Trying to go parchmentless but have question

WeberWho

I have to admit that parchment paper on the pizza stone works absolutely wonderful. I tried switching it up last night and went with cornmeal instead of parchment paper. I know you use cornmeal on the pizza peel but what about the pizza stone? I had my thermometer wrapped all the way around back at two hundred degrees for pizza last night. As soon as the cornmeal hit the pizza stone it was ash. So that wasn't going to work. So I tossed the pizza on the stone naked and it worked without much issue. Do most of you guys that are parchmentless go naked on the pizza stone?

blasting

@WeberWho?  No need for anything on the stone.  As long as you're slippin' and slidin' on the peel you're good.  Line up the edge on your stone and a quick pull back is all it takes.

Botch

Pizzas do not stick to hot stones; you never need to throw cornmeal onto the stone.
Sticking is only a problem with an uncooked pie on the peel.
1) if you're using a metal peel, use it ONLY for getting a cooked pie off the Egg (no problem with this if you're cooking multiple pies, you'll need two peels anyway).  Get a wooden peel!
2) I flour the bottom of my dough, sprinkle cornmeal onto my wooden peel, then flop the dough onto the peel, add ingredients to the pie, and they almost never stick.  Shake the peel to make sure it isn't sticking (if it is, you can carefully lift that section, or if no one is looking, blow some air underneath that edge).  Transfer to the Egg.
3) the parchment solution is admittedly popular on this forum.  However, you won't see a single pizza joint doing that, not one.  Take the training wheels off and make your pizza like Guido, dammit!  

lwrehm

I used to use cornmeal, but switched to course semolina flour and have found that I like it much better, none on the stone (except that which follows the pie) like blasting says line it up and a quick pull...it does take a bit of practice, I worked at a pizza joint in college for 3 years but you can always practice with a plain sheet of dough.  Its like riding a bike, once you got it down pretty much the only time you will mess it up is after a few too many beers.

WeberWho

blasting said:

@WeberWho?  No need for anything on the stone.  As long as you're slippin' and slidin' on the peel you're good.  Line up the edge on your stone and a quick pull back is all it takes.

Thanks! @blasting  Definitely will give it a try again

jtcBoynton

The only purpose of using corn meal, semolina, parchment etc is to be able to slide the raw dough off the peel onto the cooking surface. Never add it to the stone - that serves no purpose other than making burnt bits.  

WeberWho

Botch said:

However, you won't see a single pizza joint doing that, not one.  Take the training wheels off and make your pizza like Guido, dammit!  

Love it! @Botch  It doesn't seem right cooking pizza with parchment paper and figure I better get my practice on.  It wasn't so bad yesterday without the parchment paper but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.  Training wheels are coming off!!!  

WeberWho

lwrehm said:

I used to use cornmeal, but switched to course semolina flour and have found that I like it much better, none on the stone (except that which follows the pie) like blasting says line it up and a quick pull...it does take a bit of practice, I worked at a pizza joint in college for 3 years but you can always practice with a plain sheet of dough.  Its like riding a bike, once you got it down pretty much the only time you will mess it up is after a few too many beers.

@lwrehm Thanks for the tip!  Any mess ups I'll blame on the beer!

DoubleEgger

This is what I learned making authentic Italian pizza in the throwdown. Never used paper. This works perfectly. 

"Using a wood (or aluminium) pizza peel, and a little flour, the ‘pizzaiolo’ (pizza maker) transfers the garnished pizza using a rotary movement. The pizza slides rapidly with a quick wrist movement performed by the ‘pizzaiolo’ (pizza maker) on to the cooking surface of the oven without allowing the condiment to move."

WeberWho

jtcBoynton said:

The only purpose of using corn meal, semolina, parchment etc is to be able to slide the raw dough off the peel onto the cooking surface. Never add it to the stone - that serves no purpose other than making burnt bits.  

@jtcBoynton Definitely figured that one out a few seconds after sprinkling a light coat on the stone.  10 seconds later I'm pushing it off the stone with my spatula. Lol.  Fortunately I was able to slide the pizza on the stone and have it cook up nicely 

WeberWho

DoubleEgger said:

This is what I learned making authentic Italian pizza in the throwdown. Never used paper. This works perfectly. 

"Using a wood (or aluminium) pizza peel, and a little flour, the ‘pizzaiolo’ (pizza maker) transfers the garnished pizza using a rotary movement. The pizza slides rapidly with a quick wrist movement performed by the ‘pizzaiolo’ (pizza maker) on to the cooking surface of the oven without allowing the condiment to move."

