Sweet, sweet basil. Awesome.
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Pizza |OT| Food of the Gods
- Thread starter SquiddyCracker
- Start date
Sweet, sweet basil. Awesome.
Snkfanatic
Banned
We must have this thread...now! I keep wanting to make pizza at home and every time I try it doesn't come out that great.
Uno Venova
Banned
I'm boring when it comes to pizza, I almost always like it plain. I do love pineapples on it sometimes though.
I always just do pepperoni. Anything also and the taste becomes overwhelming. For some sick reason I enjoy the cheap sausage on the tombstone pizzas though.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
It looks like Timedog is too busy to help his fellow pizza-aficionados, what a shame.
Well, my fellow brethren, if you're asking for some recipes on how to make the ultimate pizza - I will give you THREE DIFFERENT ULTIMATE PIZZA RECIPES:
DEEP-FRIED CRUST PIZZA
- 16 ounces (about 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- .3 ounces (about 2 1/3 teaspoons) kosher salt, plus extra for assembly
- .2 ounces (about 1 teaspoon) active dry yeast
- 11 ounces (1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) water
- 1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes packed in juice
- 2 quarts vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
- 1 (12 to 16-ounce) ball buffalo mozzarella or fresh cow's milk mozzarella, at room temperature (see note above)
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk until homogenous. Add water and stir with hands until dough comes together and no dry flour remains. Knead lightly for about 30 seconds, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 16 hours.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and using floured hands, divide into four pieces. Form each piece into a ball and place on floured board, leaving a few inches of space between each ball. Cover with plastic wrap or with a moist, clean dish towel. Let rise for two hours.
Meanwhile, roughly blend tomatoes in a food processor, blender, with a hand blender, or by hand. Season to taste with salt. Roughly tear mozzarella into 1/2- to 1-inch chunks and squeeze out excess whey.
When dough has risen, preheat broiler to high heat with the rack set about 6 inches below the broiler element. Place a 10-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet under the broiler. Add oil to a wide wok or Dutch oven and heat over high heat to 350°F, as registered on an instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Adjust flame to maintain this temperature.
On a lightly floured bowl, stretch or roll one dough ball into a disk about 10-inches in diameter. Using your fingertips, make a dozen to 18 small holes in the stretched dough, leaving the outer 1-inch intact.
Carefully lower dough into hot oil, using a wire mesh spider or large metal spatula to keep it submerged. Fry until puffy and lightly crisped on bottom side, about 45 seconds. Carefully flip the dough with tongs and cook until second side is crisp, about 45 seconds longer. Carefully remove hot skillet from under broiler and set on stovetop. Flip dough back over and transfer to pre-heated skillet.
Spread a few tablespoons of tomato sauce over the dough, leaving the risen bubbly edges uncovered. Scatter a few pieces of mozzarella and a few basil leaves over the pizza. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Transfer to broiler and cook until edges are charred (this will happen much faster than with a normal pizza), about 45 seconds.
Serve pizza immediately. Repeat steps 5 through 7 with remaining pizzas.
One of the last times I ate pizza I got plain pepperoni and cheese. Figured nothing wrong with that... Wrong!
It was so greasy I felt ill and did not want to eat anything for about 2-3 days afterwards. It was Mazzio's Pizza. Not sure how popular that chain is, but I will never eat anything from that place again in my life now. I am now afraid to try pizza from certain establishments because of this very scary unhappy incident.
It was so greasy I felt ill and did not want to eat anything for about 2-3 days afterwards. It was Mazzio's Pizza. Not sure how popular that chain is, but I will never eat anything from that place again in my life now. I am now afraid to try pizza from certain establishments because of this very scary unhappy incident.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
GRILLED PIZZA
For the dough:
For the pizza:
Combine flour, yeast, and salt in bowl of stand mixer and whisk until homogenous. Add water and knead with dough hook attachment for ten minutes until ball is smooth and elastic and comes cleanly off sides of bowl (ball will be stuck to bowl at bottom). Cover mixer bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night. Dough should approximately double in size.
The next day, use floured hands to dump dough onto lightly floured work surface. Roll into a log and divide into four even pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Form each piece into a ball by gathering the dough towards the bottom. Lightly oil 4 small container (soup bowls work great) and place 1 dough ball in each one. Lightly grease the tops of the dough balls then cover each bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume.
