Author Topic: No-Knead Sicilian With Blended Oil (Read 5086 times)

Puzzolento · « **on:** February 16, 2010, 03:26:23 PM »

Just made an experimental pie. I didn't knead the dough, and I put provolone over the mozzarella, which is the opposite of my usual method. I also tried a blend of 50% canola and 50% olive oil, because I'm trying to create a frugal recipe for my church's cafe. The second photo is the underside of the crust.

The pie was great. The crust had a somewhat biscuity texture, which is nice. I added a little more water than I should have, so the dough tried to stick to my stone, but I managed to get it off. Now I'm running a clean cycle.

The oil is very good. Not quite as buttery tasting as light olive oil, but still nice. No complaints.

The provolone seems to taste much better when browned than mozzarella does. News to me.

My brand-new GFS quarter-sheet pan, which I only seasoned this morning, worked like a dream. The stone stuck, but the pan didn't. Go figure.

Thought people might enjoy looking at the pie.

Now I have to throw it out, because if I don't, I'll eat it.

mvnolan · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2010, 02:10:30 PM »

It's an offense to the "Pizza Gods" to throw that out!!!! That is a good looking pie.

Puzzolento · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2010, 02:33:34 PM »

Thanks. It was really good. I caved in and put it in the fridge.

The dough was slightly too wet, and I should have let it rise for another half-hour, but I'm pretty lazy.

Polymandius · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2010, 09:22:10 PM »

If you don't mind me asking, what flour did you use? Personally, I don't care for biscuity texture and have noticed some brands seem to give that result.

And yes, it is a fine looking pizza!

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2010, 10:27:33 PM »

Puzzolento, I told ya no knead was an option. I have one going right now. -marc

Puzzolento · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2010, 11:59:50 AM »

I am sorry to say I don't recall which flour I used. It was either BSM Golden Tiger or something like KA bread flour.

Polymandius · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2010, 08:22:07 PM »

Quote from: Puzzolento on March 23, 2010, 11:59:50 AM

I am sorry to say I don't recall which flour I used. It was either BSM Golden Tiger or something like KA bread flour.

Thanks! I was really curious about that. May even try the method when I get the chance... and a hankering for that texture of crust.

I came up with what sounds to be quite a similar result trying to use a no name flour I picked up on a whim. Turned out to make really tender biscuits! But pizza crust? Not to my normal taste. Well actually, the taste was just fine, but the texture wasn't what I normally try for.

dicepackage · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2010, 09:05:43 PM »

Do you have a recipe for this dough? I am trying to make a clone a sicilian style place and the pictures you have posted look the closest to what I want to make.

Puzzolento · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2010, 09:34:36 AM »

For 12" by 9", I use:

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp.pepper
2 teaspoons dry yeast, activated in 7 ounces of water

This is approximate. The exact proportions of water/yeast mixture to flour are 340 g/580 g. I don't put oil in the dough, but I cover it with oil while it rises, and I put a lot of oil in the pan with it. Pure cheap olive oil is better than blended oil or extra virgin.

The big challenge is browning and crisping the bottom. Here at home, I find the right pan, and I put it on the bottom rack. I get the oven hot, and I open the door before I put the pizza in, to make sure the bottom element turns on right before the pie goes in. I give it about 9 minutes, and then I take the pie out and finish it on a stone.

The sauce is basically Saporito cut nearly 1:1 with water, plus oil, oregano, garlic, and so on. I use GFS provolone and Costco mozzarella, 50/50. Stirring a tablespoon or so of oil into the cheese is a nice touch, and I always sprinkle oregano over the cheese before baking.

I should add that I always eat my pizza the same day I make the dough, so I use a lot of yeast and the rising time is very short. You may want to reduce the yeast and let it rise longer.

dicepackage · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2010, 04:54:03 PM »

Thanks for the details. I really look forward to trying this one.

Puzzolento · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2010, 07:46:36 AM »

Quote

Puzzolento, I told ya no knead was an option. I have one going right now. -marc

Not to steal your thunder regarding a great suggestion, but the person who introduced me to no-knead dough was the Pragmatic Chef. He reads my blog.

http://www.thepragmaticchef.com/

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2010, 07:36:08 PM »

Puzzolento, no thunder intended. I thought eveyone knew about no knead methods. I was just trying to point out the option a while back in your mixer size thread.

Puzzolento · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2010, 08:32:18 PM »

I have been yammered at for baking pies one hour after I mix the dough, so I made one of these with an overnight ferment. I omitted the IDY from the dough, which I did not knead, and then I sprinkled the yeast on it and folded it in. I used 1/4 teaspoon of yeast in about 1.5 cups of flour. I was afraid the long ferment would blow up the dough if I used too much yeast.

I followed my usual procedure, letting the dough rise once covered in oil and then again after being stretched to fit the pan.

The texture is crunchier and chewier than a 1-hour pie, but the 1-hour jobs are still fantastic. Unfortunately, there is no way to do overnight ferments when I bake in large quantities for my church.

