The Gear Forum Home Pizza Thread

[laxu]

Fwiw, in case you like those thicker, fluffy kinda pizzas made on baking trays (and completely filling them up), I recommend going for a lower temperature and somewhat more hydration of your dough.
Possible issue being that the bottom might not get crispy, but then there's another trick I recently discovered: just bake it in an oven-compatible pan. You can even do a cheese crust that way by stuffing some cheese between dough and the pan edges, and after baking it in the oven (I think at something like 180°C only, for 20+ minutes), you just put the pan onto your stovetop and bake it until the bottom is nice and crispy. Only did that twice so far, but it came out nicely. You can as well do Chicago style pizza that way, but that's too much cheese for me (and I love cheese).
Big advance of those pan pizzas: One is enough for the family.

I've tried to do pan pizzas in a cast iron skillet, still need work on getting it right. I would bake it first without any sauce or toppings, then add those and bake some more. They turned out alright but could be better.

I've never been to Chicago so I can't say what an authentic pan pizza should be like.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I've tried to do pan pizzas in a cast iron skillet, still need work on getting it right. I would bake it first without any sauce or toppings, then add those and bake some more. They turned out alright but could be better.

Here's one video of a recipe that worked for me (got the tip with putting it on the stovetop to get the bottom right from this dude, he's also going for a cheese crust):

Lots of cheese in that video, bit too much for me.

I've never been to Chicago so I can't say what an authentic pan pizza should be like.

Never been there, either, but according to pretty much all information available online, it's sort of similar to the thick, cheesy kinda thing you can produce in a skillet.

 

[Byrdman]

Here's one video of a recipe that worked for me (got the tip with putting it on the stovetop to get the bottom right from this dude, he's also going for a cheese crust):

Lots of cheese in that video, bit too much for me.



Never been there, either, but according to pretty much all information available online, it's sort of similar to the thick, cheesy kinda thing you can produce in a skillet.

Looks great and probably tastes awesome, but for my taste, too much crust. I prefer thinner styles.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Looks great and probably tastes awesome, but for my taste, too much crust. I prefer thinner styles.

I loved the crust (went pretty much as on the YT thumbnail when I tried), but as said, too much cheese. And yeah, usually I prefer thinner pizzas, too (also love "Flammkuchen", which is pretty much like a super thin pizza using different toppings - Google says the english word is "tarte", but I'm not sure...).

 

[la szum]

With my more hydrated dough, and struggling with making a traditional pie out of it---due
to the difficulty stretching it out, and then sticking to the Peel, I have made 2 Detroit-style
pies the last two times. So much easier. It's kind of like making Foccacia, and then topping
it with Mozz, Sauce, and Pepperoni. It's really good, but a lot different than the thin, NYC,
Neopolitain style crust.

I am going to keep doing this going forward.

More hydrated dough =Detroit style or Foccacia.

Less hydrated = NYC/Neopolitain style pie.

 

[Byrdman]

With my more hydrated dough, and struggling with making a traditional pie out of it---due
to the difficulty stretching it out, and then sticking to the Peel, I have made 2 Detroit-style
pies the last two times. So much easier. It's kind of like making Foccacia, and then topping
it with Mozz, Sauce, and Pepperoni. It's really good, but a lot different than the thin, NYC,
Neopolitain style crust.

I am going to keep doing this going forward.

More hydrated dough =Detroit style or Foccacia.

Less hydrated = NYC/Neopolitain style pie.

I use bread flour to make my dough. Make it and then let it set up in the fridge for a day. Spreads like the class Wh*re on prom night

 

[la szum]

Next batch of Dough and Sauce I'll be trying your recipe @Byrdman .

 

[la szum]

I am a "00" floursniffer.... .... with a bulk ferment for 24 hours and then ball and ferment for another
24 hours.

Also, had really great luck freezing balls of Dough for use later. Just plop them back in the fridge for
24 hours to thaw, and then pull and use at your leisure.

I love to still experiment---hence the more hydrated dough I made last time. But after several years of
juggling methods, ingredients, processes, and timing I am really stoked about where I am at now.

 

[Moondog Wily]

I like my pizza crusts crispy from center to edge! What do y'all have in recipes that you think could get me there!! I am as ignorant of making my own pizza dough as I am about classic amps, but I do know how to cook (I make an amazing lasagna and have had fans for decades)!!! Any tips appreciated ;~)) Sincerely - Will Bury "Doh" Boy

 

[Sascha Franck]

Not exactly neapolitana, but this is kinda like every day reproduceable with minimum effort (next time I show a cut through the crust, it's really nice and fluffy, not even dry at all, which this picture might suggest). No pizza stone, just 250°C /w ventilation on, so pre-heating is done in 10 minutes (good for me, good for the environment).

