Topic: Pizza dough

[pap rika]

Another alternative to a Pizza stone. is to use the unglazed side of a large floor tile. Which are fired at temperature s exceeding 2000 degree's Fahrenheit.

[welder8uk]

To anyone who has never tried a pizza stone, try it, The difference is astonishing. Whether its a proper stone, cutting board, floor tile, or just a heavy thick piece of metal.

A proper pizza stone works brilliantly, they just don't seem to last long and are fragile at best.

Whatever you use, make sure you put yr oven on the highest setting it'll do (assuming its a household oven), anything around 200-230 deg C, or even 250 if yr lucky enough to have an oven that'll do that high. Put the stone/metal plate in, and leave it for at least an hour to get up to temperature and let the stone heat up.

I use a flat baking sheet to put my pizzas in the oven instead of a peel. But make sure you use either corn flour (not corn starch), or semolina to dust the surface of the 'peel', bottom of the pizza. The course ground stuff works like little ball bearings and the pizza will come off the peel much easier. And You wont get clumps of white 'dough' / flour on the base if yr pizza.

Steve

[George]

For the sauce I use this one, dead easy to do, also use it for making spag bol and anything else that's tomato based and italian, it just works lol.
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3735.msg32136.html#msg32136   - Novemeber No 2

Thanks for posting the link for the tomato sauce, I tried it this evening and, unfortunately,  it wasn't to my liking, I much prefer plain tomatoes with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. So many spices, plus dried garlic and onion seem to cancel each other out, or have some other adverse impact, for my taste.

[welder8uk]

This is it and what makes cooking stuff yrself worthwhile, you get to tailor things the way that you like them.  I tend to use one tbspn per tin of tomatoes/ pasata if I'm making pizza sauce, and use a spoon per two tins of toms if I'm making spag bol. I just alter it depending on what I'm making.

Same with curries lol. I made a vindaloo last night, without all the chilli in it cos I love the taste, and then put a spoon of blati paste in cos I was curious, was really nice

[mickdabass]

Hi Svierge

Sorry for the delay in replying. I have made 2 batches of this dough. The first batch of dough where I followed your recipe to the letter came out of the mixer very soft. I shaped it into 6 balls and they wouldn't keep their shape. I wrapped them in oil and then cling film, froze 3 and made 3 pizzas with the rest. I was doubtful of the outcome to be honest, but the pizzas I made were FAR BETTER than any I had previously eaten from Dominos etc - in fact they were some of the best pizzas Ive  had anywhere!!

The second batch I made, I added more flour to change the consistency. The results? Just as good as the first batch

Garp - youve got to try this recipe.No more oversized biscuits lol!

 To me, thats another recipe sorted. Just like the Happy4Chris Naan recipe...DONE!!

Thanks again Svierge

Oh and welder8uk: made your Italian spice mix and loved that too! Spot on!

Regards

Mick

[Garp]

Garp - youve got to try this recipe.No more oversized biscuits lol!

 To me, thats another recipe sorted. Just like the Happy4Chris Naan recipe...DONE!!

Well Mick, with such a glowing review, how could I resist   and since your tikka marinade is so good, I trust your judgement. The H4ppy Naan was the best thing I have discovered in 30-odd years of trying to cook, If this is up there with that, then got to be worth a try.

Will make up dough tomorrow and cook on Sunday. Only problem is I don't have a stone or a floor tile or anything similar. I do have some of those metal pizza tray things with holes in the bottom so will try that.

Will post back with results. If they're anything like the pics on this thread I'll be happy

[mickdabass]

Hey Garp

I only have a pizza tray thing with holes in too, and I was still impressed with the end product even though I am positive the pizza stone give best results.

Also I gave up trying to stretch the dough like the pros, so I just got the trusty rolling pin out lol with no apparent difference

I put the rolled out base in the tray first and then topped it in situ.

I say this because I was stupid enough to assemble the first pizza on the table without considering how the hell I was going to get it onto the tray doh

Have Fun

[Sverige]

Good to hear you were happy with your results Mick and it's OK to add a little more flour because all flour is a little different and depending on the way it is stored and the humidity in the air, it might need more or less water adding.  Any variation from the measurements I provided should be fairly small though and don't worry if the dough seems very sticky after the first mix, this is normal.

I omitted to mention in the original instructions that when storing the bagged dough in the fridge overnight, allow space for the bags to expand.

If you want a pizza sauce which is in the style of dominos (not authentic Italian at all), you could try this one:
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,13447.msg114109.html#msg114109

[Garp]

Hmmmmmm - I think I might need a bigger bowl.......four hours into the rising process.............

[Garp]

Reporting back on the pizza dough experience.

All I can say is that it is superb. The best I have done by some margin, so thanks to Sverige for recipe/method and Mickdabass for encouraging me to try it.

Any time I have made my own base in the past, the edges have been fine but the middle (at the bottom) was always white and soggy. When I made the first one tonight, I had a peek underneath and was delighted to find a bit of colour all the way to the centre.........result. Next I put two in together, and I think that was a mistake. One at the top and one in the middle of the oven and swapped them half way through. The centre wasn't quite as well done this time and I can only assume that they need the maximum heat to cook properly. Don't get me wrong, they were still better than any I've made before, but not as good as the one done on it's own.

All in all, a great success......thanks again.

A few pics of my efforts - ham and pineapple for Mrs Garp's mum and a chilli meat feast for me