Shaping Mixture

[Randy]

Shaping Mixture[/color]
I’ve been working on the mixture I use to shape a New York style pizza.  Two things seem to be important and directly effect the flavor.  One how wet, therefore sticky the dough is.  The stickier the dough the more it picks up is the first.  The second is the mixture.  The best I have found so far is mixture of cornmeal and flour.
What is everybody else using?

Randy

[Wayne]

I always just use flour, but you know, after all the stuff I've read, I'm still not clear on what distinguishes a new york style pizza from a normal everyday pizza.

[canadave]

Wayne: check this thread for some clarification on exactly what constitutes a NY-style pizza:
http://www.pizzamaking.com/yabbse/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=64

Randy: I experiemented a while ago adding some cornmeal.  It was okay, but flour by itself worked well too in terms of taste.  

The key thing, I think, in preparing a NY pizza at home, is to have the right flour.  Not all-purpose flour, not simply bread flour (although either of these will get you close), but a genuine, "made for pizza", high-gluten flour.  I also am personally of the opinion that the taste of the water makes a difference (this subject has been discussed many times here).  Then, too, the overnight refrigerated rise is very important (actually, rising TWO nights seems to work even better for taste).

That being said, I think it's difficult to aim for a "perfect" copy of a NY pizza using home equipment and ingredients.  Professional pizza dough mixes have things like dough conditioners and things like that.  But even if we can get something close to a genuine NY pizza, that's good enough for me

Dave

[Steve]

I think it's difficult to aim for a "perfect" copy of a NY pizza using home equipment and ingredients.  Professional pizza dough mixes have things like dough conditioners and things like that.  But even if we can get something close to a genuine NY pizza, that's good enough for me

I've tried various dough conditioners, dough relaxers, etc., and all of them have a negative impact on the flavor of the dough (IMHO). The best so far, for NY style pizza, is simply water, high gluten flour, yeast, salt, and regular (non-extra virgin) olive oil. I have found that making the dough a little on the wet/sticky side yields a dough that is more stretchable.

[canadave]

I've tried various dough conditioners, dough relaxers, etc., and all of them have a negative impact on the flavor of the dough (IMHO).

Really??  Hmmm.  That's surprising to hear!  Never would've thought that

If it's really just proper use of the same ingredients as the pros use, then there's hope  Now if I could EVER get my stand mixer back, I'll be happy to share my NY recipes once they're refined.

Dave