I can't buy Bromated flour locally. What would be just as good?

[miner_tom]

Hi to the Pizza Making community.

Been doing a lot of research and experimentation on Pizza dough for the last couple of weeks. Also have had some EPIC kitchen disasters. I finally found that I have been using the wrong type of flour for what I am trying to achieve.

My favorite type of Pizza is the thin crust New York style. I have found that a lot of Pizza places on the East Coast use the Gold Medal "All Trump" high Gluten, bromated flour. I live in Northern California and have just talked to the Northern California regional sales rep for General Mills who said that they don't make "All Trump" available west of the Rockies, just because of the Bromides.

I have seen this flour on sale at Amazon for $30 per 50 lb bag but with another $35 tacked on for shipping. This is clearly ridicules.

Is there an alternative flour that will give me the excellent (stretchy and pliable) dough that I can use for a NY thin crust Pizza?

Thank You
Tom

[dmcavanagh]

Well, since bromated flour is out of the question in your case, simply look for a good bread or hi-glutne flour that is available in your area. All Trumps also maked unbromated flour which will make a fine pizza. I have very good luck making NY style with GM Better for Bread flour right off the grocery store shelf. King Arthur bread flour is good, you can even use KA all purpose flour. Any flours from Con Agra have given me good results, especially one called occident which they produce both bromated and unbromated. Flour is really only a small part of the equation, any decent bread flour should be just fine.

[Meatballs]

I'm sure the Dough Doctor has the answer, but, until he chimes in, how about a high gluten flour that you add a dough relaxer/enhancer yourself, like citric acid or one of the available commercial products.  Bromate isn't the only way to go its just the best.

Ron

[scott123]

Tom, the best flour for Californians looking to make NY style is Pendleton Power Flour. You'll most likely have to purchase it in 50# bags, though, and it could be hard to find a distributor that sells to the public.

That's the flour you ultimately want to get your hands on, though.  Until then, there's nothing wrong with Better for Bread.

Flour is only about 10% of the equation.  You can use non ideal flour and still end up with great pizza.

The oven setup, though, as I mentioned in your intro thread- that's critical.  I would say oven setup is 80%.  If you don't have the right stone, then you will never recreate the pizza of your youth.