My first NYC(Varasano Style) Za

[GRAPEAPE]

Check out my first NYC pizza'a. I used an 800 degree gas oven to bake them. My dough had no culture in it. They tasted great, can't wait to try with a culture. I've been making pizza for about 5 years at 500 degrees with the typical dough recipe. My wife agrees that these pizza's blew my old pizza's away. I can't wait to try this method with a culture. Much thanks to Jeff and everyone else that developed this method.

[GRAPEAPE]

The pizza in the second picture was not only the best looking but the best tasting. I think I can get even better results once I practice this method a bit more.

[mivler]

Hi,

Can you give me specifics on your oven?

How long did you cook the pizza for? To me it looks like it could have stayed in a little longer (especially the first). I like a pizza that's got some char.

Michael

[tonymark]

800 F   The pizzas look like there is no heat from above.  Is this the case?
Beside that, the pizzas look pretty good.  Nice and airy!

[GRAPEAPE]

I also would like a little more char on top but the bottom was getting burnt. My next attempt, I plan on using a cookie sheet to cool the stone before cooking the pizza. I'll also experiment with putting the stone at different levels other than the middle.

[GRAPEAPE]

heat comes from the bottom.

[GRAPEAPE]

tonymark, is it try that patsy's doesn't use a culture? why does jeff claim he got the culture from there dough?

[chiguy]

 Hi Grapeape,
 I have attempted a high temp bake although i do not have a infared thermom, i believe the temperature upon baking with cleaning cycle was close to 800F. These are my pics at about 2 1/2min. As you can see considerably more crust coloration with no sugar added of coarse. It seems maybe you had very little residual sugar left in the dough upon baking??  This could be a reason for the lighter color. Or a temp/ bake time problem?? How long did you let the dough ferment??
 In order to control the stone temperature you should cover the stone loosely with foil,(both top/bottom) for the first 70 min. Remove foil 5-10min prior to baking pizza.. The cookie sheet may work but you have to cover the stone with one on top and bottom. Otherwise burn baby burn,pizza inferno..
 I also called mine the Varasano wannabe pizza but in reality i know i was not very close. It definetely take some practice when woking with a high temp oven. I also do not have his starter & exact formula.. I believe Jeff developed his starter from a piece of Patsys dough that he flew back to Atlanta that day.        Goodluck,  Chiguy   

[GRAPEAPE]

My pizza's baked for about 2:30 minutes. My dough cold fermented for 3 days in the frig. With an 80 minute room temp rise.

How do you remove the foil from underneath the stone?

[varasano]

you don't. just leave it there.

[chiguy]

 grapeape,
 As Jeff recommended, I do not remove the bottom foil only the top just prior to baking. I do this with a pair of tongs, about 14in long.
 I always, always wear oven mitts whenever i do anything with the oven at these temperatures. I do not want forarm skin as a new pizza topping.
 I will say using a 3 day retarded rise takes proper formulation of the dough, yeast amounts, finished dough temperature,etc...    Chiguy

[PizzaBrasil]

There is it another advantage of wood oven. The hot fire eats everything. Easy to clean!
Aluminum sheet, just to protect the food top :-)

Luis

[gschwim]

Grape,

Does your oven naturally have an 800 degree capability or did you have to modify it?  If there is an oven I can buy with a dial that goes up to 800 degrees, or at least does not need to be physically modified (such as by tampering with the heating cycle), I would love to know the brand and model.

Thanks,

Gene