My feeble attempt...

[Flagpull]

Hey guys, I hope all is well in your world.

Just a little about me: I'm 18 and I couldn't cook anything for the life of me really....

About six months ago while in Philly I had the chance to eat at Lombardi's (which unfortunetly, is now closed *grumble*). Since then i've been on a constant search, researching good pizza, pizza places, recipes, etc. With the help of you guys, Ed Levine, and the patience of my mother this is to the point I am now.

(These are probably the 4th and 5th pizzas i've made, I was unhappy with the sauce on the first tries and the dough on the next)

I'm using my own variation on the recipe for dough from Ed Levine's book, and I love it. For the sauce i'm using furmano canned plum tomatoes, blended together ...I let the sauce simmer in a pot for about 5 minutes with a quarter of a clove of garlic but that's it...cheese is polly-o whole milk fresh mozzarella, and it's yummy. Pepperoni is boars head premium.

Once you learn that simplicity is where it's at, it's all pretty easy!

Not only do I not have a wood pizza oven but I do not have a stone at this point (broke, long story) so I had to use a regular pan....it turned out it didn't matter

Oven temp = 550 (allowed to heat for an hour)
Cook time = 7.5 minutes

(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza.jpg)
(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza2.jpg)
(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza3.jpg)
(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza5.jpg)
(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza4.jpg)

This was FANTASTIC...it blackened around the edges and the bottom was absolutely perfect...the pepperoni began to crisp, mmmmmhmm...

Let me know what you guys think!

[scott r]

flagpull, I would definitely not call that a feeble attempt.  I think you have found a winner with that pizza, and I am so glad to see that you have that well seasoned pan.  There is a pizzeria in Lawrence MA that uses big bakery pans that look all dark and well used like yours.  The bottom of the pizza looks just like yours.  They told me that they do not wash them, but just sort of rinse them.  I have to say that the amazing smokey flavor they get from their pans often times makes me want to switch back from my pizza stone.  Keep going with your newfound hobby.  I just hope you don't turn into an obsessive pizzafreak like me!

[Flagpull]

From what I understand that pan is about 9 years old...

Thanks for your kind words, it certainly was yummy. heh.

[Flagpull]

The second pie...

(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza6.jpg)
(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza8.jpg)
(http://www.flagpull.com/philip/pizza/pizza7.jpg)

This one was even better than the first, I made the crust a tad thicker when I put it on the pan....didn't blacked AS MUCH around the edges but the bottom was the same. I love this dough, heh.