First attempt @ home made pizza!!!

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bfunk13 said:
I have made 5-6 pizzas now.
The last one was by far the best. I would say restaurant quality.
My neighbor jokingly called the other night to order a pizza. He was surprised when i brought one over about 45 minutes later.
It was really good with the cooler full of beer he always has on hand.
I think i finally got my crust just about perfect. This beats pizza hut and dominoes any day.

Here is last nights pie.

Man, you're killin' me.
Going to make some dough right now. :lol:
 
Yours looks better than mine! Mine always turn out odd shapes, uneven crust- some places super thick, other parts of it are super thin... I don't think I was ment to be a pizza chef!
 
We haven't bought pizza for years. Now on our second stone. I'll take a shot of our next batch.
 
bfunk13 said:
the crust bakes up like brick oven NY style.

Your Pizza looks great, but "NY pizza" is not made brick oven style. It is a thin, but kinda soft crust. Only the rounded edges should be hard, but only as hard as a good fresh Italian bread. As far as I know, you can only get NY style pizza in NY. Even close by NJ, or CT pizza is just different.

We do what Jake does at home. Pre-made dough on one of those round pans with the holes in it.

I guess the pizza is better than the smokes! How much weight have you gained since you quit last month?
 
I've made pizza for years. Make dough from scratch, etc. I gave up on the spinning, it's just not happening
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First helper for Bfunk ... it's OK to use a rolling pin to get the shape, just finalize it on the paddle and pinch your crust and let it rise for 15 - 20 minutes or so ;-)


First time was the Dixettes & moi's first Christmas on our own. Forever to be known as Christmas Pizza, she gave me a stone, paddle, wheel, and a few other things for Christmas that year. Installed horse fencing all summer, so she had a few bucks. We still make it every couple of years, for fist pumps
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Pen, what is the process of making a Sicilian pizza? What recipe do you use?
 
For a thicker crust Sicilian I've used essentially a focaccia bread recipe (without herbs usually) for about 15 years and it works great, but I play around all the time. What's great about any dough is that the way you treat it is often just as important as the recipe itself. The amount of salt used determines the amount of yeast needed. Slow cold rises often add a slightly different and more complex taste than a fast rise on the counter. Using different fats will make big differences, etc, etc. Some recipes call for no sugars at all, others no fats at all, etc. That's why it's so fun to play with.

So long as you wind up w/ the right consistency when done kneading you have pizza dough regardless of the recipe. If you play and it's not your favorite, you still had supper and can simply try again next time.

pen
 
I've had the best luck putting the pizza dough directly on the grill grates...no pan....no stone. Gets it really crispy...but chewy on the inside.

Get the grill screamin' hot...like 600 - 700.

Get some veggies and grill them up for a few minutes to soften them up...but don't overcook...tender-crisp.

Put the dough on for about 60-90 seconds until it bubbles a little, then flip it. 2nd side goes down for about 30 seconds.

Pull the crust off the grill and top it (topping go on side that was down on grill first) with homemade sauce, cheese, and veggies. Put pizza back on lower indirect heat (400 - 450) until cheese gets the way you like it.
 
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lukem said:
I've had the best luck putting the pizza dough directly on the grill grates...no pan....no stone. Gets it really crispy...but chewy on the inside.

Get the grill screamin' hot...like 600 - 700.

Get some veggies and grill them up for a few minutes to soften them up...but don't overcook...tender-crisp.

Put the dough on for about 60-90 seconds until it bubbles a little, then flip it. 2nd side goes down for about 30 seconds.

Pull the crust off the grill and top it (topping go on side that was down on grill first) with homemade sauce, cheese, and veggies. Put pizza back on lower indirect heat (400 - 450) until cheese gets the way you like it.

That sounds good. I am going to have to try that on the grill.

I place most of my pizza crust right on the rake in the oven. Must place slightly above the middle so that top cooks fast enough and will get done about the same time as the bottom. This works great with the fresh pre-made crust I buy from the grocery deli. It is almost impossible to do with home made crust. Not firm enough. I will take a home made crust and cook it on a pizza pan or stone for a little while, then when firm enough transfer it right to the rack for the last few minutes. I like my crust a little crispier as well. Another thing I like to do when I make my pizza is put all the toppings on top of the sauce first, then load the chese on and cook. When you eat it like that you don't have to worry about toppings falling off. And the flavor is trapped right in there for ya. Getting hungry already. Just had pizza yesterday. I need to wait until tommorrow at least. :)
 
Ok, this is getting crazy.
But Gooood!
 

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My pizza game has improved. Now making a home made sauce that is the best and this pie has my first attempt at home made mozzarella.
 

