Pizza

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Pizza

Postby lob » Wednesday Jul 22, 2009 5:34 pm

This is based on the NY Style pizza recipe by Jeff Varasano. You can read his blog here (if you have a few spare hours):

http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm

Here's the simplified version:

The only specialty items you need: (i) an electric egg beater [only attach ONE blade], about $15 at Big W if you don't own one, and (ii) a pizza stone. I have seen these at Myer for around $60, but they're round. Try to get the large square ones if you can, perhaps from a Hospitality Supplies store.

TO MAKE 2 x PIZZA DOUGH. (Just double to make 4, etc.)

Place two cups of plain (I use Aldi) flour into a large bowl
Add 1 1/2 cups cold water from the tap.
Mix together with a wooden spoon until it's just combined. (About 10 seconds)

Let it rest for 20 minutes.

Add 1/2 teaspoon instant dried yeast and about 1 teaspoon of salt (more if you like.)
Mix using the electric egg beater for about 2 minute on lowest speed using just ONE attached blade

Let it rest for 20 minutes.

Mix for 5 minutes on low setting. The dough is fairly batter-like and effectively what you are doing is kneading the dough. After 5 minutes stop every 20 seconds or so and slowly add 3/4 of a cup more flour to the dough mixture.

Let it rest for 20 minutes.

Add a drop of olive oil to a (cheap) plastic storage container (about 900mls or larger), and using a paper towel coat the inside of the container and the lid. Do the same for a second container.

Coat a chopping board with flour and then empty the dough onto the board. Pat down with more flour and then divide into two balls of dough and place into the containers. Place the lids on and store in the fridge for 48 hours. Will keep up to (approx.) 1 week.


TO MAKE A PIZZA USING JEFF'S DOUGH RECIPE:

Place Pizza Stone on bottom rack of oven, and turn the temp up as high as it will go. Let it heat for 1 hour.

(When oven is hot) Empty Pizza dough onto floured chopping board. Pat it down on all sides with flour. Use gravity to stretch the dough into an approx. circle. - Pick it up, then put it down again. Pick it up from another spot, put it down. Shake the chopping board a tad to ensure the stretched dough is moving freely.

Remove the Pizza stone from the oven and place onto the stove top. (I remove the entire oven rack to make it easier.) - Use TWO oven mitts.

Slide the dough onto the Stone by hovering about 10cm over and then quickly removing the chopping board away (towards you).

Add chopped canned tomato (put through a strainer to remove almost all of the juice), and mozzarella (either grated or about 5 largish squares cut from a block. You could also add sliced ham if you want. Try to keep the ingredients sparse though; You're not making a commercial style pizza.

Cook in oven for about 6 to 7 mins. Remove from oven and sprinkle with a little salt, basil, and olive oil.

Making two pizzas for dinner tonight so I'll post some pics shortly : )
Last edited by lob on Thursday Jul 23, 2009 2:06 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: Pizza

Postby lob » Wednesday Jul 22, 2009 8:04 pm

Image

Image

Image

Image
Last edited by lob on Wednesday Jul 22, 2009 10:22 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Pizza

Postby drsmurto » Thursday Jul 23, 2009 10:41 am

Looks damn tasty Lob!
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Re: Pizza

Postby Wassa » Tuesday Jul 28, 2009 4:10 pm

Gonna have to try that one.....looks gooooood!!!!!!!!!
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Re: Pizza

Postby timmy » Tuesday Jul 28, 2009 4:24 pm

Looks great

I haven't had much luck with those pizza stones - they're a bit thin and prone to breakage. I've been using terracotta tiles recently. They're about 400x400x20mm and hold the heat well. They do tend to break after a while but I got them for a couple of bucks each so I don't really care.
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Re: Pizza

Postby warra48 » Tuesday Jul 28, 2009 4:51 pm

Add some Pepperoni, and I'll be first in line to taste it.

