Pizza Party!

Brownie

Watching my boys and nephews today, so us boys (ages 2-31) and wife decided it's pizza time. We did one pepperoni, two sausage green pepper and onion, and three cheese...........BTW after a solid six months of use, usually four personal pizzas a week, my Pampered Chef stone is beginning to warp. I hope it lasts a little while longer!

XLBalco

aweseomeness...  any pics of the stone?  curious to see what it looks like.

tazcrash

aweseomeness...  any pics of the stone?  curious to see what it looks like.

+1, want to see that. 

What temps do you make your pizza at?

Brownie

It's not noticeable to the eye, it just doesn't lay flat any more. It's still in the egg @ 550*. so I'll take a pic later tonight.

MrCookingNurse

My wife was fussing other day cause I used "her" pampered chef on the egg. Having pizza tonight so think I'm swing by and buy an egg stone on the way home

Your pizzas look awesome

Brownie

My wife was fussing other day cause I used "her" pampered chef on the egg. Having pizza tonight so think I'm swing by and buy an egg stone on the way home

Your pizzas look awesome

IMO PC stuff is a little overrated. It's good stuff, but not amazing. I was reading when I first started surfing this site and really considered replacing it back then. I'm so glad I haven't yet because it has allowed me to get other things I didn't have. Plus I figured why replace something that still works? But on the other hand my wife likes the food more than "her" PC stone. Win/win for me.........Sounds like your making the better decision.
:D

AFEGG

Those pizzas look great!!

what kind of peel are you using? i have an aluminum peel but for the life of me cant get the pizza to not stick to it... i have tried flour, corn meal.. its like i use velcro.. any suggestions? I tried the parchment paper trick as well..then i couldnt get the paper from inbetween the dough and stone....talk about frustration with some 650 degree temps...

tazcrash

When using parchment, did you let it cook for at least 3 minutes before pulling?
Sounds like you dough is too wet.
Also, as you are making your pizza give it a shake every so often to make sure it still slides.

HTH

rickHP

Yes, you need to let the dough bake a bit and it releases easily from the parchment, although it can be a bit tricky to get the paper out. There's also no need to pull the parchment, really, but you should trim the paper closely to the outline of the pizza if you're going to leave it in.

Pizza dough can never be too wet, unless you're getting to pourable consistency.

nolaegghead

I decided to try some "real" pizza flour - Tipo "00" from Italy.  Read a bunch of pizza blogs and heard over and over again stuff like "I've been making pizzas for years and thought they were good.  Tried this I-talian flour and, hoooo-boy, I'll put my pizza up against any restaurant's gour-met wood fired..."

So I ended up, because flour is heavy and shipping is a female dog, buying 10 1-KG bags of good Italian Tipo "00" pizza flour.  Amazon.  The seller crammed it into one of those "fixed rate" USPS boxes.  "If it fits, it ships!".  There's wasn't a cubic millimeter of space in that box that wasn't flour. 

Anyway, to make a long story short, boy did the flour make a difference.  And I've been experimenting for years to get that perfect dough.  That was the missing ingredient.

ChokeOnSmoke

I decided to try some "real" pizza flour - Tipo "00" from Italy.  Read a bunch of pizza blogs and heard over and over again stuff like "I've been making pizzas for years and thought they were good.  Tried this I-talian flour and, hoooo-boy, I'll put my pizza up against any restaurant's gour-met wood fired..."

So I ended up, because flour is heavy and shipping is a female dog, buying 10 1-KG bags of good Italian Tipo "00" pizza flour.  Amazon.  The seller crammed it into one of those "fixed rate" USPS boxes.  "If it fits, it ships!".  There's wasn't a cubic millimeter of space in that box that wasn't flour. 

Anyway, to make a long story short, boy did the flour make a difference.  And I've been experimenting for years to get that perfect dough.  That was the missing ingredient.

Good to hear.  My "00" pizza flour arrives from Fred's BBQntomorrow in time for some weekend pizzas.  Can't wait to try it.

http://www.fredsmusicandbbq.com/ANTIMO_CAPUTO_00_PIZZA_FLOUR_5_lb_BAG_p/cappizza-5lb.htm

nolaegghead

Yep, same exact flour I bought.  I'll try to dig up the recipe I use. 

If you have a scale, I highly recommend measuring by weight rather than volume.

