Cooking with Phil: Home made Pizza!

I didn't see this thread first time around but I'm pleased to note that my methods are very similar to the OP's and produce very similar-looking results. I make pizzas this way at least once every 10 days or so, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist and even after several years I'm still fiddling with the ingredients and technique to try to get the texture of the base closer to what you get in pizzerias in Italy. I suspect the lack of a proper pizza oven may not be helping me here, but this thread has inspired me to experiment with using more yeast and getting it to activate more effectively.
 
Freefaller said:
Wow, old thread bump!

However I'm glad it was bumped - that looks great, worth the effort. So so much better than frozen crap from the supermarket or the pre-made bases which look like a piece of cardboard!

I've seen the Blumenthal method, looks really good, but a little tricky if you haven't quite got the right sort of pans to do it.
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And taste like cardboard too.

I've never liked supermarket pizzas, they've always tasted dodgy to me.
 
goldilocks said:
ive never seen a pan method of cooking? who does this?
i use a stellar pizza tray - big heavy round baking tray with lots of holes in the bottom - lets the bottom get really crispy
the jamie oliver method is to heat up a slab of marble and use it as a baking tray - to get the authentic 'pizza oven' base - i can't be bothered with this much effort!!
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The problem with one of those pans (which is actually what I used originally, covered in foil) is that when you cook fresh pizza dough it tends to seep down the holes and once cooked it's a pain to remove the whole pizza without it ripping to bits.

I now use flat baking trays which work much better. As I said in the thread where I linked to this I've changed the recipee somewhat, I now use 1/3 tom puree 2/3 passata, instead of the pre-grated mozarella I put a small amount of monteray jack, dice the fresh mozarella and then to finish I grate a load of parmesan over the whole thing (after toppings). Also cook at the hottes my oven goes, which is a paltry 230deg c.
 
jellybeard999 said:
Why do you need to use a pan, couldn't you heat up an oven tray instead?
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A thick cast iron pan will stay very hot when you put a cold (or room temp) pizza on it, it's a way to reproduce "stone baked" style pizza base but using something more people are likely to have. Bases this style are more akin to those you'd get in Pizza Express or an Italian restaurant, as appose to the thicker, more American style bases you get at Pizza Hut or Dominoes
 
Thanks Philjohn, we used your dough recipe today to make a load of pizzas, including an experimental pizza with Peanut Butter replacing the normal tomato :D It actually turned out very nice.
 
c+p from when i made one a while ago

Pizza Dough.

1kg Strongwhite / Bread flour
1Tbsp salt
2x7g packs of yeast
1Tbsp golden caster sugar
4Tbsp olive oil
650ml warm water

It makes a lot but it freezes well:)

Sieve flour into a large bowl (or very large mixer with dough hooks)
add sugar and salt, mix it about a bit as you dont want the yeast sitting on the salt.
add yeast mix a bit.
Make a well in the middle of the mixture then add the olive oil.
add some of the water and bring it all together. Keep adding water until its a dough consistency, You may not need all the water or you might need more, trial and error.
You want the consistancy to be a strong dough that doesnt stick to your hands and if you roll a bit out it should blister a little bit under the surface.

If you make it too sticky add some flour to fix it:)
If you have it correct you should have no flour or water in your bowl and a nice bigggg lump of dough in the middle:) (ill take some pics next time)

Flour a chopping board or work surface and place the dough on it. Cover with a very large bowl or a damp towel.

Allow to rise for 45mins.
After 45mins "Beat Down" the dough and divide into 4/5 depending how big you like your pizza:)


- Pizza Sauce

I made this sauce up as i went along and its perfect.

500ml Passata or a tin of tomatos sieved.
1tsp of basil
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
pinch of oregano
2tbsp of tomato puree
1/2tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves crushed.

Easy one this. Throw it all in a saucepan, bring to bowl, Simmer for 20mins, let cool. Done.

Now the last part is upto you!

Preheat oven to 230c.

Knead the dough out into a circle (pizza shape omg!)(i use a pizza tin for this). I make the base about 2cm bigger than the tin for stuffed crust.

Put mozerella in the crust if you fancy, Simply dump a handfull in the middle of the base, spread it too the edges and just fold the base over to form a crust.
Add the sauce to the base and spread out in a circle fashion using a ladle or spoon.
add toppings!

Bung in for 10-12mins and check, the less toppings the faster it cooks, After 10-12mins check every few mins until golden brown:)


Last one I made i used 2 bases.
Make one pizza base with stuffed crust,
cover entire base with Mozzerella
place another base on top and press down the edges.
You now have a stuffed crust and base, very filling pizza:) I topped this with ham, spicy sausage, pepperoni, salami and chorizo.

It sounds like a lot of effort but once you have some dough made and frozen, just leave it in the microwave for a few hours to defrost and use as above.

Enjoy!






 
This thread is making me hungry! Pizzas look damn fine.

We need a cooking forum around here to keep all this "Cooking with..." business organised!
 
Results of receipe in post #1 + 3 other pizzas! :cool:

22112009168i.jpg

22112009171.jpg
 
SoundsGood said:
Results of receipe in post #1 + 3 other pizzas! :cool:
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4236/22112009168i.jpg[/img
[img]http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/580/22112009171.jpg[/im[/QUOTE]

Looks ace! Damn, I think I know what I'm gonna be doin tommorow night.
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My recipe:

Head to Asda Pizza Counter, and ask for the following:

14" Stonebaked with Mozarella, Sweetcorn, Bacon And Olives. Ask for some chili oil on top.

Come back in 5 minutes, take to the checkout.

Pay £3.14, feeds two easily with some salad or a small jacket potato with it and tastes amazing!

I always find that home made pizzas always taste abit the same, nice but nothing special. And as mentioned eariler in the thread if you want some nice ingredients on the pizza tend to cost much more than the above.
 
Just made a plain pizza and came out better than expected,used a pizza dough mix from morrisons and added some dry herbs and garlic into the dough as i mixed it.

k33gbk.jpg
 
if you used a touch more yeast and left the bases for a few hours they would be a lot better imo (not deep pan just fluffier inside yet crispy on the outside)
 
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