Rocky's WNY-style pizza recipe

[RockyMarciano]

With some expierimenting I created today a pizza, that I feel accurately tasted like the pizza you would find on the streets of my town, Buffalo.  You should note that WNY and NYC pizzas are different and in my opinion, I think buffalo has the best pizza.  Here is my recipe:

DOUGH

Flour , 13.28 oz.   3 cups + 2 T
Water, 8.2 oz.     Just a little more than a cup ( a fraction of an oz more)                                   
salt,  1 1/4 t.   (sea)                               
ADY a little more than 1/4 tsp  (proofed in 110F water for 3-5 minutes)
Oil, , 1 t       
sugar,  1/4 tsp                                       
Total Dough weight = 22 oz.
Thickness factor = 0.1095

I usually always sift my flour, it isn't neccessary, but I think it helps.  The main thing is hydrating the yeast right.  I sometimes will autolyse for 15 minutes, though again it doesn't really matter.  My knead time is usually about 10 minutes, I always do it by hand.  Shape into ball, place in container with lid/cover, put in refridgerator for 1-3 days.  Take out and proof for 1-3 hours.  Stretch into a skin, and then let rise for 15-45 mintutes.  You can use a screen, but a real wny pizza uses a standard criscoed aluminum pizza pan and is cooked in a gas deck oven. 

Sauce:
1 can san marzano tomatoes
sugar
fresh garlic
oregano
salt (sea)
pepper (fresh ground black)
romano cheese
EVOO

Put tomatoes in blender and chop them to the consistancy you like, then strain some of the watery stuff out.  Measure 8-10 oz of sauce.  Put about 1 tsp of sugar in, and a dab of garlic about the size of a fingernail and a splash of olive oil.  Stir this up and put it on the pie. Sprinkle salt, pepper, oregano (a little heavier, and make the oregano finer), then mix it in a little with a spoon.  Then sprinkle a little romano cheese around.

Cheese:
8-9 oz of Sorrento low moisture whole milk or part skim mozzarella.  (SHRED it yourself, it works better shredded than sliced), sorrento is a must, since it's even made in buffalo

Toppings:
MARGHERITA brand pepperoni, the stuff that cup's n crisps is an absolute MUST since every pizzeria here uses it, it tastes so good.  Hot banana peppers, olives, CANNED mushrooms, finely chopped anchovies, meatball, italian sausage, peppers,  etc go good too.

[Pete-zza]

Rocky,

You've come a long way fast  . Now you can teach me a few things by answering these questions:

1) What kind of flour did you use?

2) Are you making a 16-inch pie or two 12-inchers?

3) Is it common to let a WNY skin proof (rise) before dressing?

4) How much Crisco do you have to use to grease the pan (e.g., light or heavy amount), and can you describe the bottom of the crust after the pie is done and how it compares in terms of crust oven spring, color, taste and texture with a pie baked directly on a stone or deck?

5) What oven temperature and bake time did you use?

6) Are San Marzanos common to use for the WNY style?

Thanks.

Peter

[RockyMarciano]

Rocky,

You've come a long way fast  . Now you can teach me a few things by answering these questions:

1) What kind of flour did you use?

2) Are you making a 16-inch pie or two 12-inchers?

3) Is it common to let a WNY skin proof (rise) before dressing?

4) How much Crisco do you have to use to grease the pan (e.g., light or heavy amount), and can you describe the bottom of the crust after the pie is done and how it compares in terms of crust oven spring, color, taste and texture with a pie baked directly on a stone or deck?

5) What oven temperature and bake time did you use?

6) Are San Marzanos common to use for the WNY style?

Thanks.

Peter

I used bread flour, I do know a few places that use AP and a few that use Hi-gluten though, use whatever one you prefer.  ALWAYS a 16 inch, in Buffalo they don't come any other way.  It is common to let the skin rise for a little.  You should note that a light dusting of flour or sometimes oil is used for stretching it out, never cornmeal.  I lightly crisco the pan so it doesn't stick, the result is a paler bottom, thats chewier and well greasier, I tried this with a screen in my home oven and it worked just as well except with a browner, crunchier bottom, you can use a screen if you want to and you will still get the taste, it will just be browner and less greasy, again most places in buffalo don't use the screen method.  The crust has a nice spring to it, and is chewy but not cardboardy. Sometimes (usually) a thin gum line will develop, I find it desirable, most don't however, but because of the san marzanos its going to happen, and is usually thin so it's not a bad thing.  It is usually cooked in the pan on the deck oven, and then in the last legs of cooking, you take it off the pan and "deck it" for a short time to brown the bottom a little more, carefully turning it so it doesn't burn.   You could use 450-550 for the tempature.  Average bake time is 8-12 minutes, this doesn't really matter, just cook it till it's done.  I know of a few places that use san marzanos (I can tell by taste) and I thought it did contribute to the WNY taste.  I always cut the pizza in 8 slices.  I would say out of everything, the biggest thing that makes a WNY pizza is margherita pepperoni.  You should be able to find sorrento cheese under the "PRECIOUS" label, it'll come in a 16 oz package, and will most likely be part skim low moisture.  Buy this and grate it, if you read it carefully it'll probably say Sorrento, Buffalo NY on the package somewhere.  Margherita pepperoni will have to be bought online, unless you make a road trip here.  I guarantee the pepperoni is worth the shipping and all that.  If you type in buffalo foods in google, there are places that will ship margherita pepperoni and alot of other buffalo goodies  to you.  Here's a site: https://www.buffalofoods.com/home.htm  One stick will make apprx two pies.

[Fio]

Rocky,

Do you know the prevalence of Polly-O cheese in WNY pizza?  I seem to recall driving past one or more Polly-O plants in Buffalo and Rochester.  I'm trying to figure out what cheese is used on Batavia, NY pizzas.

Thanks for the info.  Keep up the good work.

Cheers,

- Fio

[foodblogger]

I'd love to see some photos of your recipe.  I've never had a WNY pie before.

[Flagpull]

As far as I know they sell Margherita Pepperoni at every Wal-Mart and most grocery stores. I've seen it available up and down the coast. Before I became a vegetarian it was my Pepperoni of choice.

[RockyMarciano]

I'd love to share photos of it too, but I don't own a digital camera or have any film at the moment.  They will have margherita at walmarts if you live in a certain area, im 99% sure it is not at every walmarts.  Heres some pics of pizza's in buffalo :
http://www.buffalothrills.com/useractive-images/nick/Pizza(web).jpg
http://www.buffalothrills.com/feedme/italian/italian-images/jpspizza-ph3.jpg
http://www.buffalothrills.com/feedme/italian/italian-images/lomatos-ph3p.jpg
http://www.tpbweb.com/image_mgr/account_images/18113d.gif

[RockyMarciano]

Rocky,

Do you know the prevalence of Polly-O cheese in WNY pizza?  I seem to recall driving past one or more Polly-O plants in Buffalo and Rochester.  I'm trying to figure out what cheese is used on Batavia, NY pizzas.

Thanks for the info.  Keep up the good work.

Cheers,

- Fio

I'm sure you could use a cheese like polly-o or even grande and get good results, but as far as I can taste, a lot of places use sorrento, I wish I knew more about this, im sure polly-o would work good.  BTW is genny really made from the water in that river?? I heard kodak has been polluting it for years, the water has kind of a yellow glow to it.  Thats about all I remember from rachacha, that and garbage plates and house of guitars.  Helluvagood is good, but I think Bison is better.