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New York Style Pizza - Attempt 1

Griffin
Griffin Posts: 8,200
edited August 2012 in EggHead Forum

I've been wanting to branch out and try my hand at making other kinds of pizza lately. My biggest problem is that I don't plan ahead well, and a lot of doughs take time to prepare. Not something you can come home from work and whip up. Now there's nothing wrong with buying store bought dough when in a pinch (or from a local place) or using a bread machine dough (I do both all the time), but there are other types of pizza I've been wanting to try, one of them being New York style. I decided to go with the recipe on the Serious Eats website for my first attempt.

I made the dough Tuesday after work so that it would have time for a cold fermenting in the fridge for 24 hours. Interestingly enough, their recipe calls for making the dough in a food processor.
image

Wednesday, I took the dough out of the fridge and allowed it to warm up for two hours in the oven with the light on. Dough was a little stickier to work with at first than what i've been used to, but with a bit of flour it became easier. Kept the sauce light, went with fresh grated mozz, a bit of Asiago, some parm-regg and just a sprinkle of cheddar and then topped it with pepperoni.
image

The recipe had it going for 12-15 minutes at 500F. This is about halfway through. I didn't like how the crust was coming along, so I brushed it with some olive oil with some garlic powder mixed in.
image

After 15 minutes, I went ahead and pulled the pie. Wasn't quite happy with the top, but was afraid the bottom was going to get burned, so I brought it inside and popped it under the broiler for a minute of two.
image

Bottom
image

Required side view of the crust
image

Wasn't quite what I was expecting, but getting closer. And some of that is my fault. I didn't read the recipe carefully and when I went to make the dough Tuesday I saw that it called for bread flour. All I had was AP flour. That probably made the most difference.

Second, at this I'm not sure on, the recipe calls for Instant Yeast. What I had was Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast. I really don't know if they are the same, but I looked in the store and nothing said Instant Yeast. So I don't know if that was a factor.

Third, the recipe says it will make 3 12-14" pies. I generally make my pies in the 12" range (as that's how big my pizza pan is which I carry it out to the Egg on). I thought the dough was a little bit on the thick side when I stretched it out to 12". Maybe if I had stretched it out more so that it was thinner, but then would it have fit on the Egg? I think I'm gonna cut some of the dough out of the next ball and try and get it thinner.

I still have two dough balls to play with, so I think I'm gonna experiment and see how a 3 day fermenting process works out (and a 5 day after that). I think I'm on the right track and next time for sure I'm going to make sure to use bread flour. Half the fun in making pizzas is trying over and over again to get that perfect one, right?

Rowlett, Texas

Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

 

Comments

  • Kristinnn
    Kristinnn Posts: 133
    im drooling here.
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Thank you, kindly. I gotta get that dough thinner somehow, but I was afraid of tearing it.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • AleBrewer
    AleBrewer Posts: 555
    Pizza looks good. I'm in the same boat.....never plan ahead to make dough the day before!

    There is a pretty good pizza forum where I get dough and sauce recipes and tips from:

    http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php

    There are some really good NY style dough recipes there.
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Cool, I'll have to check that out later when I have more time. Thanks for the link.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Yeah, the food processor really threw me for a loop. Who uses a food processor to make dough? But figured why not give it a shot?

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • MikeP624
    MikeP624 Posts: 292

    I have used that dough recipe and their sauce recipe.  The bread flour helps.  But i did have some trouble getting the dough thin enough.  Seemed like it was going to tear.

    I like the detail they going to on that site about why the food processor.  It might be a load of crap, but atleast they gave a reason.  I did find that doing multiple small batches in the food processor helped.  I tried one big batch and ended up starting over because the dough was wierd.  The second batch was easier to stretch.