Meanwhile, place olive oil and garlic in bowl of food processor and process until garlic is finely chopped. Extra garlic oil can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Place tomatoes in fine mesh strainer set over sink and squeeze them between your fingers until broken into approximate 1/4-inch chunks. Allow to drain for at least 15 minutes.
On a heavily floured surface, roll a dough ball into a disk about 13-inches by 9-inches and 1/4-inch thick using rolling pin. Shake off excess flour and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough balls, placing a sheet of parchment between each one.
Light a large chimney starter 3/4 full with charcoal and wait until fully ignited and coals are mostly covered in gray ash (about 20 minutes). Arrange coals under 1/2 of grill grate and place grate on top. Cover and allow to preheat for 10 minutes.
Brush top of dough round with a thin even layer of garlic oil and season with kosher salt. Place gently on hot side of grill, oiled side down. Immediately brush top side with thin layer of oil and season with salt. Cook, checking frequently and moving to encourage even browning until bottom is dark brown and charred in spots and top is bubbly 45 to 90 seconds total. Flip using tongs or large spatula and slide to cool side of grill.
Apply 1/4 of both cheese in a thin even layer across surface of pizza. tomato sauce in tablespoon-sized dollops across surface of pizza (about 1/2 cup total per pie). Return pizza to hot side of grill and cook until bottom is cooked and charred in spots, 45 to 90 seconds total. Transfer pizza to cutting board with large spatula or metal pizza peel. Sprinkle with basil, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining four pies.
For the dough:
- 2 cups 2 tablespoons (12 ounces or 340 grams)bread flour (preferably Italian type "OO"), plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon (.2 ounces or 6 grams) instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (.25 ounces or 7.2 grams) salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces or 237 grams) water
For the pizza:
- 1 (14.4 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- Kosher salt
- 6 ounces shredded mozzarella, fontina, or Jack cheese
- 2 ounces Parmiggiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves
Combine flour, yeast, and salt in bowl of stand mixer and whisk until homogenous. Add water and knead with dough hook attachment for ten minutes until ball is smooth and elastic and comes cleanly off sides of bowl (ball will be stuck to bowl at bottom). Cover mixer bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night. Dough should approximately double in size.
The next day, use floured hands to dump dough onto lightly floured work surface. Roll into a log and divide into four even pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Form each piece into a ball by gathering the dough towards the bottom. Lightly oil 4 small container (soup bowls work great) and place 1 dough ball in each one. Lightly grease the tops of the dough balls then cover each bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume.
Meanwhile, place olive oil and garlic in bowl of food processor and process until garlic is finely chopped. Extra garlic oil can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Place tomatoes in fine mesh strainer set over sink and squeeze them between your fingers until broken into approximate 1/4-inch chunks. Allow to drain for at least 15 minutes.
On a heavily floured surface, roll a dough ball into a disk about 13-inches by 9-inches and 1/4-inch thick using rolling pin. Shake off excess flour and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough balls, placing a sheet of parchment between each one.
Light a large chimney starter 3/4 full with charcoal and wait until fully ignited and coals are mostly covered in gray ash (about 20 minutes). Arrange coals under 1/2 of grill grate and place grate on top. Cover and allow to preheat for 10 minutes.
Brush top of dough round with a thin even layer of garlic oil and season with kosher salt. Place gently on hot side of grill, oiled side down. Immediately brush top side with thin layer of oil and season with salt. Cook, checking frequently and moving to encourage even browning until bottom is dark brown and charred in spots and top is bubbly 45 to 90 seconds total. Flip using tongs or large spatula and slide to cool side of grill.
Apply 1/4 of both cheese in a thin even layer across surface of pizza. tomato sauce in tablespoon-sized dollops across surface of pizza (about 1/2 cup total per pie). Return pizza to hot side of grill and cook until bottom is cooked and charred in spots, 45 to 90 seconds total. Transfer pizza to cutting board with large spatula or metal pizza peel. Sprinkle with basil, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining four pies.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
FOOD PROCESSOR CRUST
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated. Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. It should pass the windowpane test. Divide dough into three even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least 1 day, and up to 5. Remove from refrigerator, shape into balls, and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before baking.
