Still very new here, and for some reason have jumped from the 2Stone on my Weber Genesis grill setup, to cutting off the locking tab of my Whirlpool oven. I think it was related to my grill being buried in 8" of snow. Anyway, this homemade pizza hobby has bitten because the last decent tasting local pizza place here in southeast CT just turned to crap the last two times. I now have the Italian cultures from sourdo.com but I have to read the book and quick guide first.
My first two self-cleaning oven pizzas used Pete-zza's recipe in the first Lehman NY style pizza post. 63% hydration with All Trumps, IDY, salt, tsp sugar & oil. Cold ferment x 3 days. Took out about 2 hrs before starting so all ingredients would be at room temp, but dough rose 2-3 times. I put the stone in at start of 2hr 30 min cleaning cycle, on medium rack, covered with aluminum foil. Somewhere about 45 -50 mins into cooking, I used my Raytek MT6 to measure surface temp of foil on top of stone at 875-900°F. Removed foil and started making first of two 13" pizzas.
I dusted wood peel with 1/3 KAAP, 1/3 Semolina, 1/3 Cornmeal and transferred pizza onto stone. It looked done, with charred larger bubbles on crust after 2-2:30 mins. Had to scrape a bit with peel to free up from stone where some burned dough was stuck on stone. About the time I got the pizza on the peel, the smoke detector said hello, alarming my wife in the other room. I removed the battery--first problem solved!
Pizza was almost cooked enough on top, but mostly burned on bottom. A little better result with 2nd pizza kept in for only 2 mins....but still some charred bottom.
Second attempt tonight. This time used Caputo 00, water, IDY, salt (63%)--no oil or sugar. No cornmeal in dusting flour. Followed Varasano's 20 min autolyze wait, and end mixing wait before 2 days in frig as described on his website. Took out dough about 45 mins before starting to make pizzas. Started self-cleaning cycle without stone. About 35 mins later, inserted fibrament stone with aluminum peel...and finished making first pizza 20 mins later. Temp on stone was only in 510°F range, but upper oven walls around 820°F, so first pizza in for about 4 mins & got overcooked on top, and undercooked (no charring) on bottom. Totally edible, but not ideal.
Second pizza I waited another 15 mins (1 hr 15 mins into self-cleaning; 40 mins of stone heating up) before sliding onto 680°F stone with walls at 830°F. Pix below was with about 2 min 30 sec cook, and pretty close to photos I have seen. This had 2/3 sliced ham & extra (Grande East Coast shredded) cheese, 1/3 Stop & Shop fresh Mozzarella.), and a little heavy on the sauce. I know I still have to add the Ischia culture to the dough for more flavor, and put the stone in a little earlier, but slowly making progress. Wife thinks I'm crazy, but also likes the results.