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Damn that looks great!
You guyz rock in the cooking department!
Homemade mozzarella? Wowza...you get bonus points for that!:)
 
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Thanks Gamma, the mozz was very good. Need to find some fresh milk though. I hear fresh buffalo milk makes the best mozzarella. Good luck finding that one.
 
Mozzarella and Stromboli. Seriously Freakin' good!DSC06468.JPGDSC06545.JPG
 
The pizza looks great! You are really getting this down pat. And you're making me really hungry! ;)
 
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The pizza looks great! You are really getting this down pat. And you're making me really hungry! ;)


Me too...and Holy Crap...Bfunk...your friggin doggie got huge...I just saw your new avatar.
Are you feeding him all that good pizza and stromboli?:)
 
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Bfunk. Looks awesome. I tried a really good pizza when I was in a little town down south one time. Very good. They used a good prov. cheese on it. I know. I thought, prov.? I have always had mozz. on mine. Turned out it was great. They did not put as much cheese on it as you would a mozz. Just a thin layer covering the whole thing. I have not done it yet, but want to try making a home made za with a combination of good mozz., good prov.. and some parm. sprinkled on it. I also like a home made with mozz., pepperoni and canadian bacon. Don't eat too much pizza and beer. (I love both as well.:) ) Or you will end up having to talk to the doctor and he/she will put you on a diet with no pizza and beer! Not good.:(
 
Me too...and Holy Crap...Bfunk...your friggin doggie got huge...I just saw your new avatar.
Are you feeding him all that good pizza and stromboli?:)
And that is an old picture. He is every bit of 65 lbs @ 5 months. I am currently taking donations to help feed him. And for the camper shell i am buying for my truck so i can take him places.
 
I use a greased cookie tray, 425* for 10min then add the cheese. Make 20oz loafs rather than the 16oz. make it a little thicker and easier to spread. It is amazing the difference in dough, I buy from 3 different Italian bakeries and can tell witch one came from where just by the taste.
 
I've had the best luck putting the pizza dough directly on the grill grates...no pan....no stone. Gets it really crispy...but chewy on the inside.

Get the grill screamin' hot...like 600 - 700.

Get some veggies and grill them up for a few minutes to soften them up...but don't overcook...tender-crisp.

Put the dough on for about 60-90 seconds until it bubbles a little, then flip it. 2nd side goes down for about 30 seconds.

Pull the crust off the grill and top it (topping go on side that was down on grill first) with homemade sauce, cheese, and veggies. Put pizza back on lower indirect heat (400 - 450) until cheese gets the way you like it.


We do it JUST like that on our Big Green Egg. We don't make our own dough, but the local Hannaford carries whole wheat pizza dough & it's deelish!
 
We do it JUST like that on our Big Green Egg. We don't make our own dough, but the local Hannaford carries whole wheat pizza dough & it's deelish!
I would like to try the BGE. It seems to be the next best thing to a real wood fired brick oven? Does the bottom get done before the top?
 
I would like to try the BGE. It seems to be the next best thing to a real wood fired brick oven? Does the bottom get done before the top?

We use the method cited above: Throw the dough on the grate for a coupla minutes, then remove it. Flip it over
& add your topping to the cooked side & put it back on the grate for a coupla more minutes. We try to get the BGE to 450 - 500 degrees & the amount of cooking time varies with the thickness of your pie...ANYTHING we've cooked on the Egg has come out better each successive time we used it. Finally got ribs down to a science & my tri-tips & briskets are pretty good. Still working on the turkey thing, tho...
 
I don't think I put this link up on this thread yet. Here is a good site for outdoor pizza ovens. They are a little big. I'd probably make a smaller adobe mud oven and then regret not making the bigger one. The Weber does ok, but does not hold the heat well like a BGE/Kamado cooker.

http://www.traditionaloven.com/ovens.html
 
I don't think I put this link up on this thread yet. Here is a good site for outdoor pizza ovens. They are a little big. I'd probably make a smaller adobe mud oven and then regret not making the bigger one. The Weber does ok, but does not hold the heat well like a BGE/Kamado cooker.

http://www.traditionaloven.com/ovens.html

I have been researching and drooling over the backyard brick ovens for awhile now. I think there would nothing cooler than to have a summer pizza bbq in one of these. I see fornobravo.com sells some prefabbed ones. Still a pretty penny. Some day i will have one.
 
Ok, I've been thinking bout using my insert for a higher purpose. What is the method, in terms of keeeping the door, keeping the temp up....I'm thinking these pies aren't being cooked on secondary flames? Also, what abou a Chicago style pizza in a caste iron skillet...is it even possible?
 
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