Gotta love pizzas like that, so much better than the commercial or frozen ones.
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Re: Pizza

Postby lob » Wednesday Jul 29, 2009 7:58 am

Did some experimentation, and made some "mini-pizzas" last night.

Read about this cast iron and broiler (grill) method here:
http://www.breadsecrets.com/pizza.html

I decided to try a thin (1.2mm thick) 28cm Blue Steel frying pan. It's a de Buyer La Lyonnaise pan. Made in France, but they're very cheap. Got the 28cm for $30 new. A lot of Hospitality supply stores in Australia stock these. I got mine from a store on Maryborough St, Fyshwick (Canberra.)
http://www.debuyer.com/product.php?id=3 ... ound=bleu1

Might buy the thicker Carbonne Plus (3mm thick) one and see how that goes:
http://www.debuyer.com/product.php?id=1 ... ound=bleu1

You need to look after these pans though or they'll rust:
http://www.debuyer.com/video.php?id=44


Anyways, here's what I did:

Heated the frying pan on a high gas flame for 10 minutes (I just use a portable gas burner.) At the same time I turned on the oven grill to high to allow it to heat for 10 minutes. - I probably don't need 10 minutes for the pan, since it's very thin blue steel and heats very quickly. Might try 5 minutes next time.

Emptied 1/2 dough from container onto a floured chopping board and stretched (just using gravity) into an approx. circle shape.

Turned off gas flame and placed dough into HOT pan. Much easier just to lift from an edge and move with your hands because of it's smaller size.

Threw ingredients onto pizza: Strained and mashed [with a fork] canned tomato, and 6 small pieces of mozzarella. Took about 15 seconds.

Placed the frying pan immediately under HOT grill. (That way the base is cooking the same time as the top.)

Removed from grill after about 3 minutes. Placed onto chopping board (didn't stick to pan at all) and drizzled with olive oil, a tad salt, and chopped basil.

It was pretty good, or at least the second mini pizza was. - The first one was a disaster. (Must turn off gas flame BEFORE you place dough into pan.) The base had a nice char, something I thought you needed a pizza stone or bricks for. It was a tad soggy towards the top of the crust, but this could just mean I need to leave it under the grill 30 seconds or a minute longer.

I'll make some more on Thursday (still have three containers of dough in the fridge - enough for six mini-pizzas) and post some pics.
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Re: Pizza

Postby lob » Thursday Jul 30, 2009 7:17 pm

here's the mini cooking under the grill for 4 mins:

Image

End result:

Image


And here's a full sized pizza I cooked in the oven at the same time:

Image
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Re: Pizza

Postby Fifey » Wednesday Mar 02, 2011 10:53 am

I use a cast iron pan for a pizza stone alternative, works fantastically.
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Re: Pizza

Postby earle » Wednesday Mar 02, 2011 1:26 pm

I use the sandstone paver in the BBQ method. Works great and you can put some wood shaving in your smoker box to get some smoke flavour.
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Re: Pizza

Postby billybushcook » Monday Mar 07, 2011 1:11 pm

Hot Tip for making Pizza.

Use Buffallo Mozerella, the same as an authentic Italian Pizza.
That Common store bought yellow stuff is nothing like the real thing.
You can get it in small tubs full of brine, it's labelled as Bococini (buffallo balls :D :D :D )

Cheers, Mick.
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Re: Pizza

Postby earle » Monday Mar 07, 2011 1:38 pm

Mmmm +1 on the bocconcini. Occasionally I see some reduces, then its pizza time.
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Re: Pizza

Postby billybushcook » Monday Mar 07, 2011 5:58 pm

I stand corrected on the spelling (again) Earle, you made me get up & check the label on the tub I have in the fridge :D :D

Mick.
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Re: Pizza

Postby earle » Tuesday Mar 08, 2011 9:32 am

billybushcook wrote:I stand corrected on the spelling (again) Earle, you made me get up & check the label on the tub I have in the fridge :D :D

Mick.

Hadn't actually noticed Mick. :)
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