Thin pizza crust

MickeyT · January 2005

My son and I were goofin around last night and wanted to make a pizza. As they were good, the dough was just too thick. Is there a trick I should know about? We couldn't get a bigger (square pie mostly) round pie to save our souls.[p]Here's to square pies.[p]Mck

BBQfan1 · January 2005

MickeyT,
Chances are it was the flour you were using. Low or no gluten-based doughs will be more in the high rise style of Chicago deep dish and high gluten flours will produce doughs more in line with New York style pizzas, which it sounds like you were after. Try using bread flour, unbleached white hard flour or an all-purpose flour with a bit of olive oil in the dough recipe. The higher gluten content in these doughs makes for a stretchier more elastic dough so you may have to work it harder to get rolled/formed, but it should yield a type of crust that is thinner and crisper outside, dense and spongy interior.
Qfan
[ul][li]Lozza pizza info here![/ul]

Unknown · January 2005

MickeyT,as a transplant from Chicago to Atlanta I was forced to make my own pizza in the south. I have fooled with it the last couple years and have arrived at this method. A.Mix together the following either in a bowl or in a stand mixer - 2.5 teaspoons yeast, 1/2 cup 110 degree water,1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon honey. Let sit 20 minutes. B. Add 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup 110 degree water, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix. Knead or mix in 1-1.5 additional cups of flour to a slightly sticky mixture. C. Put in oil lined bowl - rise 1-1.5 hours. D. Punch down and split into three equal balls. Each will make a 12-14 inch pie. Press on flour sprinkled counter by hand into 12 inch rounds - let rest 5 minutes. Then take a dough roller pin and gently press from center out. I will then "dock" the dough - take a fork and lightly puncture the round. I also like to pre-cook the dough 1-2 minutes per side before building the pie. I am in Chicago several times a year on business/pleasure and have managed to pull some secrets out of some of the pizza joints up there - one in particular is Foxes on the south side. Another big difference is using San Marzano tomatoes. Sorry for the long response and by the way the rings work as advertised.

Borders · January 2005

MickeyT, Even I can't screw this one up. Well, yeah, I can, but very seldom. This is Mr Hyde recipe, and it works great. I cook mine at 450 with good results.[p]Scott
Well, it took a while for me to get it all written up, but here is Mr. Hyde's Pizza Recipe for those who asked.... [p]For the Dough...
1 pkg. active dry yeast (NOT the Rapid Rise kind)
1 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (105° - 115°)
3 1/3 cups high gluten flour (King Arthurs)
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil [p]In a 2-cup measuring cup, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy, maybe 3-5 minutes. Using a food processor with the dough blade attached, add flour, salt and 2 tsp olive oil to the bowl. Using the dough setting, pour the yeast liquid through the feed tube as fast as the flour will absorb it. Process until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. Continue to process about 30 more seconds to knead the dough. Put a little olive oil on your hands and lift the dough out. Coat the dough with the remaining 1 tsp olive oil, transfer to a large Ziploc bag and seal bag. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour. Punch dough down and let rise a second time (another hour). When ready, put a little olive oil on your hands and remove dough from Ziploc bag. Cut into two pieces and form into 2 dough balls. Place dough balls on an oiled cookie sheet and flatten into 2 discs (about 1” thick). Let proof uncovered in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours or overnight. Makes two 14” pizzas. Meanwhile, prepare toppings for pizzas. [p]When ready, set cooker up for an indirect cook with platesetter legs down and pizza stone on top. Preheat cooker, setter, and stone to 550°. While cooker is preheating, spray pizza screen with Pam and make pizzas. [p]For the Pizzas...
Roasted garlic infused olive oil (about 1 tbsp)
1/2 to 3/4 cup red sauce (spaghetti, marinara, pizza, whatever you have)
Parmesan cheese (about 2 tbsp), grated
Mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 lb), shredded
Roasted garlic (5-6 cloves), chopped
Toppings (onion, peppers, olives, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms)
***above estimated amounts are for one pizza [p]Take a dough ball and roll out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. For best results, throw pizza dough and spin in the air so that centrifugal force moves the dough to the outside of the circle to form a thicker crust around the edge. If you’re not comfortable with throwing the pie, you can stretch it by hand. Place the dough onto the pizza screen and shape as needed. Lightly brush dough with garlic-infused olive oil until lightly coated. Add sauce, starting in the center and spreading in a circular fashion out to the edges, using the bottom of a spoon or ladle. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Then sprinkle with about 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Add roasted garlic and additional toppings, if desired. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Place pizza screen with pizza into cooker and bake for about 5 minutes. Check pizza for bubbles, and if present, poke with a long-handled fork to deflate. Also, turn pizza 180° to get an even browning of the crust. Let cook 3-5 more minutes. If it looks like the top is done but the crust needs a little more browning, use the peel to lift the pizza off the screen and place directly on the stone for another minute. Leave the dome open so the toppings don’t get overdone. Remove from cooker and let sit for 5 minutes before eating. [p]Enjoy,
Tonia
:~) [p][p]

Freak · January 2005

MickeyT,[p]Send Smokin' Joe a note. He is da' man when it comes to pizza dough and thin crusts. He can make a thin crust like nobody I know... [p]-Tom