- 22.5 ounces (about 4 1/2 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- .5 ounces (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) sugar
- .35 ounces kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon)
- .35 ounces (about 2 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1.125 ounces Extra Virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)
- 15 ounces lukewarm water
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated. Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. It should pass the windowpane test. Divide dough into three even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least 1 day, and up to 5. Remove from refrigerator, shape into balls, and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before baking.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Your move, Time... puppy.
beelzebozo
Jealous Bastard
plate.
Found my digital camera very last second. I made a peperoni pizza with a spicy sauce stuffed crust (similar to the discontinued Freschetta version). Here was the finished product:
looks way better than freschetta... nice.
Sirpopopop
Member
These pizzas are beautiful works of art.
I don't think Timedog can top this at all.
I don't think Timedog can top this at all.
Bulbo Urethral Baggins
Banned
I don't know about that deep fried crust, but I'd like to try grilling a pizza. Good stuff, squiddy.
Timedog RIP
Timedog RIP
Thanks!
Uno Venova
Banned
A Burger OT would be like 2 pages, lol.
SSGMUN10000
Connoisseur Of Tedium
Has anyone had deep dish pizza shipped to you? I am thinking of ordering some chicago deep dish. Can't decide from wish place though.
Found my digital camera very last second. I made a peperoni pizza with a spicy sauce stuffed crust (similar to the discontinued Freschetta version). Here was the finished product:
Man, that looks good!
vatstep
This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
I'm thinking of doing this as well (Lou Malnati's and Giordano's have been recommended in here) as a treat to myself for my birthday or something in a few months. I've never had the real thing — only from chain restaurants (Pizzeria Uno and Old Chicago), which weren't very good.
FOOD PROCESSOR CRUST
- 22.5 ounces (about 4 1/2 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- .5 ounces (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) sugar
- .35 ounces kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon)
- .35 ounces (about 2 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 1.125 ounces Extra Virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)
- 15 ounces lukewarm water
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated. Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. It should pass the windowpane test. Divide dough into three even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least 1 day, and up to 5. Remove from refrigerator, shape into balls, and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before baking.
Jesus this one looks so good. Baked to perfection it is.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Rest.In.Pizza
Ninja Beagle
Member
Damn, SquiddyBiscuit. You're the man. The man I say!
I had a place in chicago freeze and ship a couple of pizzas. They're not as good as the restaurant, the crust was a bit softer after baking it, but it was still really good. I got it from Gino's East, if I remember right.
SSGMUN10000
Connoisseur Of Tedium
Funny I was thinking the same thing for my birthday. It is the only way I will be able to convince the wife to let me order.
If pizza is a religious experience, then St. Louis is ground zero for blasphemers and heretics. Their pizza defiles every sacrament. The crust has no yeast and an unhealthy injection of corn syrup. The sauce features canned, uncooked tomatoes, sugar, and no fresh herbs. And the Provel cheese! It's a foul, regional concoction of Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone that doesn't meet the FDA bar to be considered cheese.
Sound delicious? It is.
The oven scorches the "cheese" until its surgace is encrusted with a delicately crisped layer of toasted buttery flake, and below, bubbling beneath the caramelized craters, lurks a creamy, silken layer of pure, irresistible bliss. Below that, just enough tang, spice, and sweetness to rein in what should be a dense, cloying explosion of cheese-like bliss. And one layer deeper, a cracker crust, thin, yet marvelously substantial, somehow able to withstand and compliment the "cheese" and tomato sauce with its own brand of dark high fructose wisdom.
My mouth is watering now just thinking about it. The unholy blend of ingredients miraculously able to become transcendent through a triumvirate of pizza sacrilege. Lo, no home oven can conjure this beast, and no grocer dares to stock Provel.
Which means I have to eat Zeke's and Pagliacci's in Seattle.
I am lost.
(Also the pizzas in this thread look stupid good and I am jealous.)
It is one of those cases where you it tastes better than it looks. Greek style is usually packed.
If you ever go to Fornino's get the Al Roker: "Tomato, Mozzarella, Fontino, Caramelized Onions, Sopressata, Roasted Peppers, Rosemary" I always ask them to through some parma prosciutto on because pizza is ALWAYS better with prosciutto.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Looks awesome man.Found my digital camera very last second. I made a peperoni pizza with a spicy sauce stuffed crust (similar to the discontinued Freschetta version). Here was the finished product:
That Freschetta pizza was one of my favourites.
