Basic percentages for Neapolitan Pizza

[Gwen]

Today I cranked up the BGE to see if it made any difference with the doughs I had made a few days ago.  It quickly got up past the highest numbers on the temp gauge and sealed itself shut.  I pried it open and dropped the temp back down.  I cooked two pizzas in the 650 - 700 range mainly because that's the highest I could get it back up to without adding more lump.  The doughs were just some basic recipes I had found on the 'net and were 'okay.'  One was definitely better than the other.  But that may also be due to the fact that it cooked at a slightly higher temp.

Can someone point me to a link where I can find a 'recipe' or the percentages to start out with to work on a neapolitan pizza?  Also a good description of the method of preparing the dough.

Thank you.
Gwen

[jeffereynelson]

Go the home page and use the dough tools, then use the calculator. Lehmann gives recommendations for all amounts. Neapolitan pizza does not include sugar or oil. Just flour, water, salt and yeast. Hydration will vary based on gluten levels in the flour and your personal preference.

It's amazing how simple a traditional neapolitan pizzas is, 4 specific dough ingredients, 1 type of tomato, 1 type of cheese, and 1 type of herb. Yet it is impossible to perfect. That is why I think the pizza is so loved. Good luck trying to perfect. The closer you get the farther you will realize you are, however you will have some good eatin' along the way.

Jeff

[Gwen]

Found it.  Nifty tool! So what are the basic numbers to start with for Neapolitan, using 00 flour?  I'm not even sure what the thickness is supposed to be!  I'm sure everyone here has their own formulas, but what's a good starting point for someone who's starting from ground zero?

[jeffereynelson]

I actually use weight in calculator (10-12 ounces for my stone) and do thickness to feel. As I said for amounts, there are suggested amounts on the calc (IE 58-64% hydration, yest .1-.5%). Those are good places to start. Just make one or two and see what you do and don't like, then we can help you tweak from there. By the way for 00 flour I'd go 59-62% just narrow the window.

Jeff

[tscaife]

Gwen,

What was your setup at those temps? Were you able to get an even bake? I have a thread where I posed a number of different recipes and played around with different setups here - http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,13604.40.html


Good luck! It will take some experimentation but, it is worth it.

Todd

[Gwen]

Thanks, Todd, I'll read that post you linked.

I had the platesetter with legs down, then the three little bge feet, then the bge pizza stone.  I lit the egg, opened everything up, and walked away.  When I came back the needle was all the way around and the top was sealed.      I pulled on it just a bit and it popped open.     I dialed things back a bit, waited, and when I came back, it was down to about 625.  I managed to get it back up closer to 700 for the first pizza but the second pizza, I couldn't get it above about 640.

I had completely cleaned out the firebox and raked all the ashes out.  So my problem was I probably didn't start with enough lump to withstand the extreme high heat it blasted away at.  But boy, is the inside of that egg clean now!   

I have had fairly good luck with pizzas on the egg in the past.  Now I'm looking to perfect some crust recipes for different temp cooks and pizza styles.  I always try new recipes and never kept track of what I did, so never could remember which ones turned out better than others.  Now I'm keeping track and making notes.

[Gwen]

Todd, just finished reading through that thread.  I had read it before, but it was a good refresher and I had forgotten that you gave several formulas.

Question:  What is an Ischia starter?  I'll see if I can figure out how to do a search on this site and look for it.

Also, have you tried the 00 flour?  And if so, what hydration did you find to work well with that?

I do not have access to fresh yeast where I live, so am stuck with ADY and IDY.  I can get the ADY by the jar but the IDY only in packets.

Gwen

[tscaife]

Gwen,

Ischia starter is a wild yeast culture. You can buy and learn more about them at www.sourdo.com . The starter/sponges section of this forum also has great information. I haven't used any other type of yeast but, others may be able to help.

I have tried 00 flour but, it was granoro brand. I haven't tried Caputo, San Felice, etc. I was using King Arthur Bread flour for a long time but have been using King Arthur Organic Bread Flour for a while now.

For hydration I have tried anything from 58% - 67%. I am currently at low 60's but, do try different things all of the time. Try 62% to start and experiment from there.

Temperature, type of flour, mixing technique, fermentation time, dough handling, opening technique and other variables all have a significant effect on the final product. Try different things and figure out what you like. I like most here am still trying to figure it out  

Look at Omid's thread stickied in this forum. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14506.0.html It will give you plenty of things to try and think about.

Todd