Should have used more yeast; the pizza was not puffed up as much as I like. I am new at this all-night stuff.

Polymandius · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2010, 12:21:08 PM »

Quote from: Puzzolento on March 25, 2010, 08:32:18 PM

I have been yammered at for baking pies one hour after I mix the dough,

So... tell 'em they can't have any since you don't want to subject them to a substandard product. That oughta shut 'em up!

I've been doing the same sort of fast rise routine for years due to a lack of abundant time, just as you describe. From a cold start it can be less than an hour for the pizza to exit the oven. Funny thing is it's almost invariably a better tasting pie than the Sicillians down the street... and theirs really is good. It did take a lot of practice tho.

Let the cold rise snobs eat breadsticks!

Oh, and thanks for presenting the no-rise method. I, for one, never considered such a thing and find it intriguing. Ill have to spring that on the family one day and see what they think.

Puzzolento · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2010, 01:19:39 PM »

I am so glad someone stood up and confirmed that you can make a great pizza without waiting four days or whatever. I'm not an idiot; I know good pizza when I taste it, and I know my pizza is the best I've ever eaten.

I think it would be fun to build a rig that bakes pizza at 900 degrees, but I absolutely love plain old New York pizza, baked in a deck oven, and my pizzas stomp on every New York pizza (thin or Sicilian) I've ever bought.

Now I'll get yelled at for calling Sicilian pizza "New York pizza," but that's a whole other mess. The Sicilian variety I like is the kind New York pizzerias serve, and I have no idea whether it resembles anything eaten in Sicily.

Talking about pizza shouldn't be like playing dodgeball. When a hobby gets too nerded up, you can barely open your mouth without someone trying to correct you.

By the way, I know very little about no-knead dough, and I deliberately did it the easiest way I could think of, so don't be amazed if you find a better way than mine.

Polymandius · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2010, 01:38:23 PM »

Glad to help out! You present good info that contradicts the pizza orthodoxies that seem to abound.

I lurked about here for over half a year before I first posted. You and I would probably be considered heretics by the folks fixated on their pet method being the ONLY correct way to do things. Among other things I've seen you state quite correctly that good pizza can be made with various flours with widely varying gluten levels, that one can use lots of yeast and no cold rise, etc. I share most of your views and have even journeyed into more extreme levels of variance than you describe.

Making pizza isn't hard and doesn't require a major in chemistry or rocket science. It's really quite simple. However, producing an exact result day after day is a fine and difficult art. the people who have that level of control have my respect! That would be where the perfectionistic measurements and rigid methodologies come in.

I, for one, am very happy to vary method and ingredients each time for a diverse variety of flavors and textures to match my desires. For me there is no one best type or style or flavor when it comes to pizza. The "best" is whatever you are desiring to make at a given time. You either have the ability to match the desire, or you don't. It's a continual challenge.

Quote from: Puzzolento on March 26, 2010, 01:19:39 PM

I am so glad someone stood up and confirmed that you can make a great pizza without waiting four days or whatever. I'm not an idiot; I know good pizza when I taste it, and I know my pizza is the best I've ever eaten.

I think it would be fun to build a rig that bakes pizza at 900 degrees, but I absolutely love plain old New York pizza, baked in a deck oven, and my pizzas stomp on every New York pizza (thin or Sicilian) I've ever bought.

Now I'll get yelled at for calling Sicilian pizza "New York pizza," but that's a whole other mess. The Sicilian variety I like is the kind New York pizzerias serve, and I have no idea whether it resembles anything eaten in Sicily.

Talking about pizza shouldn't be like playing dodgeball. When a hobby gets too nerded up, you can barely open your mouth without someone trying to correct you.

By the way, I know very little about no-knead dough, and I deliberately did it the easiest way I could think of, so don't be amazed if you find a better way than mine.

Puzzolento · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2010, 02:17:53 PM »

Guess I'll have to enlarge the foxhole.

steel_baker · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2010, 10:16:56 PM »

I virtually always make & bake my dough same day. I tried making it the night before last weekend and letting it proof in the fridge overnight. It worked well and the pizza came out great. I'll do day before from now on but only for the convenience of having the dough made already on pizza making day (friday in our house).

steel_baker

jsperk · « **Reply #18 on:** June 24, 2011, 09:41:21 AM »

I had this recipe book marked for sometime. I finally tried it. This is one of my favs. Well oiled Cast iron pan worked great. Bottom nice and crispy the middle was soft.
Thanks.

Pizzamaster · « **Reply #19 on:** June 24, 2011, 09:05:38 PM »

Quote from: Polymandius on March 27, 2010, 01:38:23 PM

You and I would probably be considered heretics by the folks fixated on their pet method being the ONLY correct way to do things.

I am with you. It can get a little snobby. Speaking of heretic. How dare you not use baker percents! There are probably butts puckering up all over the place lol.

jsperk. How long did you cook yours?