Author Topic: Shakeys pizza & some tips (Read 59750 times)

Pete-zza · « **Reply #60 on:** June 15, 2012, 08:06:36 PM »

Quote from: Alligator on June 15, 2012, 06:53:08 PM

How much of a flavor and performance difference would there be in this recipe changing shortening for oil? Shortening is used a lot in baking to create a flaky crust. Does oil have those same properties?

Alligator,

That is a very good question, but I am not sure that I have a very good answer.

As you will note from Tom Lehmann's post at the PMQ Think Tank at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?p=6662#p6662, apart from flavor he does not see a lot of differences between oil and shortening in the dough. However, elsewhere, for example, in his PMQTT post at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?p=38840#p38840, Tom states that "oil will have a slight softening affect on the dough as compared to shortening".

It has been my understanding that a dough with a lot of oil, such as a Chicago deep-dish dough, can result in a tender biscuit-like crust. If shortening is used in lieu of oil in such a crust, and the shortening is added to the dough in a solid (as opposed to melted) state, the finished crust can end up with a flaky characteristic. I believe that this result is due to small globs of the softening melting during baking and incorporating more air into the crust, thereby resulting in a more flaky crust characteristic.

The above is a subject that I tried to address in a general way some time ago at Reply 75 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6480.msg64759/topicseen.html#msg64759.

Peter

toddster63 · « **Reply #61 on:** June 15, 2012, 09:52:56 PM »

Quote from: Alligator on June 15, 2012, 06:53:08 PM

How much of a flavor and performance difference would there be in this recipe changing shortening for oil? Shortening is used a lot in baking to create a flaky crust. Does oil have those same properties?

I've made these crackery crusts with both Crisco butter flavored and olive oil, and the differences are subtle at best. But I am laminating my skins, so that might make the bigger difference in their being little difference. Overall, I prefer Crisco as I think it makes the dough a teeny more flakey (and I covet FLAKEY). But I do make my crackery crusts in the food processor and well mix the Crisco into the flour before the water is added. I'm interested in hearing others experiences here...?

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #62 on:** June 16, 2012, 01:54:49 PM »

Quote from: toddster63 on June 15, 2012, 09:52:56 PM

well mix the Crisco into the flour before the water is added. I'm interested in hearing others experiences here...?

Thats what we did back in the 70's.....Chicago 'burbs pizza joints and how I always still do it. I believe the flavor is better and also creates a less bready texture....lard is what we used/use.

ThatsAmore · « **Reply #63 on:** June 16, 2012, 07:06:57 PM »

I tried this recipe last night and I was shocked how good it came out. I just threw all 4 ingredients into the bowl of my KitchenAid stand mixer and ran it for approximately 5 minutes. I didn't think about mixing the shortening into the flour before adding the water and the salt. Next time I will try doing that using a pastry cutter that I use when making pie crust. The texture and the air pockets were great. The first one I made had more bubbles and I assume because I didn't dock it as heavily as the second one I made. I pre-baked them before I loaded them.

Something else new to my experience I purchased a PizzaQue stone for my BBQ. I use hardwood lump charcoal and did it make a DEELICIOUS flavor.

toddster63 · « **Reply #64 on:** June 16, 2012, 08:36:14 PM »

Quote from: ThatsAmore on June 16, 2012, 07:06:57 PM

I tried this recipe last night and I was shocked how good it came out. I just threw all 4 ingredients into the bowl of my KitchenAid stand mixer and ran it for approximately 5 minutes. I didn't think about mixing the shortening into the flour before adding the water and the salt. Next time I will try doing that using a pastry cutter that I use when making pie crust. The texture and the air pockets were great. The first one I made had more bubbles and I assume because I didn't dock it as heavily as the second one I made. I pre-baked them before I loaded them.

Something else new to my experience I purchased a PizzaQue stone for my BBQ. I use hardwood lump charcoal and did it make a DEELICIOUS flavor.

That is one GORGEOUS pie, 'amore!

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #65 on:** June 16, 2012, 09:33:41 PM »

I will definetly second that....she's a bella for sure-ah!

Skillfully topped pizza pie.

toddster63 · « **Reply #66 on:** June 16, 2012, 09:42:53 PM »

Quote from: Chicago Bob on June 16, 2012, 09:33:41 PM

I will definetly second that....she's a bella for sure-ah! Skillfully topped pizza pie.

I like 'amore's pie cause it's meaty-meat-meat! I gotta try that, though I know many here in California (including my family) will shriek about the saturated fat, hah-ha...!

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #67 on:** June 16, 2012, 10:43:53 PM »

Jus add a few sprouts to a small section of it and you'll be all good!

Snorting Elk · « **Reply #68 on:** July 16, 2012, 09:55:44 AM »

Thats amore, what a good looking pizza! It inspried me to try one yesterday with similar ingredients. Turned out great, 4 minute par bake, made the Thin Crust pizza sauce (blender) recipe, and then cooked another 15 minutes at 500 degrees. The crust was just right. Hard to roll out, but I have a new 18" Aluminum roller coming that should fix that.

Todd

Bigfoot21075 · « **Reply #69 on:** July 31, 2012, 01:42:29 PM »

MMMM nothing like a Birthday at Shakey's!! When the one in Greenbelt, MD went out we bought the player piano..

Man those were good times with good pizza - right down to the goofey hats.

Wonder why the thin crust is almost lost to time?

Circa 1972?

Zing · « **Reply #70 on:** July 31, 2012, 02:07:33 PM »

Quote from: Bigfoot21075 on July 31, 2012, 01:42:29 PM

Wonder why the thin crust is almost lost to time?

