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First-time pizza

SaturdayFatterday
SaturdayFatterday Posts: 468
edited May 2013 in EggHead Forum

Decided to give pizza a shot.  Results were, overall, good and delicious, at any rate.

Used a homemade dough (all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt, oil, 110*F water), and homemade sauce.  Setup was PS with legs up, then tri-level grid.  Heated the Egg to 400-500*F while rolling out the first crust (the perfect circle shape is because my wife - an incredibly talented cook - did the kneading and roll-out) and topping it, then threw the vents open.  (Side note: this was the first time that the Egg didn't light well simply by using the paraffin/sawdust lighters, so I was forced to break out something more fun, pictured below).  Introduced the first pizza (sausage) on the pizza stone, just to see what would happen if they went on simultaneously.  Had trouble with the crust sticking - not sure whether that was because the stone was not heated or because we didn't use enough cornmeal between crust and stone - but, with the exception of one slice, the pizza was hand-edible, and it was all delicious.
Because the crust stuck to the stone, we flipped the stone before introducing the second pizza (margherita).  Gotta say - that one turned out pretty much perfect for our pizza tastes.
All in all, a good first try, and something off which we can build.
Now, pics:  

imageimageimageimageimageimageimageimageimage

[Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.

Comments

  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    Looks great to me, I gotta get me a pizza peel so I can start doing this kind of stuff.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • JerkChicken
    JerkChicken Posts: 551
    =D>

    Wow, looks delicious! Congrats on the first of many!
    LBGE, Weber OTG w/ Rotisserie, Weber Genesis S-330, Chargriller Duo, AR-15, AK-47
  • Randy1
    Randy1 Posts: 379
    Impressive!
    Maumelle, Arkansas
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Very nice pizza.  Looks great.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • biznork
    biznork Posts: 112
    You don't need a pizza peel @scottborasjr. I actually think it's easier to use parchment paper and pull the paper after a few minutes even though I have this fancy super peel thing.
  • @Scottborasjr:  I should have mentioned before how much I dig your name.  This is the pizza peel we use (we also use their cutting boards - really great when you want to keep your knives sharp):  http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14457607

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    @biznork so if you use parchment paper do you just use a spatula to pull the pie?

    @SaturdayFatterday nice looking peel, and nice looking pies. Thanks for the handle complement, but it's been a nick name I've had for a while.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • GA_Dawgs
    GA_Dawgs Posts: 273
    Pizzas look great, especially for a first time!
  • @Scottborasjr: Thanks! Are you in the sports agency industry? My buddy's brother is a statistician for a large agency.

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    edited May 2013
    @SaturdayFatterday No, I wish I was. It was my ideal job being a 5 foot 6 inch no talent jock that wasn't Mugsy Bogues. In High School and college I was the total effort, no talent guy that got to be on the team but never played.  I was in charge of keeping the star players out of trouble which led to a lot of Friday and Saturday nights driving  around with intoxicated athletes that were way more talented then me. My High school coach started calling me that and it kinda stuck.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • biznork
    biznork Posts: 112
    Yes. I pull the paper from under the pizza after a few minutes and use a spatula to help get it off the stone when it's done cooking. 
  • SaturdayFatterday
    SaturdayFatterday Posts: 468
    edited May 2013
    I'll wager that "total effort" has served you better than natural talent served the other guys. Judging from your picture, you're a happy dad, which I know, as a father of a wonderful little girl myself, is the best job around.

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,023
    Wow!!! Those pizzas look amazing. Especially the one with the mozzarella pearls. :)
  • @Dyal_SC: thanks! I gotta give credit to the wife for dressing that one - all I did was put it on and take it off the Egg.

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,023
    Well both look amazing. ;) Even if your wife's pizza is a tad better. :D Just messin'... :D
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Those pies look terrific for a first effort. My pizzas don't look as good, and i thought I made pretty decent pies. Strong work!

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • @Dyal_SC: it's a fact that she outdid me here, but that's what you get when you marry a woman with a chemistry degree and a culinary school diploma. I'm used to it :P

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
  • TFols
    TFols Posts: 241
    biznork said:

    You don't need a pizza peel @scottborasjr. I actually think it's easier to use parchment paper and pull the paper after a few minutes even though I have this fancy super peel thing.

    @biznork I have one of those fancy super peels as well and haven't used the belt in months since one of the plastic clips decided it want to take a dive into the red hot lump. IMO the parchment paper trick works great.
    Bloomfield, NJ
  • Jamieoro
    Jamieoro Posts: 180
    Looks great! You motivated me to try for a rounder pie for today's pizza cook. I usually let the dough choose it's own shape! Pizza is so fun (and delicious)! I want to try a Neapolitan pie with 00 flour but haven't found it anywhere... Do you or your wife have any ideas where to get some? Have a good rest of the weekend!
  • @Jamieoro:  pizza IS fun!  We used AP flour for this cook, and haven't really looked into the availability of 00 in the area yet.  However, I'm definitely going to start looking around:  I'm going to start at Whole Foods and Wegmans.  I do know that King Arthur makes a 00 clone that you can order from their website, but it's $2.67/# ($7.99 for a 3# bag).  If I spot anything, I'll let you know.

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.