Thanks at @DoubleEgger Going to take some practice but would like to get away from amateur hour

Carolina Q

I use a tiny pinch of semolina on my wooden peel and build the pie on the peel. Shake the peel after each ingredient is added to keep it loose. Slides right off the peel and onto the bare, pre-heated stone at launch. Haven't made an inadvertent calzone yet! It's really not difficult. 

Here's an excellent Anthony Mangieri video that shows how he does it. He owns San Francisco's Una Pizza Napoletano, formerly in NYC where the vid was done. He builds a pie on a marble counter (supposed to be ideal for the purpose) and then drags it onto a lightly floured wooden peel. The actual pie building and launching starts at 3:00, but the whole vid is worth watching. 



I just got an 18 x 24 x 1 1/8" marble slab from my 99 year old Mom. She says it was her grandmothers! Used to be the top of a sideboard I think, but got broken somewhere along the line. She had it trimmed and was using it as the top for a small end table. Perfect size for making a pizza though I haven't used it yet. Hopefully I can figure out a permanent home for it... weighs a ton!

WeberWho

@Carolina Q Thanks a bunch!  What a great video. I watched it twice. Great visual with the peel and I also picked up a couple other tips. I have always just picked away the basil from the stem. I knew the stem was edible but thought maybe official Italian pizza only used the leafs. They just break it down whole. I have always cut the basil leafs down into smaller pieces. I've eaten Punch pizza before and should have realized they were whole leafs and not smaller basil pieces. I also need to learn not to bury everything in cheese. Keep the cheese at the bottom and toppings on top. Hence the word toppings right? I need to bust out the OO flour and get to work.  I'm happy to see my XL (used for pizza for the first time the other day) thermometer wrap around and get back to 200 degrees for heat. That should work nicely with the OO flour 

ChucktownEggHead

I definitely suggest using semolina over corn meal because it has no taste at all and works just as well. If you are into making pizza as I am and want to make your life easier check out the Super Peel. I have one and I love it. http://www.superpeel.com/videos.html

WeberWho

@ChucktownEggHead Thank you!  I remember seeing these a few years back. Nice to hear some feedback on them.  Is the cloth washable?

Botch

Finally had a chance to watch the video, thanks Q!  
 
It did demonstrate something that took me years to figure out (and the only time AB steered me wrong): don't punch pizza dough down and let it rise a second time, let it rise once, and form the pie.  If you go for a second rise, the gluten strengthens or something, and it's much harder to form the disk.  

blind99

@Carolina Q awesome video! Now I want pizza for dinner

NJ_BBQ

ChucktownEggHead said:

I definitely suggest using semolina over corn meal because it has no taste at all and works just as well. If you are into making pizza as I am and want to make your life easier check out the Super Peel. I have one and I love it. http://www.superpeel.com/videos.html

Chuck, do still use semolina when forming the pie or on the stone if you use the super peel?

ChucktownEggHead

@WeberWho? It is, it goes right in the laundry. 

@NJ_BBQ I don't think you would need it with the Super Peel but I do mainly because I was already in the habit of using from before I bought one. Also it definitely doesn't hurt because it has no taste or texture. I just roll the dough in some once before I stretch and throw it. I also sprinkle a little on the peel and then build the pie right on top. 

Carolina Q

NJ_BBQ said:

ChucktownEggHead said:

I definitely suggest using semolina over corn meal because it has no taste at all and works just as well. If you are into making pizza as I am and want to make your life easier check out the Super Peel. I have one and I love it. http://www.superpeel.com/videos.html

Chuck, do still use semolina when forming the pie or on the stone if you use the super peel?

The Superpeel always seemed like an expensive, unnecessary gimmick to me. My plain old cheap wooden peel has worked perfectly for 20 years or so. In my Egg, Weber kettle and oven.

Regardless of peel or cooker, nothing goes on the stone except the pie. No semolina, no cornstarch, no nuthin'. 

jollygreenegg

Use a wooden peel.  I use flour on the peel, enough to keep from sticking .  Also don't let the pizza sit too long on the peel otherwise moisture will start to get absorbed into the flour and the dough will stick.   My 2 cents.

THEBuckeye

jollygreenegg said:

Use a wooden peel.  I use flour on the peel, enough to keep from sticking .  Also don't let the pizza sit too long on the peel otherwise moisture will start to get absorbed into the flour and the dough will stick.   My 2 cents.

Bingo

Dust a wooden Peel

Easy Peasy