It seems to me the thin crust pies were mostly sold by chains that were not headquartered on the east coast. Its a regional thing. Currently, at some of the Shakey's in Southern California you have to fight your way in at lunch time and grab the thin crust pizza the second they put it out on the buffet table.

Right now, Domino's, Pizza Hut and Paisano's (in Virginia) serve a thin crust. Paisano's and Domino's is definitely bought frozen and par baked. Not sure what Pizza Hut is doing at the moment.

That's a great picture, BTW.

rpmfla · « **Reply #71 on:** August 23, 2012, 12:54:19 PM »

Got home from work after reading this thread and decided to try Steve's recipe/technique.

Got home at about 5:45 and turned on the oven to 500.

Added 1lb of high gluten flour, 1tsp salt, 6.5 oz of water, and 1 tbls oil to the food processor. Mixed for about 30sec.

Dumped the mix onto my new silicone mat and pressed out to about 10".

Rolled out to about 17" to have some to trim from my 16" cutter pan. (this was the only "difficult" part as it does take some effort to roll this dough out thinly and uniformly, but not too bad)

The oven was still not up to temp but I put the dough in anyway and pre-baked for about 5 minutes. At about 5:05 I took the dough out and sauced, cheesed, italian sausaged, pepperonied, mushroomed, and cheesed some more.

Returned to the oven for another 10 or so minutes.

Out on a cooling rack for 5 minutes then served. It took me about 35 minutes from flour to cooling rack.

Verdict: For a quick, I gotta have a pizza when I have no yeast dough fermenting in the fridge type of thing, I thought it was very good. I am going to still keep trying to reproduce Pizza Hut's old Thin 'N Crispy from way back when I worked there (and this isn't it), but I will keep this recipe in mind for occasional use (heck, it is so easy and easy to remember I don't even need to write it down).

rpmfla · « **Reply #72 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:09:42 PM »

I think I might take this simple recipe and add a tbls or two of my starter, and not change anything else. I wonder if there will be any discernible difference? Would the starter necessitate a fermentation period to make any difference?

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #73 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:18:23 PM »

rpmfla,
Your Steve's quick an easy looks great!
I'm really interested in what you feel is the difference between this and the old school PH T&C....
I do agree with you that (and this isn't it). Thanks

rpmfla · « **Reply #74 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:27:44 PM »

Quote from: Chicago Bob on August 23, 2012, 01:18:23 PM

rpmfla,
Your Steve's quick an easy looks great!
I'm really interested in what you feel is the difference between this and the old school PH T&C....
I do agree with you that (and this isn't it). Thanks

It has been a very long time since I had the old thin 'n crispy at PH, but to me I'd say there is a flavor element missing (either yeast or maybe malt) and this pizza was more crunchy whereas the PH one was to me more crispy on the surface and flaky/airy on the inside. Not a big difference but I am a perfectionist. I haven't tried the DKM Pizza Inn recipe yet so that may be closer. So little time...so many pizza experiments!

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #75 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:30:53 PM »

Quote from: rpmfla on August 23, 2012, 01:27:44 PM

It has been a very long time since I had the old thin 'n crispy at PH, but to me I'd say there is a flavor element missing (either yeast or maybe malt) and this pizza was more crunchy whereas the PH one was to me more crispy on the surface and flaky/airy on the inside. Not a big difference but I am a perfectionist. I haven't tried the DKM Pizza Inn recipe yet so that may be closer. So little time...so many pizza experiments!

Excellent description..thank you.

DNA Dan · « **Reply #76 on:** August 29, 2012, 01:04:56 AM »

Bigfoot that's such a great photo! You look like you're in heaven sucking down that soda!

ThatsAmore · « **Reply #77 on:** October 14, 2012, 03:16:23 PM »

I thought I'd revisit this. Last week when I used this recipe I began to wonder how good it would be using yeast. So this week when shopping I purchased Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast.

After reading the Arkady. trying to figure out what this is. thread and then Craig's reply pointing to a Shakey's flour bag, I also noticed that they had yeast in their flour mix. So I gave it a shot.

I used the following recipe:

Amt Bakers %
Flour 16ozs 100%
Water 7ozs 43.75% 95°F
Salt 0.25ozs 1.56%
Oil 0.38ozs 2.38%
Yeast 0.25ozs 1.56%
A small pinch of sugar

This is slightly modified from Steve's on page 1 of this thread. I subbed vegetable oil for the shortening. Converted all measurements to ounces. Increased hydration by 1/2 oz. Added yeast packet of Pizza Yeast.

I use Baker's & Chef's High Gluten Enriched Bromated from Sam's Club. The pinch of sugar went in the yeast that was in the water pools in the flour. I let the yeast sit for 5 minutes or so and then on slowest setting of my KA stand mixer I mixed approximately 6 1/2 minutes and stopped when it started giving my KA a workout which made a nice ball. I removed the ball from mixer and placed it in a sealed container and let sit 30 minutes while the oven finished it's 1 hour warm up time of 500°F.

I pre-baked my crust for 5 minutes and sauced and topped and cooked another 10 minutes on stone.

The results were great ....

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #78 on:** October 14, 2012, 04:11:18 PM »

Very nice Dino. Love all those toppings man, a great look'in pizza!

ThatsAmore · « **Reply #79 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:51:35 PM »

I had enough left over dough from last night that I stored in the refrigerator to make a 14" & 9" pies again tonight. Dough took on that wine ferment smell a little bit. Better flavor than last night and great crispiness with nice air pockets in the crust. I let the dough come up to room temp for about 3 hours, it had a slight rise to it. This will be a keeper for me