  • BuckeyeBob
    BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
    edited August 2012
    Griffin, As for the problem on the radiant heat in the dome less than on the stone, I was intrigued by a recent post: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1142061/three-minute-pizza#latest He used Two Plate Setters with the pizza in the middle. Wouldn't that help to radiate heat back down? I was thinking of trying the next time I make pizza.
    Clarendon Hills, IL
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Somehow I missed that thread. Very cool idea and that is exactly what it would do. I usually don't have a problem with the top of my pizzas finishing, but I also usually cook them higher than 500F. I think on my next one I am going to try placewetter legs UP, grate, BGE grate extender, then the pizza stone. Should give me more elevation with what I have on hand and not need to spend any more money.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • anez
    anez Posts: 150
    Griffin, what kind of pizza stone would you recommend for a newbie?
  • rickHP
    rickHP Posts: 49
    edited August 2012

    Second, at this I'm not sure on, the recipe calls for Instant Yeast. What I had was Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast. I really don't know if they are the same, but I looked in the store and nothing said Instant Yeast. So I don't know if that was a factor.

     

    Instant Yeast is not the same as Rapid Rise. It's not carried by a lot of stores and you might have to mail order it. It usually comes in vacuum packed blocks, like some coffees but smaller. In my experience it lasts forever if refrigerated or frozen.

    You can translate recipes from one to the other. You could probably google for the differences in proportions, but it probably isn't that different when working in the one/two pizza amount of dough range. The bigger issue might be that instant yeast can be added directly to the flour while other yeasts like Rapid Rise should be pre-proofed in warm water, otherwise they may not activate correctly. Hard to tell if this makes a difference in a 24 hour fermentation, but it could be as much a factor as the type of flour.

  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Griffin, what kind of pizza stone would you recommend for a newbie?

    Get the BGE one. Thicker than others out there and won't crack under the heat like Pampered Chef and some others have.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • NIce work, Griffin! I was looking to do this same exercise this weekend. Experiment on my in-laws :D
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • Second, at this I'm not sure on, the recipe calls for Instant Yeast. What I had was Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast. I really don't know if they are the same, but I looked in the store and nothing said Instant Yeast. So I don't know if that was a factor.

     

    Instant Yeast is not the same as Rapid Rise. It's not carried by a lot of stores and you might have to mail order it. It usually comes in vacuum packed blocks, like some coffees but smaller. In my experience it lasts forever if refrigerated or frozen.

    You can translate recipes from one to the other. You could probably google for the differences in proportions, but it probably isn't that different when working in the one/two pizza amount of dough range. The bigger issue might be that instant yeast can be added directly to the flour while other yeasts like Rapid Rise should be pre-proofed in warm water, otherwise they may not activate correctly. Hard to tell if this makes a difference in a 24 hour fermentation, but it could be as much a factor as the type of flour.

    RickHP-

    You know, I think they carry Instant Yeast at Publix. At least at my Publix in Gainesvile, GA carries it...You have one close to you, Griffin?


     

    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    I found an explanation of the differences...  Don't know how accurate it is.

    http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/2815/active-yeast-vs-instant-yeast
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    So whats the biggest size pizza stone on a Large BGE?

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • gerhardk
    gerhardk Posts: 942
    I would not worry about the type of yeast so much as to follow the instructions that come with the yeast.  You are basically reviving a bacterial culture and you want it to be in the approximate strength the recipe calls for but in baking there are many variables so having a little more yeast or little less will not wreck the recipe.  Temperature and time are important as well but the most important part is developing a feel for dough.

    Gerhard
  • RocEGG
    RocEGG Posts: 89
    I'd second the comment about bread flour helping. I have done that recipe for dough and when I tried it with AP it turned out good, but didn't stretch thin as easily. I did it the first time in the food processor but since then I have done it in the stand mixer with a dough hook and it turns out nicely. I do it that way as it is easier to clean up.

    As it is you dough looks great, nicely risen in that side shot.
    Rochester, NY  - XL BGE
  • Wow!  What a beautiful pie!
    1large BGE and 1 well used mini BGE living in coastal South and North Carolina!
  • The King Arthur Flour website may sell the instant. They have lots of cool stuff. I don't work for them... just shop online a lot and came across the site one day
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    Thank you, kindly. I gotta get that dough thinner somehow, but I was afraid of tearing it.
    Are you hand working the dough.  I find a rolling pin lets me get really thin crusts.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • 10Driver
    10Driver Posts: 88
    Fleischmans "Bread Machine" yeast is instant yeast. The big difference being that you don't have to proof instant yeast, although some people still do. Instant yeast can be mixed in with the dry ingredients. Cook's Illustrated has a "75-minute" pizza dough for those nights when you don't have a lot of time. It is surprisingly good and also uses the food pro.