Looks quite decent at the bottom, too, I think.
No, I won't be able to get those lightly charred puffs and what not, but as said, for a kind of every day pizza this is quite fine.

 

[Byrdman]

Mine is pretty thin and crisp

 

[Byrdman]

I like my pizza crusts crispy from center to edge! What do y'all have in recipes that you think could get me there!! I am as ignorant of making my own pizza dough as I am about classic amps, but I do know how to cook (I make an amazing lasagna and have had fans for decades)!!! Any tips appreciated ;~)) Sincerely - Will Bury "Doh" Boy

I have to go eat at the in-laws tonight, but I'll send you my recipe for dough and sauce later tonight or tomorrow morning

 

[Moondog Wily]

I have to go eat at the in-laws tonight, but I'll send you my recipe for dough and sauce later tonight or tomorrow morning

Thanks, any tips appreciated! I must admit, I have just been too lazy to do some internet searches and experiment with doing my own crusts/pizzas, but we have been cooking a LOT more at home so I think I am ready to start playing with this homemade pizza stuff. Going to start cooking my own bread again as well. Fell off the wagon when we found this killer bakery that makes bread way better than I ever will, but it is very expensive and we are trying to trim the fat a bit round here ;~)) Besides, it just has that extra level of yum when you have cooked it yourself ;~))

 

[Byrdman]

Okay guys here's all my pizza secrets @Moondog Wily

Sauce

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes San Marzano

1 tbsp EV olive oil

1 tsp RW vinegar

1 large garlic clove

1 tsp table salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

Optional fresh oregano


Crust

1.5 cup tepid water 110 deg

1.5 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp active dry yeast

3 tbsp olive oil

Mix and let set 5-10 min


Add 3.5 cups bread flour

Kneed dough

Little oil in bottom of pan let sit 25-30 min dough will double in size


Cut in 4 to get 4 x 12" pizzas then put in fridge overnight or at least 4-5 hrs

 

[la szum]

Oh man! I made some Hot Honey with Calabrian Peppers, and on Pizza it is

 

[la szum]

I like my pizza crusts crispy from center to edge! What do y'all have in recipes that you think could get me there!! I am as ignorant of making my own pizza dough as I am about classic amps, but I do know how to cook (I make an amazing lasagna and have had fans for decades)!!! Any tips appreciated ;~)) Sincerely - Will Bury "Doh" Boy

Man, I swear it took me nearly 5 years of sucking and making ALL the mistakes.

Whatever half-baked skills I have now were hard won.

I enjoy the process, though. Like music and playing guitar doing difficult things is rewarding.

 

[Moondog Wily]

Okay guys here's all my pizza secrets @Moondog Wily

Sauce

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes San Marzano

1 tbsp EV olive oil

1 tsp RW vinegar

1 large garlic clove

1 tsp table salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

Optional fresh oregano


Crust

1.5 cup tepid water 110 deg

1.5 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp active dry yeast

3 tbsp olive oil

Mix and let set 5-10 min


Add 3.5 cups bread flour

Kneed dough

Little oil in bottom of pan let sit 25-30 min dough will double in size


Cut in 4 to get 4 x 12" pizzas then put in fridge overnight or at least 4-5 hrs

Thanks a bunch! I will give that a spin!! Probably next week but I will give a full report once completed ;~))

 

[la szum]

I will try and revisit my biggest takeaways/biggest leap forwards in my own journey, MW.

My worst mistakes were all from trying to rush the process, and not understanding how
patient I needed to be.

 

[Moondog Wily]

I will try and revisit my biggest takeaways/biggest leap forwards in my own journey, MW.

My worst mistakes were all from trying to rush the process, and not understanding how
patient I needed to be.

Thanks la szum! No hurries, just saw the thread (which I have read before) and wanted to see if I could get some tips!! I know all about impatience, I can get there real quick but have mellowed over time!!!

 

[Byrdman]

Thanks a bunch! I will give that a spin!! Probably next week but I will give a full report once completed ;~))

I do cook mine on a Pellet Grill at 450F for around 15 min-20 min depending on how many toppings. A "Junk" with everything takes closer to 20 and a one topping 15.

Another tip is to spread sauce and ingredients thicker towards the outside. As everything cooks, gravity wants to make everything flow to the middle.

Good luck with it!