Anyone make their own pizza? Is it worth the time, effort and clean up?

[My Dream]

I'm usually at Costco i(n Canada) every second week and I've never seen Pizza dough there. Has anyone seen it in the Canadian stores?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Check at the snack counter, where you buy the pizza slices.

 

[My Dream]

Check at the snack counter, where you buy the pizza slices.

Pizza slices as in already cooked? If so that's passed the checkout register on the way out.

I've never seen pizza sold by the slice in the frozen section.

 

[riskadverse]

Check this link:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/thincrust.php

Gonzo

I got into this a year or so ago - these guys are serious experimenters - I finally had to give it up . . . the results were getting better, but my weight was starting to increase too much.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

if you like onion try caramelizing an sliced onion first in frying pan with butter & salt (to dark brown in color) then sprinkle ontop cheese before baking. it turns to a charcoal color and imparts a lovely sweet smokey taste to your pizza.

also excellent on pizza is fresh arugala added after baking.

 

[Jane_Doe]

For our "quickie" at home pizzas, my dh uses large tortillas (bought in a ten pack in the grocery refrig. section) add sauce and toppings - surprisingly good tasting crust and SO easy! Also we do use the screen-type trays like in T-Al's picture - we find it makes it perfectly crisp. We bought our pizza trays at a restaurant supply store. Also, try a really good topping combo: fresh chopped garlic and shrimp (need to precook shrimp of course).

Jane (who cooks as little as possible)

 

[Dreamer]

We make our own Pizza all the time. We buy a case of frozen dough balls at Sams Club (sold in the snack bar section), and it is great. You can make thin or thick crust pizza from it. Works great.

I had no idea that you could buy this at Sam's Club. I love this forum, because I learn new things every day!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Pizza slices as in already cooked? If so that's passed the checkout register on the way out.

I've never seen pizza sold by the slice in the frozen section.

Yep, I havent seen it in the frozen section either. Ask the folks at the pizza counter if they sell the caseloads of frozen dough (or whatever) at your costco. If they do, someone will go in the back and get it for you. Then you go through the register.

 

[dex]

For our "quickie" at home pizzas, my dh uses large tortillas (bought in a ten pack in the grocery refrig. section) add sauce and toppings - surprisingly good tasting crust and SO easy! Also we do use the screen-type trays like in T-Al's picture - we find it makes it perfectly crisp. We bought our pizza trays at a restaurant supply store. Also, try a really good topping combo: fresh chopped garlic and shrimp (need to precook shrimp of course).

Jane (who cooks as little as possible)

Great idea - I'm going to try it. Now to find a pizza screen!

 

[dex]

Are the pizza screens better than the aluminum pans with a lot of holes in them?

I'm only asking since I've only seen the pizza screens on line and the aluminum pans with a lot of holes in them in Walmart.

A couple of good sites I've found:

http://www.billyreisinger.com/pizza.php?p=3

http://www.abestkitchen.com/store/pizzapage.html

http://www.foodservicedirect.com/index.cfm

 

[sailor]

Are the pizza screens better than the aluminum pans with a lot of holes in them?

DW instead of a screen or holed pans uses SilPat ( http://www.demarleusa.com/product/silpat/silpat.htm ).
Works great for pizzas and bread.

 

[dkpearson]

Every Saturday night.....cheating by having breadmaker make the dough.

It's great cuz you can add a whole head of roasted garlic, and a good tablespoon or two of dried basil, to boiling water...basically making a great 'tea' for the crust.....and let cool down before starting the cycle.

And...so you can convince yourself it's really health food.....add a couple teaspoons of flax seed.

Makes a really nice crust!

 

[audreyh1]

I got a ceramic pizza stone to try on frozen pizzas. That got me thinking about making my own from scratch. I really like the thin crispy type with a minimal amount of toppings.

You want to get yourself a nice large wooden pizza paddle to go with that ceramic stone.

