The Official Pizza Discussion thread (was: Cooking Neapolitan Pizzas with the Uuni 3)

droyden · 26 Jun 2020 at 11:48

How are peoples experiences with the Gas addon? I used it for the first time on my Ooni 3 last night and found it took longer than expected to heat up the stone. In the end I put the door on and left the chimney open (ala pellets but without the fire guard)

Cooking went well, door off during the cook was helpful as you can see how its getting on. I would say the base wasnt as crispy (probably due the stone loosing heat). Anyone else have similar experiences?

robj20 · 26 Jun 2020 at 11:58

droyden said:
How are peoples experiences with the Gas addon? I used it for the first time on my Ooni 3 last night and found it took longer than expected to heat up the stone. In the end I put the door on and left the chimney open (ala pellets but without the fire guard)

Cooking went well, door off during the cook was helpful as you can see how its getting on. I would say the base wasnt as crispy (probably due the stone loosing heat). Anyone else have similar experiences?

Yeah I'm not impressed with it, just can't get the stone hot enough.
My next pizza oven is going to be an electric one easy do 500c.

droyden · 26 Jun 2020 at 12:36

With the door closed during the initial heatup, it reached approx 350c, I didnt check it after that though. Next time I think I'll put the door on when not using it to see how that helps, a bit dissapointed though.

oHUTCHYo · 26 Jun 2020 at 15:44

OK gang, so please explain:

2 flours Caputo Cuoco and Pizzeria, mixed exactly the same time and to the same percentages and to the same ferment. Why such a difference?

65% hydration

Flour: 480g

Water: 310ml

Yeast: 4.8g

Salt: 9.6g

https://imgur.com/DwwTPSB

robj20 · 26 Jun 2020 at 15:49

oHUTCHYo said:
OK gang, so please explain:

2 flours Caputo Cuoco and Pizzeria, mixed exactly the same time and to the same percentages and to the same ferment. Why such a difference?

65% hydration

Flour: 480g

Water: 310ml

Yeast: 4.8g

Salt: 9.6g

https://imgur.com/DwwTPSB

Red requires longer time, that's the whole point of it.

oHUTCHYo · 26 Jun 2020 at 15:51

robj20 said:
Red requires longer time, that's the whole point of it.

Thanks Rob. Both have had 3 hours room temp, then 4 days fridge. Both then frozen. Returned to fridge for 8 hours then room temp for 8 hours.

What would have been better for the Cuoco?

beachBOYken · 30 Jun 2020 at 17:58

Pizza experts, what is the best cheese to use for pizza, going to make my own, I'm guessing mozzarella is that it?

Thanks

droyden · 30 Jun 2020 at 18:44

The last few times I have just used grated mozzarella as they didn't have decent buffalo. I have used buffalo before which is good - if you do plan on using buffalo (or anything that isn't grated) make sure you dry it as you can (kitchen paper is your friend).

beachBOYken · 1 Jul 2020 at 08:48

droyden said:
The last few times I have just used grated mozzarella as they didn't have decent buffalo. I have used buffalo before which is good - if you do plan on using buffalo (or anything that isn't grated) make sure you dry it as you can (kitchen paper is your friend).

Thanks, I will use mozzarella then and perhaps some cheddar as well.

droyden · 1 Jul 2020 at 10:34

Just use whatever you have, just don't use toppings that are too wet and don't overload it

beachBOYken · 1 Jul 2020 at 15:11

droyden said:
Just use whatever you have, just don't use toppings that are too wet and don't overload it

I got a mozzarella ball and will grate that and mix with some cheddar as well, just going to add some pepperoni and perhaps some peppers.

Thanks

jpaul · 1 Jul 2020 at 15:47

grating a moz ball has got to be in the Michelin chef skill set - (per earlier discussion) the dry moz blocks should comply, but balls have too much liquid ?

About the only buffalo stuff we can get is Schekters stuff from Waitrose, which wasn't all that, versus their basic, at maybe a 1/4 of the cost.

