Using a stone for NY Style?

[Apprentice]

Hi, I'm new to pizza-making and I'm looking at all those pics of NY style pizzas and my mouth is watering. I would like to know how you get your crust to be so soft, so that it bends when you pick up a slice. I cook my pizzas on a stone and the bottom is always crunchy and when I hold a slice, it stays horizontal, does not bend. I've noticed that all the pizzas are cooked on pans. Mine are cooked on a stone. Is that why my crust is like that? Also, when your dough is stretched, it has to be very thin in the middle and get thicker as you approach the rim, right?

Thanks!

p.s. my recipe resembles very much those found here, so I'm hoping it's not my recipe's fault.

[norma427]

Apprentice,

Maybe if you post what rack position you are using in the oven, the oven temperature you are baking at, what kind of pizza stone you are using, bakes times, and also your recipe, maybe I or someone else can help you try to achieve a softer bottom crust.

I can get bendable crusts in my home oven, using a pizza stone.

Norma

[Apprentice]

I'm using a ceramic pizza stone, at 450F, on the lowest rack, for 7 minutes.
Recipe: 2 1/2 c. flower, 210 ml water, 4 tsp EVOO, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp yeast.

[pizzablogger]

Hi, I'm new to pizza-making and I'm looking at all those pics of NY style pizzas and my mouth is watering. I would like to know how you get your crust to be so soft, so that it bends when you pick up a slice. I cook my pizzas on a stone and the bottom is always crunchy and when I hold a slice, it stays horizontal, does not bend. I've noticed that all the pizzas are cooked on pans. Mine are cooked on a stone. Is that why my crust is like that? Also, when your dough is stretched, it has to be very thin in the middle and get thicker as you approach the rim, right?

Thanks!

p.s. my recipe resembles very much those found here, so I'm hoping it's not my recipe's fault.

Apprentice, there are definitely some who think that a NY style slice should not bend when held horizontally and view "tip sag" as undesireable.

I don't mind a little sag, but a good NY Style pizza should never be "floppy" in my opinion. Perhaps the fold and hold often used when eating NY Style pizza is the more meaningful metric...the outer crust should definitely be crisp enough to hold the slice upright, but not so much that the crust cracks significantly when folding it down the middle (bake times which are too long and dry out the crumb contribute to the cracking).

A pizza screen may help you to get the crust style you want. A shorter bake time may also help get you an outer crust which is crispy without drying out the inside so much that the entire slice is as rigid as you are describing. Does your oven allow you to cook at higher than 450°F?

Perhaps a picture of your pizzas would help --K

[norma427]

Apprentice,

This is usually a good starting point to try and make a NY style pizza. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,2223.0.html At reply 8 Peter gives pizzzzagirl a formula and instructions on how to make a Lehmann NY style pizza. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,2223.msg19563.html#msg19563 If you have time to read the whole thread, it can be helpful in learning about making pizza.

Is 450 degrees F as high as your oven can get?  That also can lead to a longer bake and maybe drier bottom crust, when using a stone.  My home oven can only get to around 500 degrees F, but it works okay.  Do you have a scale to measure the water and flour?  

I also agree with pizzabloggers’s assessments.

Norma

[chickenparm]

I have/use a stone and different size screens.To get the crust you desire,the easiest way is to cook the pizza on the screen.

I leave my stone in the oven on the lower rack(heck I never take it out anymore anyway)and I put the pizza on the screen and place it right on top of the stone too.
The stone helps to keep the screen steady on the rack.

When I want a crispier crust,I cook directly on the stone without using a screen.I like both styles.

There is not one unique style for NY slices I have found out over time.Some places flop,and are soft to fold/eat,some are crunchier and the crust cracks in the middle when folded in half.Its all good to eat either way.
 

[chickenparm]

Im not sure if you seen this.Its my 18 inch Ny style pie made with a screen.It has a soft and folding crust with a floppy tip.The screen made all the difference for me.


http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,13648.0.html