Norma,
I wondered how the mixed dough balls would work, especially since I recalled that Tom Lehmann had discussed how to combine different size dough balls to form a single dough ball. I hunted down the thread where he discusses this matter, at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?p=44360#44360.
BTW, how did the pizzas made from the commingled doughs taste and did the larger amount of Mexican manteca that you used produce the desired degree of bottom crust crispiness that you were hoping for?
Peter
Peter,
Thanks for hunting down the link to what Tom Lehmann replied about putting dough balls together. I never saw that reply from Tom before. I sure didn’t go by Tom’s method.
It is a wonder that my combined dough balls relaxed and were useable. Do you have any explanation on how the combined doughs, then made into dough balls, could have aligned the gluten okay to be able to be used? I know I did everything wrong with those dough balls, and how they were combined into one dough. I never felt such a tight dough before. I don’t know, but it almost felt like some doughs I had made before than had too many stretch and folds and then became to hard to open. Now I think about it, I guess those dough balls that I gave too many stretch and folds or reballs, might have been easier to use if left them to ferment longer. I am not sure of that though.
To answer you question about how the commingled baked products from those dough balls tasted, I thought they tasted better than my regular preferment Lehmann dough or regular Lehmann dough products. I did save 1 dough ball and froze it again last night to see what happens to it next week. I guess I am pressing my luck, but wanted to see if somehow that dough ball is still useable.
To answer your other question about how the large amount of manteca gave the right amount of crispness, I would say it did, but would think from the amount of manteca left on the pan, I wouldn’t need to add as much the next time. I will have to experiment more with the amount of manteca to add to a pan. I didn’t take a picture of the round steel Greek pizza pan after it baked, but there was less oil left in that pan. That dough was from the commingled dough. I have no idea why there was less oil in that pan after the bake.
I wanted to add that the high amount of Mexican manteca added to the steel pans, really gave the crust a good taste, at least to my taste testers and me.
I also wanted to add what dressing I used on the pizza made in the square steel pan. The dressings where, my regular tomato sauce, spinach, Salami, Capicolla ham, sharp white cheddar, two kinds of mozzarella, 3 grated chesses, Feta, and Gorgonzola cheese. I guess all those cheeses also gave the pie the good taste it had.
Norma
