Share Your Best Pizza Dough...

TechMinerUK · 9 Apr 2016 at 16:13

Im back again, I've recently been looking at different Pizza methods and I'm wondering which would be the best investments to up my game. Currently I don't have a Pizza paddle (Makes it a PIA to move Pizza onto the stone) and also my oven and stone combination is a bit lacking.

After reading here I'm torn between a Pizza steel, G3 oven or save up for an Uni as these all look like decent soloutions for a high temperature oven to cook the Pizza to get the firm base.

So does anyone have any ideas on what may suit me better?

jpaul · 9 Apr 2016 at 17:04

I currently have a circular 33cm pizza stone, but seeing the recommendations for steel where can I pick up a circular one. ?
The site jimbofett recommended seem to be just square and also all ~£77 !

Does steel clean as easily as stone, which I typically just scrape with a knife if there are a few bits of cheese that overflow, and it is pretty non-stick otherwise just needing to dust of polenta remnants after use.

TechMinerUK if you want a good value paddle IMHOP I got one of these but from Argos and it is fine.

I have been using dough from a sourdough starter prepared in a Pan'y bread machine,
great flavour (sometimes include some Cayenne in the mix?) I just have to restrain
myself from rolling it with rolling pin as opposed to shaping by hand, which definitely
knocks the life out of it.

TechMinerUK · 9 Apr 2016 at 18:41

jpaul said:
I currently have a circular 33cm pizza stone, but seeing the recommendations for steel where can I pick up a circular one. ?
The site jimbofett recommended seem to be just square and also all ~£77 !Does steel clean as easily as stone, which I typically just scrape with a knife if there are a few bits of cheese that overflow, and it is pretty non-stick otherwise just needing to dust of polenta remnants after use.
TechMinerUK if you want a good value paddle IMHOP I got one of these but from Argos and it is fine.
I have been using dough from a sourdough starter prepared in a Pan'y bread machine,
great flavour (sometimes include some Cayenne in the mix?) I just have to restrain
myself from rolling it with rolling pin as opposed to shaping by hand, which definitely
knocks the life out of it.

Excellent stuff and not badly priced either, I don't suppose you have any recommendations for a Pizza oven or steel?

Itchytrigg · 11 Apr 2016 at 11:55

Any one have a gluten-free recipe? My wife had become gluten intolerant so my pizza stone is feeling unloved of late.

TechMinerUK · 11 Apr 2016 at 19:40

Itchytrigg said:
Any one have a gluten-free recipe? My wife had become gluten intolerant so my pizza stone is feeling unloved of late.

Aparrently the Jamie Oliver recipe is okay if you want a doughy pizza base (Link) but if you're looking for something similar to regular pizza then the recipe used here is pretty goods as well

Itchytrigg · 11 Apr 2016 at 19:54

Thanks shall have to have a play and see what can happen. I did happen on that 2nd link but had dismissed as it looked almost like a biscuit and impractical if I want to use the pizza stone.

TechMinerUK · 11 Apr 2016 at 19:57

Itchytrigg said:
Thanks shall have to have a play and see what can happen. I did happen on that 2nd link but had dismissed as it looked almost like a biscuit and impractical if I want to use the pizza stone.

Make sure to post photos

FrenchTart · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:16

TechMinerUK said:
Im back again, I've recently been looking at different Pizza methods and I'm wondering which would be the best investments to up my game. Currently I don't have a Pizza paddle (Makes it a PIA to move Pizza onto the stone) and also my oven and stone combination is a bit lacking.

After reading here I'm torn between a Pizza steel, G3 oven or save up for an Uni as these all look like decent soloutions for a high temperature oven to cook the Pizza to get the firm base.

So does anyone have any ideas on what may suit me better?

A pizza steel does a great job but it's definitely not as good as G3 or equivalent. An Uuni would get even better results but you'd be more limited about when you could use it so..it's a tough one.

Having used the first two options I'd probably get a G3/equivalent for now. They're cheap enough that you could also get an Uuni without it breaking the bank.

jpaul said:
I currently have a circular 33cm pizza stone, but seeing the recommendations for steel where can I pick up a circular one. ?
The site jimbofett recommended seem to be just square and also all ~£77 !

Does steel clean as easily as stone, which I typically just scrape with a knife if there are a few bits of cheese that overflow, and it is pretty non-stick otherwise just needing to dust of polenta remnants after use.

TechMinerUK if you want a good value paddle IMHOP I got one of these but from Argos and it is fine.

I have been using dough from a sourdough starter prepared in a Pan'y bread machine,
great flavour (sometimes include some Cayenne in the mix?) I just have to restrain
myself from rolling it with rolling pin as opposed to shaping by hand, which definitely
knocks the life out of it.