It is SO worth it. Use a bread machine to make the dough. I used to make the BEST pizzas - very, very thin crust, and just the kind of toppings I liked. Minimal cheese - and only fresh buffalo mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Unfortunately, it is a completely impractical thing to do in an RV (my only home) and a smallish microwave/convection oven simply does not cut it for baking pizza from scratch.

I have to settle for using a whole-wheat boboli crust base - no good enough to do very often.

Hmmm - our ceramic stone and pizza paddle is stored at the in-laws, and they have a bread machine - hmmmmm!

Audrey

 

[Jane_Doe]

from Dex:

Great idea - I'm going to try it. Now to find a pizza screen

Are the pizza screens better than the aluminum pans with a lot of holes in them?

I'm only asking since I've only seen the pizza screens on line and the aluminum pans with a lot of holes in them in Walmart.

Hey, Dex! Glad you like our idea. Yes, the screens are better - those aluminum pans might burn the tortilla, plus it gets a lot of stuff stuck in those little holes, and the only way to clean them out iswith a toothpick! pita! Anyway, let us know how you make out.

Jane

 

[Chuckanut]

Today is National Pizza Day!

I thought we might review this thread and add any tips we use to get a great pizza.

Me? I use a pizza stone in my oven on which I place my pizza. The pizza is on parchment paper which makes it easy to get on and off the stone, while not interfering with a good crust. I prefer a square pizza stone since I never really know the actual shape the pizza will take until I am finished stretching out the dough

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Every Sunday is Pizza Night in our household. As other have stated, dough made in the bread machine is a great shortcut (and the only thing I use it for these days). I swear by my stone, however, and never got anything but a soggy mess before I started using it, including the round pan with the holes in it (never tried a screen).

One of my projects lined up post-retirement is to try to replicate the pizza I ate in Naples a few years ago. I found some Type 00 flour at Wally World of all places, and I'll try to use the outdoor gas grill as an oven. Finding buffalo's milk fresh mozzarella is probably out of the question, though.

 

[Nemo2]

We have a stone, and make our own pizza regularly:

Pizza Before

Pizza After

We make our own dough/sauce.

Putting parchment paper under the pizza makes it easier to transfer the uncooked pizza onto the pre-heated stone - after about 8 minutes remove the paper.

 

[Gonzo]

What temperature is the oven and stone when you put the pizza with parchment paper on the stone?

 

[braumeister]

What temperature is the oven and stone when you put the pizza with parchment paper on the stone?

For me, between 550 to 600°F (call it 300°C).
But I don't use parchment paper under the pizza. Rather, I sprinkle cornmeal on the stone.

Mine is done on the Big Green Egg, so I can get just a hint of smokiness in it.

 

[Nemo2]

What temperature is the oven and stone when you put the pizza with parchment paper on the stone?

425F We let the stone heat up for 15-20 minutes before putting the pizza in the oven.

 

[NW-Bound]

Our homemade pizzas never tasted that good, and we do not eat it enough to keep trying.

But look at the OP of this thread. Dex was active for a while, then just left. Before he stopped posting, he was RV'ing in his fiberglass trailer. Maybe he decided to stay in the woods and has not come out.

 

[Hzefam]

What temperature is the oven and stone when you put the pizza with parchment paper on the stone?

550 degrees and heat the stone for 45-60 minutes. I skip the parchment paper and have never had a pizza stick to the stone.

 

[Chuckanut]

How do you get the pizza not to stick on the paddle before baking? My problem is getting the uncooked pizza off the paddle without it getting messed up.

 

[MRG]

Outdoor I get the Weber as hot as I can, up to 550°. Indoors on a stone at 525°. I use a mix of 00 and AP, I know that 00 likes it hotter but I perceive a difference. The dough itself has a different feel and texture.

 

[Hzefam]

How do you get the pizza not to stick on the paddle before baking? My problem is getting the uncooked pizza off the paddle without it getting messed up.

I dust the dough and pizza peal with flour.

When I was a novice , an easy way was to take the stone out of the oven on its holder and place it on the stovetop. The dough without toppings slides off easy onto the stone and begins to cook as you place the toppings on it. Then just place the stone on its holder back in the oven.