Home Made Pizza Help..... (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

Hey guys,

Anyone here make there own Pizza at Home? I'm one of the few people in the world who eat it without cheeze, so I usually like to get it from the store rather than order out and look unusual peeling off the cheeze ...

However, we use the Dough found at Stop and Shop... most of the time, it comes out a tad bit too thick, and I usually like to have a thin crust pizza. Is there any way to cook it so that the dough dosn't rise so much, yet it's mice and crispy?

Also, how does one make their own dough? I've always wnated to try that to make my own rolls and bagels and what have you.. The gu y across the street from us down the Jersey Shore always makes his own stuff like a regular cooking show cook would do, and I've always wanted to try it...

Thanks!

 

[Jack Fanning]

Is there any way to cook it so that the dough dosn't rise so much, yet it's mice and crispy?

Hehehe...now there's a topping for ya!!!

 

[DonRoeber]

Neil: try using less dough. It'll give you a thinner crust, which will be more crispy. As far as making your own dough, get a bread machine. Most have settings for making dough.

 

[LarryDavenport]

You should also poke holes in the dough to aerate it, preventing it from rising in the oven. You should also look into getting a pizza stone and peel.

 

[Shawn Solar]

1 pack yeast(warm in 2/3 cup water)

In a seperate bowl
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

mix in warm water/yeast slowly into bowl with other ingredients. It will be very sticky at first so use a fork. When it becomes more like dough cover hands in flour and kneed the dough by hand. folding it and using your knuckles to mix it together. I usaully add flour as I go cause it is pretty sticky at first. when it is like dough cover and let sit in bowl for 20-30min. or until it doubles in size. Use a large cookie sheet or even better a preforated sheet and there you go. I usually buy some good spegetti sauce that is chunky and spicy. I also buy a pack of sliced peperonni and load it up.

 

[JohnE]

I'd also highly recommend a pizza stone. It's a wonder waht a difference it makes.

 

[Lew Crippen]

No cheese? Try this (I’ve written this sauce before):

Chop two or three cloves of garlic finely and add to ¼ cup of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat sauté until gold (try not to let the garlic brown as it turns a bit bitter).

Meanwhile, chop up two or three tablespoons of flat parsley. Chop two or three anchovy fillets very fine. Open a can of plum tomatoes—Italian are best, but if these are unavailable, Progresso is pretty good. Chop the tomatoes coarsely.

When the garlic is golden, remove from heat and add the anchovies, return to the heat and cook for a minute, mashing the anchovies into the olive oil with a wooden spoon. Remove and add the parsley and cook over the heat for a minute.

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, including the juice and simmer for 20–30 minutes, uncovered.

Use this as your pizza sauce. I highly recommend topping the pizza with large, fresh basil leaves when it comes out of the oven. (if you wish sprinkle freshly grated parmesan over the pizza).

Or instead of the basil, top with whole black and green olives, capers and some chopped red chilies. Very good, indeed.

 

[Eric Mitchell]

I'm addicted to home made pizza right now and everything in this thread is good advice. I'd especially like to stress how great a pizza stone is! Use Shawn's recipe and let it rest for about 10 minutes after mixing and kneading (by hand or in a bread machine). Then, roll it real thin or spin it with your knuckles in the air if your adventurous. Heat the oven as hot as it will go (~550 in mine) and let the stone heat up too. Then add your toppings and using a peel put the pizza directly on the pizza stone. Cook it for about 8-10 minutes and your in heaven. My favorite toppings are plain crushed tomatoes for sauce, some basil leaves, and chunks of fresh mozzarella. another tip is when it comes out, give it a little olive oil right on top.

 

[JoelBdeau]

I've been making pizza once a week for about 3 years, I've tried lots of things and all this advice is good so far.

