My biggest pizza-making gripe over the years is that because my oven’s max temp is 555, I can’t get the char I want on my crust without overcooking the cheese. To me, mozzarella should look like perfect pools of solid milk-- pure white and shiny, with nary a bubble. Tomatoes should be just that-- tomatoes. Crushed, but not in any way pre-cooked. I know a lot of people who make homemade pizza, and their efforts all show the same flaw as mine: can’t get the crust cooked enough without overcooking the cheese.
With a few hints from Justin Wells, I started to cheat. Since I can’t go over 555 without breaking my oven’s controls, I’ve started to pre-bake the crust ever so slightly. Just a thin spread of tomatoes so the top doesn’t dry out, and maybe 2 minutes in the oven to set. I also pre-slice my fresh mozarella and keep the slices in the fridge so they’re as cold as possible before they go into the oven. These tips have made a big difference. This isn’t brick oven pizza, but I’m getting the hint of char I want without overcooking the cheese. Finally! I’m thinking I could leave the dough in the oven just a bit longer for deeper color.
I have pretty much always eaten myself sick on Melissa’s pizza, but it’s true that she’s upping her game.
The 'za we had last night was just perfect - chewy/crispy crust, sauce still tomato-y and moist, and mozarella like limpid pools of, of… cheese. I just wish I could have overeaten more.
I’ve always precooked the crust as I only get to about 600F in my oven. About 3.5 minutes. And then the toppings go on, another 3 minutes of cooking. Makes a huge difference.
Melissa, Great job. Your crust looks awesome and the char just right.
Let me just clarify a pobega-pizza-point: Pizza is as subjective as wine. What you consider a flaw is another mans zanadu. I like cooked spots on my cheese. I also like when some cheese may fall over the side and burn. The problem I have with opre-cooking my dough is that it loses its airiness and gets chewier, but whatever works is what I say. Looking at you photo tells me your pizza may be a bit ‘flexible’ for my taste. I like mine to stand straight out when held at the crust.
Can we all agree that “pizza” is not so long a word as to require being shortened to “za” please?
Where did this start?
Melissa, I’m assuming you use a stone, correct?
Did you happen to see the recent pizza feature in the LA Times? They built an oven inside an oven, with a floor of a pizza stone, two walls of brick, and then they made a ceiling by placing the upper rack close enough to the lower rack, and laying another stone across it.
It made a neat little rectangular “oven” that the pizza could be cooked in - the walls and ceiling reflect more heat.
I think this method might be worth a try.
I’m with Mike Pobega in that I like a little blistering on my cheese.
Mike, you’re absolutely right, of course. I’m a firm believer in culinary relativism-- a “good” version of a dish is what tastes good to you. A “flaw” is what makes it a disappointment to you. The dough I’ve been using lately (which is made at a local bakery-- I can’t get over an inertial hump to start messing around with good yeast at home) makes a crust that is indeed flexible. To hold it straight out, it needs a bend in the crust-- you know, like you’d do with a larger NY style slice.
To’, I didn’t see that article. I’m hoping that we’ll (I use the term “we” loosely. Steve’s the handy one around here) eventually build an outdoor brick oven. For now, I have a fairly substantial rectangular stone that’s been going strong for about five years.
Since we’re all pizza nerds here, I’ll clarify what I mean about the cheese. Char spots are not a bad thing in my book, if they develop in the intense heat of a real wood or coal-fired oven. When they happen in a home oven, at least in my home oven, it’s because the cheese has cooked too long and changed texture. It’s gone from being milky opaque to slightly yellowed and translucent from bubbling. Char, in and of itself, is delicious. When I make baked ziti, I even toss it under the broiler for a few seconds at the very end to force a few char spots on to the cheese.
I too pre-cook my crust for about 2 minutes. I use this recipe for my crust for a little extra crunch.
1/4-ounce active dry yeast (1 package)
3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup semolina (durum wheat)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand for 10 minutes. Traditional method: Put 1 1/2 cups of the flour, semolina sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. While stirring with a wooden spoon slowly add the yeast mixture until combined. Add the olive oil and continue stirring until the mixture forms a loose ball, adding the remaining 1/4 cup of flour if necessary to form a ball that is not sticky. On a lightly floured board knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and consistent in texture. Form the dough into a ball and put in a bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and put it in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
I also use this cast iron pizza pan. It gets hot and stays hot and really does a nice job on the crust.
We got a call today from a dude in Arizona. He read the article and needed some consulting from Clark on his oven.
This article was also syndicated in Chicago, Oakland, apparently AZ and beyond.
Having wet dough is probably one of the most important things. People too often add way too much flour (even in rolling). And a really hot oven. A stone works the best.
I bought this once on accident. I just assumed all white-meat albacore (at least that’s what they claimed) would be nice and in solid chunks. Opened up the can and yeah… it was seriously cat food. I couldn’t even drain the briny liquid. I hated it. But my cat loved it.
