It's been too long! Pizza!

[Robert Ferguson]

Total pizza rookie seeking suggestions for baking steel/stone, flour, a suggested book or website, whatever might help.

I've perused this thread, but many of the links are outdated.

Robert

[mike pobega]

Flour
Mulino Marino Manitoba @Eataly
Caputo Americana @Amazon
Sicilian Maiorca @ Gustiamo.com
Oltegrano Flour Romana (La Pinsa) @Amazon
Spelt flour for Roman style pizza
Search throughout the last 31 pages here for usages.

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php

I have multiple stones. 3/4 inch 14.5x16 from William Sonoma

Gustiamo.com is pretty good albeit pricely

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

Total pizza rookie seeking suggestions for baking steel/stone, flour, a suggested book or website, whatever might help.

I've perused this thread, but many of the links are outdated.

Robert

A lot depends on what type of oven you have and what style of pizza you want to make. If you are using a conventional kitchen oven, Kenji at Seriouseats.com has some popular recipes for different styles.

The most famous book is "The Pizza Bible" by Tony Gemignani. You might also want to look up popular books by Marc Vetri, Ken Forkish and Peter Reinhart.

Anyone and everyone who is into pizza making hangs out on www.pizzamaking.com. Make particular note of the section called "The Dough Doctor", where noted baker Tom Lehmann will answer your questions.

For American-style pizzas, there are several options, but you might just start with King Arthur's Bread Flour (commonly called "KABF"), which is available everywhere. For un-malted Italian flours, www.brickovenbaker.com is the best source, since he breaks down the big 50lbs bags into manageable sizes and packs them well (he also explains the nomenclature for Caputo flours, for which there is a lot of confusion on the web). You can also order from him via Amazon.com and save a bit of money, but make sure that the order is not going to another vendor, which can be confusing on Amazon.

I'm sure there are other sources, but for a baking steel, I went with the original (and also support a small Boston-area business) from www.bakingsteel.com. Although both are fine, most people seem to feel that a baking steel is better than a stone in a kitchen oven.

When I started, I decided to perfect Joe Heffernan's recipe in my oven (a Breville Pizzaiolo) because there were some excellent articles and videos on www.ChefSteps.com, but unfortunately they are behind the paywall now. It's still my most reliable recipe for a vaguely Neapolitanish pizza using KABF. But word to the wise, the recipe you follow is actually not that important. They all have flour, water, salt and yeast at similar levels. What matters is optimizing the details and your technique for your oven. What works for me is not going to work for you unless you play with it.

To learn how to stretch dough, these are also some good videos. It often intimidates beginners, but it turns out to be very easy with a little practice (and practice is delicious!).

Another good YouTube source is Vito Iacopelli. He may be a bit too flamboyant, but there's a lot of good info in his videos on Neapolitan pizzas.

Good luck!

[Paul Bacino]

This weekends Pie Bite.

This is Mike's company recommendation!! Mulino Marino/ I got the Burrato ( like whole wheat 00 ) I got this stuff back in the beginning of covid. It got quarantined for awhile before I got it coming from Italy

Simple 65% hydra/ 1/3 of that was in champagne liquid/ salt/ Fleishman's bakers yeast

Par baked--

[mike pobega]

Tonight (15 minutes ago) Margherita pie is at a point that makes me smile.


716 grams Pinsa flour (above)
505.67 ml cold water
20.58 grams sea salt
6 grams of olive oil
2 grams dry yeast

70% hydration

5x 255 gram dough balls

Made this dough 10 days ago. it has sat in fridge since Sunday evening, January 3rd
How you ask? The right flour, cold temps, making and storing and low yeast.

[Robert Ferguson]

Thanks Mike and Kevin.

Ordering a steel tonight and some flour. Hoping baking in a week.

Robert

[M. Meer]

I had very good results recently using this pan pizza recipe, preferring it to the Serious Eats version.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipe ... zza-recipe

[ChrisW]

Tonight (15 minutes ago) Margherita pie is at a point that makes me smile.