You need a pizza stone, and get it as hot as you can(I let mine preheat for about an hour) ~500 degrees. I use a metal mesh sheet like they use in a pizza shop. You can get one for like 2 bucks at a restaurant supply store(I had the link but I can't seem to find it)

If you like real krispy and you have a propane grill try this out. Put tinfoil over your grill grating and use the metal mesh sheet to put your pizza on. Heat the grill as hot as it will get, mine will get real real hot 650+. Place the pizza on the tinfoil(you cannot have the dough exposed to the direct heat of the propane, or it will burn) Make sure you do not have any hot spots either or you will have to rotate it frequently. The pizza comes out like a brick open pizza, the bottom is real krisp and the top is soft and mushy. Very good pizza but it's easy to burn, so be careful. Good luck and experimenting is the only way to find perfection!

 

[JohnE]

Damn Lew, I'm going to have to give that sauce recipe a try. I'm sitting here drooling like Homer Simpson after reading that.

 

[Lew Crippen]

And I second your pizza stone recommendation. Best way to simulate a real pizza oven.

BTW, that sauce is super easy to make once you have done it a couple of times. My wife and I use this (and some variations) as a base for various pasta dishes as well as a topping for pizza.

A hint, you want the anchovies to pretty much just disappear into the sauce. They add a depth of flavor that you can’t really identify—it just seems like a richer and more flavorful sauce when they are included.

 

[Jack Briggs]

It's the anchovies, Lew. Your sauce sounds magnificent otherwise (and I'm sure it is), but, well, the anchovies. Have you tried it without them?

 

[Angelo.M]

Lew's pizza topping/sauce combination borders very closely on a classic Italian sauce--puttanesca ("whore"; the sauce's name goes back to Italian folklore--ladies of questionable repute would make it to lure potential mates). It's a combination of olives (black), capers, tomato, anchovies and lemon, and it's outstanding; one of my very favorite sauces going back to childhood. Never had it on a pizza but, hey, why not.

And, the anchovies in this sauce, if made properly, do not lend a "fishy" quality that turns people off to the little fish. Instead, it adds a rich flavor--I agree w/ Lew.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Many times Jack—while both my wife and I consider ourselves competent cooks and usually have a well-stocked pantry—I’ve done this without the anchovies, without the parsley (and substituting curly for flat) and without both.

Never without the crucial step of sautéing the garlic in the olive oil however. Back to the question, Jack, it is very good without the anchovies.

And never without a glass of decent red wine (or a good beer) for an accompaniment

A meal without wine, is like a day without sunshine!


I think that the next time this subject comes up, I’ll give a couple of fresh tomato sauce recipes—though they are not so quick as the canned one.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Angelo, you are correct—I got the idea for the toppings I mentioned from linguine alla puttanesca—just adapted the concept to have perhaps a bit more zing (hence the addition of some green olives). I have had puttanesca with some red pepper included, so I add a bit of that or chili—depends on my feeling of the moment—how much is of course, to taste—but not too much as you don’t want to overpower everything else.

 

[JayV]

Jack, you might want to give it a shot with the anchovies first. After all, most people happily eat Caeser salads who otherwise wouldn't eat anchovies!

-j

 

[Jack Briggs]

I'm more willing to take the anchovie testimonies on faith!

Really, though, I can see how they might, if pulled off so subtly as Lew and Angelo suggest, truly add to the overall flavor.

 

[Scott L]

Have you guys tried the new Philly Cheesesteak pizza at Dominos? No tomato sauce at all and tastes very good.

ps- I work at Dominos but don't let that deter you. :p)

 

[NickSo]

Damn, why did i have to click this thread... Now im hungry... and all i got is 3/4 a frozen pizza in the freezer...

 

[Angelo.M]

Never without the crucial step of sautéing the garlic in the olive oil however...

Well, Lew, it seems that we share a love of cooking. I think the addition of red pepper is a good one.

Speaking of, when I saute garlic for my pasta sauce, I always add 3-5 flakes of dried, crushed red pepper flakes to the oil for added zing. I find that this really adds to the robustness of the sauce, more so than adding the flakes to the sauce nearer its finish.