June 21, 2019 - 3:25pm
Pizza is Coming to Town
The Fresh Loaf bread bakers are headed to Pizza Town.
Pizza Community Bake will be posted this weekend. With the help from the guys at PizzaMaking.com pizza pie is on the menu!
In an effort to prepare for the CB I began avidly researching all things pizza. I picked the brains of the folks at Pizza Making. In a matter of 2 weeks my pies went from terrible to quite respectable. And I guarantee yours can too!
I hope everyone tries their hand at pizza in the next few weeks... Below are a couple of the improved models.
NY Thin Crust above. A Cracker Crust below.
Danny
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Here is another Pie King Masterpiece to wet your appetite!
I changed it up a little today, Sour dough base with 10% whole grains. Whole milk mozzarella, parmigiano, lightly caramelized shallots with thinly sliced garlic, pepperoni and fresh, sweet red peppers. Molto bene!
That one is a masterpiece! The colors, including the crust is magnificent. I’m not sure you left any room for improvement.
Did you skip the spelt?
Remember the issue I had with water from the tomatoes? Draining on paper towels as you suggested worked well. But quartering cherry tomatoes is also a great solution.
Can’t wait to learn from everyone on the CB.
Will, you told me you make 18” pies on a 16” screen. How large is the pizza plate in the picture? If the plate is 16”, did the skin shrink that much?
The screen I use is 18". It is the pizza steel in my oven that is 16" round. That is why I absolutely need the 18" screen. I don't think the pie was centered on the pan in the photo as well, I don't think it even shrunk that much.
No I used the exact formula we spoke of. In fact you just reminded me I used up the last of my spelt. I need to pick up some more.
OH, I get it. I was wondering if the pie had shrunken 2”. Thanks for clarifying.
If the flavor of that last pie was good, how could you ever improve upon that one? Call it like it is, “perfection personified” !
Hey, if you live on ground level, you can just open your window while baking and sell those pies right from your window sill.
With this one I snatched victory from the jaws of failure! You see this afternoon after I set my baguettes to a cold overnight slumber, I was experimenting with possibility baking them tomorrow on the 18" screen. I forgot to take it out of the oven. After I had the skin stretched I realized the screen was in the scorching hot oven. I first tried to put the skin on my 16" screen, I did not like how it looked. So It retrieved the 18" and fanned it around for two min. to cool it off. It worked okay but I should have cooled it better. The dough stuck to the hot screen in a few places. With patience and an icing spatula I was able to release the pie with very little damage to the bottom crust. Smile.This is the first time a pie stuck to my seasoned 18" screen. I have to blame it on the heat. I took my time and concentrated on getting a uniform rim, very happy with the size uniformity and oven spring.
Great looking pies, Danny! I'm looking forward to this CB, and will have to try to come up with some new topping combo's.
Rich
Rich, I really like feta cheese, black olives, and quartered cherry tomatoes. Capers, bell peppers, red onions. Provolone and other cheeses. Mozzarella is popular but it often lacks intense flavor, but it looks great on the pie.
I have been using a mandolin to thinly slice the veggies. Also thinking about sour cream (in squeeze tube) to be applied after the bake. Baked breaded egg plant with a light coating of olive oil spray, similar to egg plant parm.
I noticed above that Will used shallot instead of onions. IMO, shallots are the caviar of onions. They are not cheap, but boy, are they good!
Maybe we need to start a post and get ideas for toppings from the gang. I think I’ll start a separate post when the CB is put up. That way we can reference it from the CB so that it will remain in a post by itself. Things have a tendency to get lost on large CBs.
Great looking pies Danny and Will. I’m excited to see what everyone comes up with. Hoping to learn from everyone and improve my pizza pie baking.
...so I wouldn't be able to make my personal fave during the CB, but will come up with something else. To get your taste buds tingling, however, here's the Asparagus Pizza in-season on a sourdough crust (pesto, asparagus, fresh mozz, parm, sun dried toms, pepper flakes, olive oil). Salad from our garden.
