my first nearlypolitan

[spies]

well... technically not my first attempt but the first one that was somewhat worthy of showing off. 

100% KAAP
65% water
3% salt
0.3% IDY

Disolved the salt in water then added 75% of the flour (roughly).  Mixed just to hydrate flour then added yeast and mixed to incorporate yeast. I realize I could have added the yeast right away but I forgot.  Anyway I let autolyse for 30 or so minutes then kneaded with the dough hook for about 5 minutes then started to slowly add the rest of the flour over the next 2 or so minutes.  once all the flour was fully added I dumped the dough out onto a floured work surface and hand kneaded for about 3 minutes.

I let rest for about 10 minutes then did a stretch and fold.  Rest 10 min Stretch and fold again. 

Bulk ferment for about 2 hours then balled and put in fridge.  well all but one ball.

I left the one ball out for about another hour then made the pizza.  My house is about 75-80 degrees.  I know I should have probably put the last ball in the fridge but my girlfriend was hungry. 

So my pizza was the best one I've yet made and I'll post pictures as soon as I figure out out but I have a question first.  Every time I make some dough when I go to stretch it it stretches very unevenly and I get very thin spots and some much thicker spots.  Also my dough balls do not look as smooth as ones that I see on here or have seen in pizza restaurants.  What am I doing wrong?!?!  I can't seem to get them smooth and they get large bubbles.

Anyway lets see if I do this right.  Here is my pizza, Toppings are crushed tomatoes (forget what brand just something I got at the supermarket), fresh mozz, red onion, green pepper, sweet italian sausage, and pepperoni.  Pretty standard toppings.

ok I lied, no idea how to attach pictures.  help?

[spies]

forgot to say how I cooked it.  Pre-heated stone on oven floor for 1.5 hours then put pizza on stone.  Cooked it for about a minute in the oven then turned on the broiler and moved the stone to the bottom broiler compartment and cooked it for about 2 minutes.  Total time about 3-4 minutes.  I didn't time it exactly but it couldn't have been more than 5 minutes.

[jeffereynelson]

To attach the picture just click "choose file" next to where it says attach attach right below the box where you type your response. Then select the picture. That's it.

[spies]

it wont let me upload because the pictures are too big.  tried posting the html codes from my flickr account but that didn't work either.

[TXCraig1]

Use this to shrink them down.

http://www.imageoptimizer.net/Pages/Home.aspx

[spies]

ok got it (i think) and here are the pictures!

also any advice on how to make my dough balls smoother and stretch more evenly?

[jeffereynelson]

Glad you got the pics to post. I think you should be concentrating on making NY style pizzas based on the outcomes of your pizza. I don't think you have the heat necessary to bake Neo pies. You didn't post your bake time, but I am guessing you were somewhere near 5 minutes?

As far as smoothness it normally just comes down to knead time. You autolyse then kneaded for 5 minutes before adding flour? It sounds like you didn't knead the dough very much once all the dough was incorporated. After the autolyse period I normally just starting adding the remaining the flour and mixing it right away. Once all the flour is in, I turn up the speed so the dough hook throws the dough off it so it doesn't just spin slowly with the dough bunched around the hook. It should get smooth for you, but you definitely don't need it perfectly smooth. It actually smooths out with time too.

[spies]

Thanks for your input. The pie I posted took about 4 minutes to bake. My most recent pie took about 5:30 or so but I didn't pre-heat the stone as long. I know what I'm making is more like a NY style than neapolitan but I'm trying to get as close to Neapolitan as possible with what I have. The outside does have a bit of crispness like a NY pie as opposed to being soft but the inside was perfect. Nice and airy. Not as bready as a NY pie.

So to get the dough smoother I should knead longer and at a higher speed?  I normally do a "wet knead" for about 5 min or so then slowly add flour. Total kneading time 8 min in the mixer. Then I do a couple of stretch and folds with a 10 min break inbetween.

Regardless since reading this site my pizzas have improved dramatically. Thanks for all the help guys!

[scott123]

I know what I'm making is more like a NY style than neapolitan but I'm trying to get as close to Neapolitan as possible with what I have.

Shaun, when it comes to Neapolitan pizza, there is no such thing as 'close.' The bake time defines the style.  Either you have an oven that can do 90 second bakes or you don't, and, if you don't, it's better to use ingredients that are geared for 4-5 minute bakes, such as malted bread flour.

4-5 minute bread flour NY pizzas, if using properly fermented dough, aren't bready at all, and are far better than traditional Neapolitan doughs baked for the same amount of time.

[spies]

I've tried using bread flour before and it always came out more dense than I wanted. Of course I was always using oil in the dough at the time so maybe that had something to do with it. I guess il just have to mess around with it a bit more. I have one more dough ball with this formula so I think I'll preheat the stone on the floor like before then move it to the broiler but turn a large baking sheet over and put the stone on it to try to get it closer to the broiler. I've gotten close to 2 minute bakes before the top was charred but the bottom was undercooked. If this method fails I suppose I'll just resign myself to making NY style pizzas when I want a thinner crust.

[jeffereynelson]

I've tried using bread flour before and it always came out more dense than I wanted. Of course I was always using oil in the dough at the time so maybe that had something to do with it. I guess il just have to mess around with it a bit more. I have one more dough ball with this formula so I think I'll preheat the stone on the floor like before then move it to the broiler but turn a large baking sheet over and put the stone on it to try to get it closer to the broiler. I've gotten close to 2 minute bakes before the top was charred but the bottom was undercooked. If this method fails I suppose I'll just resign myself to making NY style pizzas when I want a thinner crust.

I personally don't like the super thin NY style as much either. I use a NY recipe and bake times but leave a bigger rim and shape them to look more like a Neo. I like the bigger light airy crumb. I just know in my set-up I won't get the char, leoparding, soft outside, and that I shouldn't go with caputo. I can bake in 3 1/2 minutes, but I'm still not close to Neo. I've evolved it to what I like, not strictly one type or another.

[randyjohnsonhve]

Jeff...

Why don't you post pictures of your pizzas...I think we are in similar circumstances as to what we can do at home...

RJelli