716 grams Pinsa flour (above)
505.67 ml cold water
20.58 grams sea salt
6 grams of olive oil
2 grams dry yeast

70% hydration

5x 255 gram dough balls

Made this dough 10 days ago. it has sat in fridge since Sunday evening, January 3rd
How you ask? The right flour, cold temps, making and storing and low yeast.

Do you maintain your own starter yeast Mike? If so for how long generally? Between pizza and casareccio there's been some experimenting but haven't been able to keep it for more than a few months.

[mike pobega]

Chris, I do not work with a starter/mother yeast.

[mike pobega]

96 hour dough (Pinsa flour) 70% hydration, fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta and half fresh hot Italian sausage.

[Bud Insalata]

'Spanish' pizza. Most ingredients from La Espandola Meats in Harbor City, Ca . https://laespanolameats.com 24 hour sourdough with 25% whole wheat.
Red sauce is their 'fried tomato and onion' in a bottle. Manchego cheese, pre-sliced Chorizo Pamplona, sliced Piquillo peppers, a bit of fresh Mozz, and Spanish olives. Cooked in a wood oven at 880F for 2 minutes.

[D. Walker]

'Spanish' pizza. Most ingredients from La Espandola Meats in Harbor City, Ca . https://laespanolameats.com 24 hour sourdough with 25% whole wheat.
Red sauce is their 'fried tomato and onion' in a bottle. Manchego cheese, pre-sliced Chorizo Pamplona, sliced Piquillo peppers, a bit of fresh Mozz, and Spanish olives. Cooked in a wood oven at 880F for 2 minutes.

DEAR GOD that looks good.

[Bud Insalata]

'Spanish' pizza. Most ingredients from La Espandola Meats in Harbor City, Ca . https://laespanolameats.com 24 hour sourdough with 25% whole wheat.
Red sauce is their 'fried tomato and onion' in a bottle. Manchego cheese, pre-sliced Chorizo Pamplona, sliced Piquillo peppers, a bit of fresh Mozz, and Spanish olives. Cooked in a wood oven at 880F for 2 minutes.

DEAR GOD that looks good.

Thanks Dan,
Here's a king crab pizza. I assemble it post bake, then back in for 20 seconds to warm and melt the small amount of mozzarella di bufala.
A drizzle of lemon olive oil from Abruzzo brightens it up.

[mike pobega]

Today's Detroit pizza.

[Mel Hill]

Last night’s. CI version of Pizza al Taglio

Second time making this, really good and didn’t change anything from the recipe

[mike pobega]

No Words.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

No Words.

Actually that's 2 words, but we'll forgive you Mike. Cool pic & pizza.

Unfortunately, I'm on a diet, so my oven is in hibernation.

[Josh Grossman]

Science!
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-ne ... 180970749/

[Scott Brunson]

I’m starting to figure out the Ooni, although I should have refilled the hopper before pizza #3 (this one)
Garlic confit, shaved fennel, Cremini, Provolone, Mozzarella

[R Roberts]

5 day cold fermented dough, mushroom and caramelized onions.

[mike pobega]

From the weekend. Straight up Neapolitan pizza.
I ordered a Bartello oven for the Spring. Should be fun.

[Jorge Henriquez]

I’m starting to figure out the Ooni, although I should have refilled the hopper before pizza #3 (this one)
Garlic confit, shaved fennel, Cremini, Provolone, Mozzarella

Scott,

If I’m cooking on my own, the gas attachment on the Karu has been a lifesaver. These were from last night. Ten hour RT bulk ferment and 5 day fridge after balling.

[Scott Brunson]

Mine is the Fyra, so wood pellets for me.
It is not a problem though—we love it.

[Joe Chanley]

From the weekend. Straight up Neapolitan pizza.
I ordered a Bartello oven for the Spring. Should be fun.

How did you land on the bertello?

[Robert Ferguson]

Thanks for all the tips here in this thread.

Bought a Nerd Chef steel and have started my attempts at pizza. Made dough from the Marc Vetri book. First try was what he described as a "Pizza Cracker." Mixed using a stand mixer and think I overdid it. This is the first that wasn't too bad.

[ChrisW]

Anyone using a gooney roccbox that can share their experiences, likes/dislikes?

[mike pobega]

Todays Neapolitan.

[stevetimko]