Unknown · January 2005

MickeyT,[p]Whatsamatter with square pizza? If your dough was too thick, just roll it out to the thickness you want. This way you can cut it round and to the diameter you want and then roll up the edges for your crust. [p]I would assume that you wanted the dough thin as you are interested in thin and crispy crust. There are several ways to get a great pizza with this type of crust. [p]First thing I would say is that moisture is the main problem with getting a great thin and crispy crust for most pizza cooks. A fellow should do everything possible to keep moisture out of the pizza. Regardless of what you put on it, be sure to pre-cook all the veggies and meat and then drain off the moisture. Next, pizza isn't rocket science and make the dough as simple as possible but do make it dry and not sticky. Great dough only has 5 ingredients and just don't try to come up with something new and expect the pizza to come out great. [p]Now for baking. Any pizza or hearth bread should be done on a hearth stone for best results. These stones are pourus (sp) and will pull the moisture out of your crust if you have the pizza or bread on the cooker long enough. While this won't seem right, just lower your baking temp if you have problems with a crispy crust. Be sure to place your baking hearth seup in the cooker just after you start your fire for best results. [p]Last but not least, for a better pizza, just leave about three of your normal ingredients or toppings out of it and bake it up and I think you might like it better. [p]Dave

Jose' · January 2005

MickeyT,
www.pizzamaking.com

Nature Boy · January 2005

Dang it is good to have you posting here, Dave. As usual, this is all excellent advice.
Have you tried this 24 hour rise that Qfan's link talked about? I think I might have to give that a go. So far, the nicest crust I have made is Mr. Hyde's. Crunchy, but a little chew.
Cheers!
Chris

Nature Boy · January 2005

BBQfan1,
Nice link, dudlio. The high gluten king arthurs is harder to find anyways, and I have been using a box of "gluten", where you add a couple tbsps to the regular flour. It helps, but I think there is no topping the crust I got when I used the KA's High Gluten flour. Have you tried this seperate "gluten in-a-box"? Do you have a favorite high gluten flour??
Chris

Nature Boy · January 2005

GoIrish,
Interestin! Thanks for sharing your technique. What kind of flour do you use?
Happy cookin
Chris

RRP · January 2005

Old Dave,
Do many people know that you actually were in the pizza business? Afterall that lends even more weight to your advice IMHO.
PS bet you don't remember even telling me that - my mind is like a sponge and I can remember some of the smallest details - except where I put my glasses sometimes!

Unknown · January 2005

Old Dave,[p]Sounds like a knowledgeable pizza guy her to ask do you put the pizza right on the stone with no pan in between? It's been asked here before, but what do you think?

Unknown · January 2005

GoIrish,[p]I gotta ask you too since your expertise seems appopriate for the question - do you place the pizza directly on the stone without any pan in between? Like I said it's been asked here before but some of you guys sound like you should know for sure.

QBabe · January 2005

MickeyT,[p]Here's how Larry does them. I'm not fond of thick crust pizzas and his are fantastic. He worked for years in the pizza business and having that experience to draw from has made me a very lucky woman indeed![p]Tonia
:~)[p]BTW, I just wanted to say thanks again for donating two sets of Micky T's rings to our door prizes at the upcoming Florida Eggfest!
[ul][li]Pizza a la Mr. Hyde (now Brutus)[/ul]

Unknown · February 2005

Chet,[p]Yes, I do put the pizza right on the hearth stone. To do otherwise, would defeat the purpose of the stone.[p]Dave

Unknown · February 2005

Nature Boy,[p]I have tried some longer proofing times and do think it makes for a better dough in most cases. We did a large pizza bake at the Nelsonville contest on Friday evening and all my dough was proofed for two full days in the cooler. I made it on the Wednesday afternoon and then left for the contest on Thursday morning. [p]I really don't care for slab or thin and crispy pizza. I do like thick and chewy pizza the best. [p]Have a grate day,[p]Dave

Unknown · February 2005

Morning Ron,[p]I have made a few pizzas over the years but that really doesn't make me an expert. I love all types of bread baking and do it often. I also have made many mistakes with this hobby and am always learning more each day. Kinda like bbq, you just never quit learning. [p]Are you gonna do the Mini-Eggfest in Peoria this year?[p]Have a good day,[p]Dave

Nature Boy · February 2005

Thanks Dave.
I can go either way, but the missuz loves the crust thin. So, how was the two-day proofed pizza at Nelsonvilee, and what (if anything) do you do differently to the dough if you will be proofing that long?[p]Nelsonville is pencilled in on our schedule. We hope to make it out there this year.
Good day back toya fraind!
Chris

Unknown · February 2005

Nature Boy,[p]The dough worked fine and the only problem I had is that I started with a cooler that was a little small. We had a lot of dough as we served 128 portions. Really great party![p]Love to see you in Nelsonville this year. [p]Dave

RRP · February 2005

Old Dave,
Assuming the Peoria dealer will be having his mini-fest for the third year then the answer is yes. Besides I believe he moves product rather well in those 5 hours so he has an incentive. It's not like that Peoria event you attended last year down on the river in the grass lawn. This is at the end of an asphalt parking lot - and it's a "dry" event...

Thin pizza crust

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