Husb2sparkly has caused problems in my home....

[catnhatnh]

...his t'ick or t'in posting is now driving me nuts!!!After posting I realized I would KILL for an old fashion, thin, oil-dripping crust....Understand, I make an ok in home pie using "thin" prebaked pizza crusts....But NOW that isn't good enough.Also he had to remind me of "scamorza" cheese and that it differs from plain old mozzerrella...I can fake the scamorza by adding a bit more provolone,but can anybody help a non-baking type guy produce the crust I described using plain kitchen appliances (ie:my hottest oven only runs to 550 degrees)....I'm willing to buy a pizza stone or a bread machine or even a left handed monkey wrench if it helps....Pretty please????

[eleny]

1. It would be easier to drive down to NYC!

Good luck to you! I hope you can achieve it.

[catnhatnh]

2. GOD....

...I hope not...I'm 5 hours from NYC.....

[eleny]

3. We're 4 days drive

So you get the picture. I sure miss that pizza!

[The empressof all]

5. Hey Eleny

I have a real deal NY Pizza guy in the burbs outside of Seattle. No fricken Pineapple either. Maybe we're a little closer for that fix.

[eleny]

12. "No fricken Pineapple either"

:rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

15. Seattle Pizza ...........

Try this place .... its great!

http://www.tuttabellapizza.com/news_resturantnews.html

His consultant, named in the article, is a friend of mine .... but that won't getcha a discount! :)

[catnhatnh]

6. OK...someone here HAS the answer...

...it cannot take 750 degrees to make a limp greasy crust....,.

[The empressof all]

8. For at home pizza

Use a pizza stone, and pour some olive oil on the top of the dough before you load the sauce and cheese. You also need to use a full fat mozzarella.

[catnhatnh]

10. Bless you and that's a start....

others say this can't be done...if you really get limp greasy dough please tell me how?

[babylonsister]

4. When/if you find something foolproof, please share! nt

[catnhatnh]

7. Where the HELL are the pros...

...when you need them?

[babylonsister]

9. Here are some ideas from a previous thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=8985

[Gregorian]

11. I'm ignoring those comments about pineapple.

But then, I eat sliced pickles in my scrambled eggs. With yoghurt on the side. That makes me a little bit weird.

As for the crust, I've tried oiling and not oiling. So far, I can't tell the diff. The biggest leap in crust goodness came when I got the pizza directly onto the stone. I thought having a stone and putting the pizz in it's pan on it, was good enough. Nope. That pie has to sizzle right on the fiery rock.

Right now I'm using a sour dough starter in lieu of yeast. And I love it. So easy. Grab a half cup of starter, three cups of flour, some water, and mix. Let rise, spread into a big round pizza, and throw it on the stone in the oven at 550 for 12 minutes or so. And I'd bet that using regular yeast yields the same basic results. Although I'll never go back to find out.

It seems the hardest part of this whole operation is getting the pizza spread out into it's round. I see people who do it in half a minute. I am not a pro. But I'm getting there. I can honestly say that my pizzas are always very satisfactory now.

There are so many unspoken variables in cooking, that it is often a mystery. Like how long does the pizza sit after the toppings have been placed? I get everything ready so that the dough has the least amount of time to absorb liquids. We need a photo journal of how we make our pizzas. I think I'll do that the next time I go to cook one.

Have I said how much I love this forum, and DU! What a place.

[The empressof all]

13. No self respecting individual from North East Jersey

Would ever consider eating Pineapple on their Pizza. It's a regional thing. My Pizza guy here outside of Seattle will scream at you in Italian and throw you out of his store if you tried to order Pineapple Pizza.

He screams at me when I tell him I like pesto pizza with Chicken though!

I've heard tell of some folks who like saurkraut on their Pizza.

[catnhatnh]

14. All of this is fun....

....but looking for-HOMEMADE...THIN...GREASY....LIMP.....CRUST...REQUIRING no more than the 550 degrees I can get at home...C'mon guys...a little help,please...

[Stinky The Clown]

16. Not to cop out or anything ...... but I'm leaving for a 'power vacation'

first thing in the morning ... a quick hop down to Florida for a long weekend with my main squeeze .... the Sparkly Fairy Princess.

Lots of good pizza info upthread ... and good luck. Crust is a matter of art and science, but there are many knowledagable bakerpeople here. Also, search Demopedia ... there was a loooong discussion of this very topic not too, too long ago that I think is now archived there.

If I have internet down in F-F-Florida (I hate that place's governor) I may check back in.

But the key ...... ?

Yup .... that hot-as-a-blast-furnace oven. 750 deg is NOT unusual.

[Sparkly]

17. What, you forgot Sparkly Junior?

I know Sparkly Jr. is so quiet and unassuming and shy an' all, but I didn't think you'd forget she's going on the trip, too.

If so, I think you'll soon remember. :rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Oh yeah ..... I almost forgot ......

..... she's going as checked baggage ... yeah? :)

[housewolf]

19. See if you can get your hands on this book

American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza
by Peter Reinhart





I haven't used it but his other two bread books are ones that I swear by and have taught me more than any other how to make great bread.

Peter Reinhart is a master bread baker, formerly an instructor at the Culinary Institute of San Francisco and now head bread instructor at one of the premier culinary institutes, Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island.

The book has a variety of pizza crust recipes, something for everyone and every home oven situation. I am sure you'll learn tons from it.

In order to bake great pizza, a pizza stone is a basic requirement. Pre-heat it in your over for at least 40 minutes before putting the pizza on it. Or line your oven shelf with bricks, a kiln shelf, clay flooring tiles (not ceramic) or some other material like that.

Bread machines are designed for producing glutin in bread dough, and they make a superior strong, smooth and elastic dough. It would be well worth your while to purchase an inexpensive model you could use for mixing your dough - since you won't need all the programmable baking cycles, an inexpensive model to use for just mixing dough would suffice quite nicely. As the owner of 3 brands of stand mixers - I love them all and each excels at one thing or another, but none of them mix bread dough like a bread machine.

Good luck to you!


edited to add picture

[Gregorian]

20. Only in America.

I still can't believe this one. If you think driving under the influence is a hazard, then what would one call baking a pizza while driving?

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/12volporovan.html

[Stinky The Clown]

21. Its not the baking that will getcha ..........

...... its the mixin' of the dough and the toppin' of the pizza ......

Now, if you toss instead of roll ...... you're in deeeeeeeeep doo doo. :)