This is the pizza steel I have: http://pizzasteel.uk/

Personally I don't see the point in getting a round steel but to each their own

Itchytrigg said:
Any one have a gluten-free recipe? My wife had become gluten intolerant so my pizza stone is feeling unloved of late.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/08/gluten-free-flour-power-ideas-in-food.html

I posted the above earlier in the thread. I haven't tried any of the blends myself but Serious Eats is normally a reliable source of info

Itchytrigg · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:29

TechMinerUK said:
Make sure to post photos

Will do!

FrenchTart said:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/08/gluten-free-flour-power-ideas-in-food.html

I posted the above earlier in the thread. I haven't tried any of the blends myself but Serious Eats is normally a reliable source of info

Thank you, somehow missed that earlier.

My wife's excited to test, even after my not so subtle insult about the hassle she causes now

TechMinerUK · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:30

FrenchTart said:
A pizza steel does a great job but it's definitely not as good as G3 or equivalent. An Uuni would get even better results but you'd be more limited about when you could use it so..it's a tough one.
Having used the first two options I'd probably get a G3/equivalent for now. They're cheap enough that you could also get an Uuni without it breaking the bank.

Hmm, it'll probably be the G3 then for the time being (Until summer anyway). Also will the G3 work for new york style doughs as well as Neopolitans and will it be good enough without mods as messing around with filament/other mods is one side of electrical modification that concerns me

FrenchTart · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:33

TechMinerUK said:
Hmm, it'll probably be the G3 then for the time being (Until summer anyway). Also will the G3 work for new york style doughs as well as Neopolitans and will it be good enough without mods as messing around with filament/other mods is one side of electrical modification that concerns me

I think you'd struggle to not burn the top of a thicker pizza to be honest. I tend to use my pizza steel for stuff like that

I haven't got round to modding my G3 beyond adding a heat reflector at the top (which is just a round foil tray tucked behind the element). It's not as awesome as a fully modded machine but it can still cook a damn good pizza in less than three minutes.

jpaul · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:39

A couple of pictures of the sourdough based pizza mentioned above,
about 100g of dough stretched/pushed to about 25cm,
with jalepeno(pickled from jar)/tomatoe/moz/cheese/(left over) tinned salmon topping
about 12mins at 250c/fan on the pizza stone.
Early image shows the pelle I referenced in action.
Final pictures show dough texture

(Since images were large obliged to post under spoiler tag,
not sure if I did that right
*updated to embedded keeping spoilers ... but FF failed to shrink images
when I previewed edit just a 1:1 map, maybe works in other browsers)

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa399/jpaul__/pizza/2016-04-11-851_zpseo8pimmm.jpg~original

FrenchTart · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:41

Looks good

You only need to use a spoiler tag if the pics are embedded - you've just got links so there's no need for one.

TechMinerUK · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:41

FrenchTart said:
I think you'd struggle to not burn the top of a thicker pizza to be honest. I tend to use my pizza steel for stuff like that
I haven't got round to modding my G3 beyond adding a heat reflector at the top (which is just a round foil tray tucked behind the element). It's not as awesome as a fully modded machine but it can still cook a damn good pizza in less than three minutes.

Damn, I was hoping I could use it as a one for all Pizza oven

So I pressume it's pretty much designed for neapolitan doughs only then.
Also can you replace the stone incase it cracks?

FrenchTart · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:42

TechMinerUK said:
Damn, I was hoping I could use it as a one for all Pizza oven
So I pressume it's pretty much designed for neapolitan doughs only then?
Also can you replace the stone incase it cracks?

You might be able to make it work...I just can't see it myself. Check out one of the pizza making forums though as someone might have managed it.

I believe you can replace the stone easily enough but even if it cracks the way it's held means that you can get away with just leaving it as is. Usually it's a hairline fracture.

TechMinerUK · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:45

FrenchTart said:
You might be able to make it work...I just can't see it myself. Check out one of the pizza making forums though as someone might have managed it.
I believe you can replace the stone easily enough but even if it cracks the way it's held means that you can get away with just leaving it as is. Usually it's a hairline fracture.

Hmm, I'm so close to clicking buy now

I'll have a look as if someone has figured out how to do a newyork dough in it then I'm sold.

Thank you for your help

FrenchTart · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:47

No worries. If you figure out how to do it let me know

One thing to be aware of is the pizzas you can make in them aren't huge. Not an issue unless you have a ridiculous appetite as I do...

TechMinerUK · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:58

FrenchTart said:
No worries. If you figure out how to do it let me know
One thing to be aware of is the pizzas you can make in them aren't huge. Not an issue unless you have a ridiculous appetite as I do...

Hehe, I did think this would be an issue but at the rate it can cook them I'll just have to have the unbaked pizzas lined up ready

FrenchTart · 11 Apr 2016 at 21:02

That's what I sometimes do

TechMinerUK · 12 Apr 2016 at 20:57

FrenchTart said:
That's what I sometimes do

Sorry to be a pain in the backside but I was wondering if you or anyone with the G3 would be able to give me a rough estimate on the different temperatures for each setting as I can't find which temperatures correspond to which setting online anywhere (E.g. 1,2 and 3 equal 100c, 200c etc)