New member says hello

[williamn]

This is my first post here! I am an Electrical Engineer here in Houston, Texas.  My wife and I love pizza, we eat it about 3 times a week.  I have many favorites, Chicago style is on top.  I make my own version of Chicago style that everyone likes.  I use the "frugal Gormet" Pizzeria Uno's recipie as a base.  I dont have any measurements because I have made it so many times I just eyeball it, but here are my mods to this recipe.
I use Bread Flour instead of AP. 
For the lipid (oil) I use clarified butter.  I generally use just over 1/2cup(its butter how can you have too much! )
I use 1/4 cup of cornmeal.(consequently just a tad more flour)
When making the dough I tend to keep it on the oily(in this case buttery) side.
After a 8 hour rise time,(when I get home from work)  I am ready to make pizza.
I start by getting out my extra large pasta roller(12" wide).  I take a small amout of dough and run it through, each time folding the dough and runing it through again(gives a nice layered effect).  I do this four times per sheet.  Place the sheet into a small 9" cast iron skillet(heavily greased).  followed by 1/4lbs of sliced mozzerella.  Toppings gereally are a mix of hot itallian sausage sauteed with red bell pepper and onion.  Finally I slap on the sauce followed by tons of romano.  This is my wifes favorite.  I will take a picture next time I make it.   Great forum, I am excited to be a member and I am looking forward to learning some hints and tips.

William

[scott r]

william, for some reason you have just inspired me to try to make a chicago style for the first time in my life.  WOW

Welcome to the forum!

[buzz]

Try your recipe with AP and a short knead (2 minutes tops) and compare! Enjoy!

[williamn]

Thanks for the tips Buzz, I will try the AP flour.  I have a kitchen aid with a dough hook, and I normally nead it just enough to barley incorporated(kind of like you would do for a biscuit, just a tad longer.) 

william

[Pete-zza]

scott,

I never thought I would hear the words "Chicago style" off of your lips. Thank you Williamn for stirring scott to the next step in his evolution as a master pizza maker.

In case you are wondering, scott, I would like you to know that it is possible to use a preferment to make a deep-dish dough, so the fact that you are no longer using dry yeast (did you really throw away all your dry yeasts?) should be no deterrent. If you go to Reply #22 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1585.20.html you will see how I made a deep-dish dough using a natural preferment.

I also don't see any reason why you shouldn't try using some of your Caputo 00 flour to make the deep-dish dough (or possibly a combination of the Caputo and KASL). Protein-wise the Caputo is in the ballpark and it should produce a tender crust, so it might work. And if you use some pureed and drained Alta Cucinas or LaRegina DOP San Marzanos, along with a combination of processed and fresh mozzarella cheeses, some fresh basil and garlic, a good pizza seasoning (like a Penzeys), Italian sausage, pepperoni (even though it is not Italian in origin), grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheeses, and a bit of one of your killer olive oils, I think you could end up with quite an innovative product. You don't have to use the recipe I tested the preferment with. For a Caputo-based dough, I might be inclined to use one of Buzz's basic deep-dish dough recipes--maybe the original one to start with--until you see what develops from using the Caputo 00 flour.

Peter

[scott r]

I am now drooling!!!!!

Yes, the IDY is really gone, I am very excited to check out your link and ideas peter!

For now I have 6 500 gram KASL, and 6 Caputo doughs ready for my pizza party tonight.
Fresh sauce made from Uglyripe's, one from organic local Romas, and one from Cluster on the vine tomatoes    YUM

It is after all finally ..............  PIZZA SEASON