I wonder why it was discontinued?
Also mind uploading the recipe if possible?
Imo's or Cecil Whittaker's. There's barely any difference, yet more than enough to form local allegiances who defend their preference with shocking fervor.
You can try to recreate it yourself, and you will fail; there are a myriad of recipes online that profess to hold the secrets. You can buy Provel online, too. In bulk.
Fair warning: outsiders usually hate it. People who move away from St. Louis desperately crave it. I think it might be loaded with Jaspers.
Devolution
Member
He's been making pizzas at his work. I'll tell him he needs to rise to the challenge at home though.
...Do you have a cow?
Thanks for the kind words.
I wish they hadn't gotten rid of them. I like fresh homemade pizza as much as the next guy but those sauce stuffed pizzas were my favorite food ever. Such a shame. I can only assume it really wasn't that popular so they pulled the plug.
I don't mind posting the recipe at all! It isn't really all that special:
Dough:
^Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl. Add in olive oil. Add water until dough is pliable, but not sticky or gooey. Kneed with hands for around 5 min. or until an elastic smooth ball is formed. Let sit for at least 30 minutes covered.
Pizza Sauce:
Crust Sauce:
^Mix both sauces separately in small bowls. Water should be added first and mixed in to create a sauce. Then the spices are added and stirred. Sauces can be rested in fridge for 30 min. to release flavors.
Place pizza stone in oven. Preheat to >450. Flour and spread corn meal on a large peel. Spread dough and create a ring of crust sauce by the edges. Fold dough edge over making a stuffed pocket of sauce all the way around. Use the regular pizza sauce for the rest. Top as desired.
Some tricks I used:
I wish they hadn't gotten rid of them. I like fresh homemade pizza as much as the next guy but those sauce stuffed pizzas were my favorite food ever. Such a shame. I can only assume it really wasn't that popular so they pulled the plug.
I don't mind posting the recipe at all! It isn't really all that special:
Dough:
- 1.5 Cups of Bread Flour
- .5 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 Package of instant dry yeast
- 1 Tablespoon of yellow corn meal
- 1 Teaspoon of sugar
- ~3 Ounces of water, heated to 120-130 degrees
- ~1.5 Tablespoons of olive oil
^Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl. Add in olive oil. Add water until dough is pliable, but not sticky or gooey. Kneed with hands for around 5 min. or until an elastic smooth ball is formed. Let sit for at least 30 minutes covered.
Pizza Sauce:
- 1, 6 Ounce can of tomato paste, cheap brands are fine
- ~3 Ounces of water
- 1 Teaspoon of olive oil
- Spices (I unfortunately don't have measures, I usually spice to taste): Oregano, basil, garlic powder, a dash of chili powder, a dash of red pepper flakes, a dash of salt, a dash of sugar.
Crust Sauce:
- 1, 6 Ounce can of tomato paste
- ~1 Ounce of water
- 1 Teaspoon of olive oil
- Spices: Garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, a dash of salt.
^Mix both sauces separately in small bowls. Water should be added first and mixed in to create a sauce. Then the spices are added and stirred. Sauces can be rested in fridge for 30 min. to release flavors.
Place pizza stone in oven. Preheat to >450. Flour and spread corn meal on a large peel. Spread dough and create a ring of crust sauce by the edges. Fold dough edge over making a stuffed pocket of sauce all the way around. Use the regular pizza sauce for the rest. Top as desired.
Some tricks I used:
- Melt a teaspoon of butter in a small bowl, then add garlic powder and some olive oil to spread on the crust. It will make it crispy and brown.
- Cook on the bottom rack.
- Sprinkle corn meal after coating the edges of the crust with oil for extra texture.
No I do not, but milk is all you need.
edit: nm, joke might be considered unfunny by certain people.
Thanks a bunch dude! I'm going to have to try and give that a go.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
davidsaurus
Member
Looks so deliciously fattening and cheesy.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Devolution
Member
There is only one true Pizza prophet and his name isn't Squiddy Biscuit.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
If I can stop myself, I just have some pizza-breakfast the following day.