The Homemade Pizza Thread

[GhostDoggyWoofWoof]

For those using an oven, a pizza stone will make a big difference, much easier to avoid "soggy bottom"

 

[GhostDoggyWoofWoof]

For a while, I used a roof slate I had lying about.

 

[ruskythegreat]

After reading through this thread, I'm really tempted by the Roccbox especially since it's on offer!

 

[Stu]

Does anyone have one of the gas pizza ovens?
Much as I'd like to do charcoal, there are only 2 of us and it's a lot of pain for a couple of pizzas.

 

[Alastair70]

@Stu @ruskythegreat

I’ve used the gas Roccbox and Ooni Koda 12 before. Both are excellent and easy to use. The advantage is that you get instant, easy controlled heat. Both heat the stone up over 350C in around 10 minutes so cooking Neapolitan style pizza is a doddle.

 

[Stu]

@Stu @ruskythegreat

I’ve used the gas Roccbox and Ooni Koda 12 before. Both are excellent and easy to use. The advantage is that you get instant, easy controlled heat. Both heat the stone up over 350C in around 10 minutes so cooking Neapolitan style pizza is a doddle.

Thank you :)
That gives me some ideas once I stop buying homebrew equipment

 

[Rakey]

I'm a few weeks in on my new pizza obsession, saw a pizza in this thread with asparagus on it and felt inspired, so its a garlic oil, red onion, then mozzarella, and asparagus for the bake.

Then dressed with ricotta and prosciutto after slicing.

 

[prog99]

Never ever see the dried garlic powder and decide that's a good addition to my dough.
I'm still trying to get the taste out of my mouth.

 

[ruskythegreat]

Costco have this on offer from today
https://www.costco.co.uk/Garden-She...wered-16-Rotating-Pizza-Oven-Bundle/p/1713598

 

[Stu]

Homebase have a gas one for £100 (+ £6 delivery)

https://www.homebase.co.uk/gas-powered-12-outdoor-pizza-oven/14975556.html

 

[prog99]

After an “incident” the other day the ooni is now on a better base rather than precariously balanced on the workbench.

 

[peebee]

Here's an odd wee phenomena that some might find helpful ...

My last post had me almost coming to terms with my inability to knock out successful pizzas since last Christmas. Barely coming to terms with it and only just in time for my pizza-baking brother to call by (but I still wasn't over-enamored by my results). "Your dough hasn't been worked enough ... too weak" (the dough he meant, not me, although that bump on me 'ead did nothing to help me hang on to any muscle). And thinking about it, 'twas true, all my efforts to get me pizza making back on track revolved about "keeping hands off" after the initial kneading (after cutting and shaping the bases were now put into individual covered trays to prove ... and left alone).

So. New procedure: 40% Poolish for 18 hours, as before. Into bread maker for 45 minute "dough" cycle with rest of ingredients (61-62% hydration), as before. Out for five-minute manual kneading before putting in closed container for 24 hours cold prove (new!). Cut, and shape ... pull flaps of dough over the bubbly up-turned "base", taught, turn back upright and tuck under with "hand chopping" movements so you have nice tight smooth "pearls" of dough (new!). Pop into individual covered trays for 12 hours cold proving ... pull out of fridge one or two hours before committing to inferno (as before, but was then proving untouched for 36 hours). Dimple middle and stretch out (dead easy with 60%+ hydration dough), onto well-floured (with semolina too) surface, build pizza, lift edge and swiftly pickup onto pizza peel (remember to have an audience for this, 'cos it looks right cool if you can do it quick ... and successfully!) and transfer smartish to inferno.

Crisp, paper thin, outers (okay, those specialist electric pizza ovens - mines an Effeuno - are a bit intense, but I don't mind some charring), translucent, succulent, filagree for an inner ... and then the topping ... hang on, no cheese (I don't bother sometimes). I'm pleased to restore some normality back to my pizza-making ... you can tell that by my inclination to go on ...and on, ...

Analysis: We had a wet growing season last year, and this year started even wetter! (Apparently). The wheat isn't forming as well and won't be so strong (not so good gluten content). And it'll be worse with this years harvest; and the predictions are for it to cost us more £££s too! One solution is to buy your OO flour from Italy or the like, instead of UK ... eh? Isn't that making the climate-change crisis worse?



(He, he. All that to sneak in a political/environmental comment at the end ... I'm a right git, ain't I just ).

Credentials: 440°C bottom element (massive clay pizza stone), 340°C top element. 40 minute pre-heat. 170 seconds, turn, 30-40 seconds.

 

[grooves]

Use the French Bread dough option if you have it, not the pizza option - on my Panasonic this is 3.5 hours instead of 45 mins - the lazy option

 

[peebee]

Use the French Bread dough option if you have it, not the pizza option - on my Panasonic this is 3.5 hours instead of 45 mins - the lazy option

Interesting. But even more interesting is the one after: Ciabatta (2.33 hours). Even has the "Poolish" step! Not so much "hands-off" as "hands-not-covered-in-flour-and-dough".

I'll have a look into them (don't need to use their recipes). Mix/match all sorts of combinations. (Paninis?). And the entire bread-pan can go in the fridge (Kegerator!) for the "cold proving" (if I can fashion a cover for the pan).

Thanks.

 

[Alastair70]

@peebee Why don’t you try hand mixing your dough instead of using the bread machine. 60-odd % hydration is a doddle to work with, especially if you’ve done a poolish with high protein flour first. Watching dough come together over a couple of hours is one of life’s most joyous experiences. Also, you get a true feeling for how the dough is developing and gaining strength when you’re actually feeling the dough.

 

[peebee]

Why don’t you try hand mixing your dough instead of using the bread machine. ...

Humm ... let's not pursue that one. But I wouldn't be "trying my hand mixing dough", I've already done that for years, but bread-making not pizza. Much lower hydration and much more forgiving. High hydration is easier, but forget yourself and get a bit heavy-handed and you're spending ages trying to scrape dough off your hands, off the work bench and. gawd forbid, out yer hair! Does need a sensitive (but positive, not "light") touch. I'm all in favour of leaving that to a predictable bread making machine. But it is remarkable how big a difference just a few minutes hand-kneading and hand-shaping a machine kneaded dough makes to the final pizza.

 

[Alastair70]

Humm ... let's not pursue that one. But I wouldn't be "trying my hand mixing dough", I've already done that for years, but bread-making not pizza. Much lower hydration and much more forgiving. High hydration is easier, but forget yourself and get a bit heavy-handed and you're spending ages trying to scrape dough off your hands, off the work bench and. gawd forbid, out yer hair! Does need a sensitive (but positive, not "light") touch. I'm all in favour of leaving that to a predictable bread making machine. But it is remarkable how big a difference just a few minutes hand-kneading and hand-shaping a machine kneaded dough makes to the final pizza.

Horses for courses I supposed. And it’s over 30 years since I’ve had any hair to worry about

 

[Twostage]

I’m now in the habit of making too much pizza dough on Friday, make a pizza with some of it and shove most of the dough in the fridge until Sunday and make buns with the space alien it has turned into. Smells quite a bit like beer by Sunday.

 

[Donegal john]

Late night pizza and imperial stout followed by a redbreast 12. First time with a poolish dough and did it in the oven with a pizza stone despite having just bought a gas pizza oven as it was pissing down outside.

 

[Clint]

A top hole jolly good evening!