I need to branch out and sometimes go outside the box and nix the tomato sauce. Not always, but a nice change up once in a while. Looking forward to more topping ideas!
Looks yummy and original.
Is this a good idea for a plain and simple tomato sauce?
Take a good quality tomato concentrate like this and add some EVOO plus spices?
However, I don't think those are the right tomatoes. I could be wrong But I think that is tomato paste. You want either whole plum tomatoes that you would need to puree in a food mill or food processor, crushed tomatoes which depending on the brand you may still want to process some more. Then you have your tomato puree and ground tomatoes, these are uncooked and canned with minimal additives. The best ones are not from concentrate, but canned from fresh ground/pureed tomatoes. That being said a simple uncooked sauce is great on pizza. Some use cooked sauces I don't.
Like these: Pastene
Talk to us Will. Tell us exactly how you make your pizza sauce.
We need the scoop as the CB is getting ready to launch.
Danny
I use L.I. Grandma pizza sauce in my N.Y. Pies. I don't add much salt due to the anchovies and just a touch of pepper.
The only change, I used ground tomatoes. 1- #10 can Stananaslus 7/11
Do you find 2 anchovies adequate for the smaller batch? What size anchovies do you use?
If I know myself I probably double that. I have to be careful that my wife does not detect the secret ingredient. I also use some of the oil from the tin. For the large batch I use the whole can including all the oil.
P.S. She has no idea. She just thinks it is very tasty and blows away our delivery place.
And thank you for the recipe. Been admiring your pizza bakes for a while now and I'm just a tad intimidated they look so good. I don't have a fancy oven or utensils so there will be quite a bit of tactical thinking to get around some obstacles. But ideas are forming...
A pizza screen. Other than that I use a pizza steel. A baking stone or just you oven rack will do just fine.
P.S. pizza screens are cheap. 16" to 18" maximum is the biggest pie your going to fit in a standard 30" range.
Abe, I was thinking about you and your oven. What do you think about a rectangular pan style pizza crust?
Alternatively, your very favorite focaccia formula! So0 many ways for a home oven pizzaiolo to skin the cat!
A pizza tray. Hoping this will fit. Also bought some fine chopped tomatoes with basil and some garlic puree. I think we're ready. If it doesn't fit then a rectangular pizza it'll be. Thanks Danny.
Abe, I’ve had very good results par-baking the crust for a couple of minutes to set the dough. Once the crust can be handle i5 is removed from the oven to cool a bit. Then topped and baked off.
IMO, there are many benefits to par-baking. The biggest benefit is the ability to place the topped pizza into the oven with no fear of it sti king to the peel. I also like to cook the pie on a stone to crisp the bottom of the crust.
Just-a-thought...
Dan
Good idea. I'm thinking it'll make a crustier base too. I won't go too complicated for my first try. Starter has been prepped, will make the dough tonight and aim for a long ferment. It'll be divided into one sourdough loaf and one pizza base tomorrow.
I just happen to have my N.Y. style dough recipe scaled for 3 13CM pies! I modified it for a F.B. friend.. Enjoy! Bread bakers note: Dan pointed out that the actual prefermented flour is 7.5%.
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Some days you get chicken and other days, feathers...
Good morning, Glen.
Your photo did not post. Please try again I am intrigued.
I can’t seem to upload photos from my iPad or phone. I upload the image, click on “next” and I can’t complete the procedures?
You set the bar very high for yourself. We are now expecting great things from you, regarding the C.B.!
Some GREAT LOOKING PIZZA's here. Roadside damn you killed it! SO GOOD LOOKING.
The other pizza's too look fab. DanAyo, GREAT JOB, you are hooked now brother :)
I been a PMF lurker hardly ever post, it's so intimidating so many pros and avid pizza enthusiasts who honed their abilities to turn out fantastic pies.
I will start a new thread here and post a few of my recent pies.
BBQnPizza, have you seen our Community Bake featuring Pizza? That would be a great place to post your pies.
Check it out here. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/60568/community-bake-pizza
Danny