I do think, I've frequently overcooked the moz, it is the most sensitive to overcooking, and is often bubbling when pizza is removed.

chroniclard · 1 Jul 2020 at 16:20

I gently slice mozzarella balls as thin as I can. Grating them sucks.

200sols · 1 Jul 2020 at 16:36

Pecorino is my favourite cheese on pizza.

beachBOYken · 1 Jul 2020 at 17:45

chroniclard said:
I gently slice mozzarella balls as thin as I can. Grating them sucks.

Ah thanks, I had no idea how to go about this, I will slice the moz ball then.

siezar · 2 Jul 2020 at 23:18

I know it's not quite what the OP was about but has anyone used the frying pan/grill method where you cook the base on a hot pan then finish off the toppings under the grill? We now make pizzas at least once a week because the pizzas produced are so nice. Laying the dough straight into a very hot thick pan makes the base super crispy - I like a very thin base and the result is a thin pizza slice that holds its shape when picked up.

oHUTCHYo · 3 Jul 2020 at 08:22

siezar said:
I know it's not quite what the OP was about but has anyone used the frying pan/grill method where you cook the base on a hot pan then finish off the toppings under the grill? We now make pizzas at least once a week because the pizzas produced are so nice. Laying the dough straight into a very hot thick pan makes the base super crispy - I like a very thin base and the result is a thin pizza slice that holds its shape when picked up.

Yes, thats my current method. Its by no means a comparable quality to a dedicated pizza oven but its about as good as you'll get with a home oven. My process is:

1. Put griddle pan in oven for 30mins 2" under grill, at joint convection and grill function at max temp (mine goes to 300 deg c) for 30mins
2. Very carefully lift griddle from oven and place on safe surface
3. Quickly lay pizza dough to griddle (I have mine ready on a wooden pizza peel)
4. Quickly add sauce and toppings
5. Straight back in to oven for around 4-6mins

The base is cooking on the blazing hot griddle as you add toppings, then the intense heat of the oven and grill helps finish the top and side crusts.

I use this particular griddle here:

oHUTCHYo · 14 Sep 2020 at 09:58

Has anyone got both the G3 Ferrari and an Ooni?

Would the resulting pizza be vastly different between the two? Still waiting to pick up an Ooni but then a post from Sonny reminded me the Ferrari could be an option too.

RobTi · 14 Sep 2020 at 10:12

oHUTCHYo said:
Yes, thats my current method. Its by no means a comparable quality to a dedicated pizza oven but its about as good as you'll get with a home oven. My process is:

1. Put griddle pan in oven for 30mins 2" under grill, at joint convection and grill function at max temp (mine goes to 300 deg c) for 30mins
2. Very carefully lift griddle from oven and place on safe surface
3. Quickly lay pizza dough to griddle (I have mine ready on a wooden pizza peel)
4. Quickly add sauce and toppings
5. Straight back in to oven for around 4-6mins

The base is cooking on the blazing hot griddle as you add toppings, then the intense heat of the oven and grill helps finish the top and side crusts.

I use this particular griddle here:

As above but I heat mine on gas hob till it’s smoking hot then as above although I did find out that I was leaving it on the hob too long ( I was waiting till the base browned) but that was giving me a crisp base which I didn’t like so now the pizza is built as quickly as possible and put back in the oven to finish

Psycho Sonny · 14 Sep 2020 at 20:23

oHUTCHYo said:
Has anyone got both the G3 Ferrari and an Ooni?

Would the resulting pizza be vastly different between the two? Still waiting to pick up an Ooni but then a post from Sonny reminded me the Ferrari could be an option too.

The ooni is better but the g3 ferrari is pretty epic for £100.

I would use it over a conventional oven or pan on a hob then oven and grill any day.

It does have a steep learning curve though. Rotate the pizza a few times. It does cook slightly uneven there are miss to make them better mine is stock.