Author Topic: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own  (Read 1273 times)

Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« on: 04 December, 2020, 02:23:08 pm »
I know there are pizza afficionados on here who would argue about the best quarry for pizza stones so here goes...
I find the premade Napolina pizza bases convenient but too thick and biscuity. I tried the JusRol Sourdough Pizza base which comes as a ball of dough in a bag. You stretch it out , apply toppings then bake. Again too biscuity.
So two questions

are there good thin and crispy premade pizza bases

I give in - give me a good recipe

ian

Re: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« Reply #1 on: 04 December, 2020, 04:05:11 pm »
I don't really do recipes, but I used about 300g of strong white bread flour and 100g of plain white (some people say use semolina or the 00 stuff), a heaped teaspoon of salt, a generous dose of olive oil, and enough water to make a dough (about 200ml). I use proper yeast, not the quick stuff, dissolve in the lukewarm water with a teaspoon of sugar. I'm too lazy to knead it, so I throw it in the Magimix and give it a frantic minute. You can make the dough in a minute or two, not worth buying ready-made.

Let it prove somewhere warm for an hour or so till it's doubled in size and then bash it out flat pick it up and do the stretching thing. I've given up trying to make it evenly round, I go for the rustic idiot style. Use it immediately. I've moved to pizza stones, oven on hottest setting possible, they give it a crispy bottom (but you can get away with a baking tray). You want a fairly damp well oiled, lively and well-kneaded dough (rile up that gluten) that puffs up in the heat. That gives you a bubbly crust that can crisp outside but still be a bit bready inside.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« Reply #2 on: 04 December, 2020, 08:04:43 pm »
I use HFW's Magic Dough recipe.

250g strong
250g plain or 00
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp dried yeast.

Mix it up.

Add the wet stuff:
1tblsp olive oil
325 ml warm water.

Mix to a dough in the bowl, turn out onto worktop and knead for 5 mins.
Back in bowl with a smear of oil, cover, into airing cupboard for a couple of hours.

This will do 4 decent sized pizzas.

After its raised, turn it out and chop it into 4 and shape into 4 balls.
Optionally, allow each ball to second prove.

Roll out each ball as thin as possible.
Transfer to wooden paddle which is lubricated with polenta. Little ball bearings.
Top the pizzas. Less is more.

Slide them off into the wood fired oven you lit at least an hour ago.
Base temp of around 350 to 400, dome temp rather more.

Ready in between 3 and 4 mins.

ian

Re: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« Reply #3 on: 04 December, 2020, 08:40:26 pm »
Note, if it's 'biscuity,' then it's probably under-kneaded. You need to make it stretchy so it can hold bubbles when it goes into the oven. So give it a good hammering to develop the gluten. I have found the mix-it-and-wait yeast to give far more whoof to my dough. Leave it an hour and it's not so much risen as ascended to the point that Jesus could use it as a pillow. It should be stretchy enough that you can swing it around like you know what you're even when you patently don't. People who roll their pizza dough go to Hell – fact – I've met them, they run the Dominos franchises Downtown.

Also, don't touch anything in a supermarket that's labelled 'sourdough,' it's always wrong. But really, no, avoid ready-made dough. If you're going make a pizza do it from scratch, it's not that much effort and the results are better.

I have a batch on the go now. Just need to figure out the topping. Don't overtop and avoid too much moisture, so dry the mozzarella if used, wring out any tomatoes, and I never bother with tomato sauce, I give it a thin coat of pesto.

Re: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« Reply #4 on: 05 December, 2020, 06:21:11 am »
Ditto with the pesto - yum!

ian

Re: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« Reply #5 on: 05 December, 2020, 09:22:47 pm »
Mine were very good. Sliced fennel and onions, jalapeño peppers and sweet peppers, pepperoni, tomatoes and mozzarella, sprinkled with ground fennel seeds.

As per comments elsewhere, I really need to get my paws on some proper sweet Italian sausage, that's what Jesus puts on his pizzas.

Re: Pizza bases - good premade - or make my own
« Reply #6 on: 05 December, 2020, 09:58:31 pm »
Interesting, may try something different by way of change.  I use:

500g strong white bread flour (tried 00 didn't seem to make much diffs)
1/2 tsp dried yeast (allinsons)
1 tsp salt
~310-320ml water
no oil

ETA based on this recipe:  https://www.fornobravo.com/blog/recipe/authentic-vera-pizza-napoletana-dough/

Pizza dough mode in bread maker (45min).  Leave 2hrs.  Bash out air, cut, & make three balls.  Leave for 1hr.  Make three pizza bases.  pre bake 230C (fan) 5 mins. 
Top with passata, etc., etc. 
230C 10-12min

we once tried the pre-made bases - agree, not great.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson