Author Topic: First Oven Pizza Eva! (Read 1028 times)

polishpizza · « **on:** January 19, 2013, 05:14:11 PM »

So I made my first oven pizza today. All previous pies have been par bakes on my gas grill (before I knew that's what they called them!!).

Heated the oven to 550 and let it sit for 1 hour 20 minutes with pizza stone on lower rack about 6-8" from the bottom.

I made the sauce from a can of Sclafani tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper - simple.

Bought the dough from a local pizza place. I've been making my own but got so excited i wanted to make a pie quickly!

I have a ton to learn. Any comments would be appreciated.

jeff v · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2013, 07:17:16 PM »

Welcome to the club!

How did you like the pizza and is there anything you want to improve? That's what matters.

The cheese looks a little dark for my tastes-was it part skim? Also, as you get more experience you may want to use less flour on the bottom. It can scorch or have a raw taste. Again those are for my tastes, yours may differ.

polishpizza · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2013, 08:01:44 PM »

Overall is was good for the first pie. I'm trying to replicate Pepe's on Wooster street and I have a lot of work. This was my first home made sauce so I was more interested in how the sauce came out then the dough. I bought the dough down the street from me and is not the Pepe's dough I have been practicing on. Next pizza will be with the correct dough. I used Boars Head Mozz. I put the brolier on for 2-3 minutes then back to 550 setting which is why the top is brown. Probably left it on a little to much.

Understood on the flour I was just concerned it wouldn't come off the peel.

Jet_deck · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2013, 08:07:16 PM »

I'd hit it.

polishpizza · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2013, 08:19:25 PM »

Not sure what that means in pizza lingo...

Jet_deck · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2013, 09:05:54 PM »

Quote from: polishpizza on January 19, 2013, 08:19:25 PM

Not sure what that means in pizza lingo...

It means the same that it does in real life. It means "I would eat it", "It looks good", "I would like that" and/or "I would enjoy that"

Keep up the good looking pizza.

polishpizza · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2013, 09:08:07 PM »

ha ha, ya I've used that term many times but not for pizza!!! point taken and thanks.

mkevenson · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2013, 10:03:47 PM »

For your 1st pie you did great. If you want a rounder pie, draw a circle on your work surface. You might consider using less toppings, (quantity), and space them out to achieve separation. Purely esthetic's .
Top heat looks higher than bottom heat, not sure how to equalize?

Good job. Keep baking those pies, and trust your own dough.

Mark

polishpizza · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2013, 07:15:22 AM »

Thanks Mark. I did go heavy on the sauce as I wanted to use it all for the one pie and not waste it. I'm baking right now in a 550 oven so I have to tweak that for sure.

scott123 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2013, 06:09:41 AM »

PP, for your first non par baked pizza, that's pretty amazing. Some thoughts:

You should have two peels, one wood, one metal. Wood for launching, metal for retrieving. Raw flour is bitter and should never be in contact with the baked pizza.

Any idea of the bake time?

polishpizza · « **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2013, 07:05:53 AM »

I launched with a wood and retrieved with a metal one...not because I knew I should but strictly out of luck!

I went to a couple of places to see if I could buy some Semonila (sp??) as I think that is what I should be using underneath correct but I couldn't find any. I have since bought a small bag.

This pie took about 12 minutes. I preheated oven to 550 for 120 minutes, left door closed the entire time. I did check stone right before I launched and stone was roughly 540

. At around 8 minutes I put broiler on for 2 then back to 550 for 2 minutes. This was from reading other posts. Just trying to out things together and experiment.

There is an appliance place next door to where I work out, I've been in there a couple times to buy replacement elements. I'm going to ask the guy if there is anything I can do to get oven temp up. It's worth a shot.

scott123 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2013, 07:22:15 AM »

12 minutes? Yup, we've got to work on that.

Have you ever been to Zuppardi's? The reason I ask is that, apparently, they're pretty close to a 12 minute bake time.

I don't think the appliance place will be of much help. It's not like you can swap out a weak element with a stronger one. Unless... they can tell you whether or not your oven can be calibrated. If it can be calibrated 25 deg. up, that would help.

When you turned the broiler on, did it stay on?

polishpizza · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2013, 08:06:18 AM »

Have I been to Zuppardi's???!!!! Does a bear chit in the woods!!!!!

Yes, I grew up in WH and Zupps (as we call it) was about a mile and a half from my house. Been there 100's of times but as a patron not as an inspiring pizzeria in the works person.

I did not know to check if the broiler stayed on but next pie I will watch.

scott123 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2013, 08:19:39 AM »

On a scale of 1 to 10, with Pepe's being a 10, how would you rate Zuppardi's? Or are they too different to compare?

polishpizza · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2013, 08:36:48 AM »

To me, and this is personal preference, taste, experience I much prefer Pepe's to Zupps hands down.

To answer your specific question with Pepe's being a 10 I would put Zupps at 7.5 maybe 8. They are different pies to me.

There is a place in Milford called Jimmy's Pizza and they used to be married (two brothers) to someone at Zupps. As a kid I used to see them making pizza at Zupps all the time. Their pizza is obviously similar to Zupps and we go there every once in a while as well.

polishpizza · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2013, 08:40:04 AM »

One question I have is on the sauce. I paid $7 for a 28 oz can of Sclafani DOP. The sauce came out amazing (to me) but I was only able to get really one pizza out of it. Any secrets to thin it out, make it go a little longer. I know it was my first sauce and I was just going on faith as I am not a chef by any means...

jeff v · « **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2013, 09:38:34 AM »

Quote from: polishpizza on January 21, 2013, 08:40:04 AM

One question I have is on the sauce. I paid $7 for a 28 oz can of Sclafani DOP. The sauce came out amazing (to me) but I was only able to get really one pizza out of it. Any secrets to thin it out, make it go a little longer. I know it was my first sauce and I was just going on faith as I am not a chef by any means...

Use less!

That seems expensive. You should try some different kinds in the $4 range. I can find Carmelina y San Marzano, Strianese DOP and a few others near me for under $4 which makes a good sauce too.

polishpizza · « **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2013, 09:59:52 AM »

Ha ha!

yes, I know use less but even if I did maybe I would maybe have gotten 1.5 to 2 pizza's with the small amount of sauce I had in the bowl. This will be part of my learning curve and figuring out exactly how much "liquid" I can have in the sauce with out it being to watery and sogging up the crust.

I guess what I'm looking for is the "average" number of pies you should be able to get out of a 28 oz. can of tomatoes?

jeff v · « **Reply #18 on:** January 21, 2013, 10:32:25 AM »

Quote from: polishpizza on January 21, 2013, 09:59:52 AM

Ha ha!

yes, I know use less but even if I did maybe I would maybe have gotten 1.5 to 2 pizza's with the small amount of sauce I had in the bowl. This will be part of my learning curve and figuring out exactly how much "liquid" I can have in the sauce with out it being to watery and sogging up the crust.

I guess what I'm looking for is the "average" number of pies you should be able to get out of a 28 oz. can of tomatoes?

It depends. Do you like more sauce, what kind of pizza etc. I usually do 3 12" pizzas w a can and have enough for probably 1-2 left over that I put in the freezer. I tend to go light so YMMV.

scott123 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 21, 2013, 11:08:38 AM »

This is why I don't work with whole tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes still taste good, but have a much better yield. I take a 28 oz. can of Sclafani crushed tomatoes (that I get for $1 on sale), add 2 oz. water and end up with enough sauce for 3 17" pies and the sauce is a little on the thick side (after hand blending briefly). You're never going to get that with whole.

Now my Sclafanis could be Jersey or they could be California. For NY, that's more than fine. For New Haven... Pepe's tasted a bit DOP-y when I had it, but I'd have to try it again to be sure.