]

so you move the stone back down?

 

[ChugachBrewing]

Methods tend to change over time, and it all comes down to what you're cooking in. While I am an avid fan of Cooks' Illustrated, I find their method to be disappointing and have varying results - mostly failure compared to other methods.

I'm not saying either of those are the only way to do it, they just produce the best pies I've eaten - and tried the method on several ovens. The pre-bake does allow some quick spring where normally there might be none due to topping weight.

The method I'd like to try is a stone for the pie, with "bakers steel" above to get more radiant heat. I've heard good things.

 

[bottlebomber]

so you move the stone back down?

Nope, it all stays on the uppermost spot. I've done it and it works well.

 

[HoppyDaze]

So cook the pizza on top rack on broil? Seems like it would burn in a minute...

 

[Evets]

Typically, 00 flour is used in Neapolitan pizza in a wood fired oven and baked at 800° or so for about 90 seconds or so, which gives it a unique texture and flavor that you're not likely to get from a home oven. That's why they make mid and hi-gluten bread flour. Give it a try though. Turn the oven up all the way and preheat your stone well. Maybe it'll be just what you're hoping for. If not, you can blend it with a hi-gluten flour like All Trumps. Good luck!

 

[bottlebomber]

So cook the pizza on top rack on broil? Seems like it would burn in a minute...

Seems like it would, but it doesn't. At worst it will give you a couple of bad ass looking char marks on the crust as long as you keep on top of it. I usually give them one little rotation halfway through. You must have a pizza stone. I have a steel now, and it works even better. When it's that hot and you have a good preheated stone the pizza gets past the doughy stage in probably 2 minutes. Give it a shot.

 

[Chuginator]

Best results I've had in my oven without any special pizza making equipment is turning the oven on the highest it will go, pizza slapped down on a cookie sheet with cornmeal, bottom rack for 4 minutes, then move to higher rack for 4 minutes. In the first half it'll smoke and complain but it turns out good for what it is - nice crunch, not burnt.

 

[bottlebomber]

Best results I've had in my oven without any special pizza making equipment is turning the oven on the highest it will go, pizza slapped down on a cookie sheet with cornmeal, bottom rack for 4 minutes, then move to higher rack for 4 minutes. In the first half it'll smoke and complain but it turns out good for what it is - nice crunch, not burnt.

I've heard of people starting it directly on the bottom of a clean oven, and then moving it up. It's not a technique I've used for pizza, but I've baked pies on the oven floor.

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

Seems like it would, but it doesn't. At worst it will give you a couple of bad ass looking char marks on the crust as long as you keep on top of it. I usually give them one little rotation halfway through. You must have a pizza stone. I have a steel now, and it works even better. When it's that hot and you have a good preheated stone the pizza gets past the doughy stage in probably 2 minutes. Give it a shot.

I never tried it on broil (I don't remember seeing that, though I do remember "the hotter the better"). Though I am happy with the way things turn out now.

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

One other tidbit, if no one else has mentioned it. The flour the pizza joints use is Stone Ground. The flour that I found that is most readily available and least expensive is Red Mill. I noticed a drastic improvement in my crust when I switched to this brand from whatever other supermarket brand I was using.

 

[ChugachBrewing]

Speaking flour: King Arthur - Sir Lancelot High Gluten is amazing flour for both bread and pizza. I source it at a wholesale store locally for $20/ 50lb. If you're in New England or close, you might give that a try...

 

[Evets]

I made some pizza tonight for the first time since new years eve. I decided to blow the dust off my home made portable oven that I take camping at festivals. I didn't use it at all last year, so figured I'd give it a spin.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Looks excellent!!

 

[Evets]

A few more

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Those are some awesome looking pies!

 

[Chuginator]

Holy crap Evets, those pictures are pure pizza porn, my friend.

What's the deal though - no pizza since New Years Eve? Were you sick? Just burned out on pizza? Too inconvenient due to weather? Inquiring minds want to know!