Ah, here it is:

500gr Molino Caputo Tipo 00 flour

325 gr water (65% hydration)

10 gr salt

3 gr dry active yeast

nolaegghead

That was from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=tipo 00 pizza recipe&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFgQFjAA&url=http://www.fornobravo.com/PDF/Using-caputo-tipo00.pdf&ei=WBn2T-TlD-bo2AXNm5jlBg&usg=AFQjCNEYTMDKRRndqjBt8yiDLCWiAK_7xw&cad=rja

Brownie

@AFEGG I use a crappy 10 dollar wooden peel from Bed Bath and Beyond (household/cookware store) I use cornmeal in between dough and peel. My dough is never on the peel for more than 5 minutes. I have never had an issue since I started to use cornmeal.
@ChokeOnSmoke  I live about 20 mins from Freds and shop there often.....You would not believe the amount flour stacked up in his show room!
@nolaegghead Based on the amount of flour Freds has, and your testimony. I think I better try your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
@XLBalco
@tazcrash
                    I tried to get the best pic possible but without manual focus it's tough. I have a little over 1/8 inch gap from the table at more than one spot. Pic was taken with the top of the stone facing the table.
 

tazcrash

Thanks Browne, But I hate to say this.... I think your stone is flat, and the table is warped. ;)

cortguitarman

@ChokeOnSmoke let me know how that flour works with the recipe I gave you. I might be making the 40 minute drive to Freds if it makes a difference. I bought a 25# bag of all purpose flour at Costco a month ago. It is almost gone! It has been used specifically for pizzas and nothing else.

XLBalco

Thanks Browne, But I hate to say this.... I think your stone is flat, and the table is warped. ;)

most definitely! LOL

J/K!  Definitely want to see more pics as it worsens though!

ncbbq

I was using a Pampered Chef stone for a while until I heard they can crack. I got a decent grilling stone from Crate and Barrel that was a bit cheaper than the BGE stone if anyone is looking for a new one.

Brownie

Thanks Browne, But I hate to say this.... I think your stone is flat, and the table is warped. ;)

Haha.....You may be rite......The wife thinks I'm warped, not the stone or table........I first noticed it didn't lay flat on my smooth top stove. We will see how much longer it makes it.

Thanks for the idea ncbbq.

ChokeOnSmoke

@ChokeOnSmoke let me know how that flour works with the recipe I gave you. I might be making the 40 minute drive to Freds if it makes a difference. I bought a 25# bag of all purpose flour at Costco a month ago. It is almost gone! It has been used specifically for pizzas and nothing else.

I'll let you know.  Plan on making some dough and then pizzas for dinner tomorrow night.  Really curious to see if the type/kind of flour makes a difference -- like many have mentioned.

BigGreenBamaGriller

The pizza stones that Williams and Sonoma sells have a lifetime warranty.

paqman

I'll let you know.  Plan on making some dough and then pizzas for dinner tomorrow night.  Really curious to see if the type/kind of flour makes a difference -- like many have mentioned.

Did it make a difference?

Duganboy

00 flour was first recommended to me by Vinny Dileo, who is also known as Chef Vinny and Vinny the Pizza Man.

It is a difference maker and the only flour I will use for pizza.

paqman

I found 3 different italian flour.

Molini Pizzuti

• Pizza flour
• Flour type "00"

Molino Caputo

• The chef's flour tipo "00"

I don't think that the Caputo I found is the one that you are talking about.  The protein content seems to be roughly the same.  Should I just be looking for any "00" flour?

the_alchemist83

Those pizzas look great!!

what kind of peel are you using? i have an aluminum peel but for the life of me cant get the pizza to not stick to it... i have tried flour, corn meal.. its like i use velcro.. any suggestions? I tried the parchment paper trick as well..then i couldnt get the paper from inbetween the dough and stone....talk about frustration with some 650 degree temps...

Had the same problem tonight with my pizza dough.  Couldn't get it to not stick to my aluminum pizza peel.  I also used the Caputo "00" flour for my dough.  I think in the end my dough was too hydrated and I might switch to an all wood pizza peel.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I do the parchment and leave it there for the entire cook. Works like a champ.

Nice pies Brownie

paqman

That was from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=tipo 00 pizza recipe&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CFgQFjAA&url=http://www.fornobravo.com/PDF/Using-caputo-tipo00.pdf&ei=WBn2T-TlD-bo2AXNm5jlBg&usg=AFQjCNEYTMDKRRndqjBt8yiDLCWiAK_7xw&cad=rja

Thanks for posting this!  After years of chasing the right recipe, I finally found what I was looking for.