Need receipe for a good pizza

[stryped]

I am a newbie guy and I love Papa Johns pizza and even pizza hut. Is there a receipe to duplicate these? Every other pizza I have eaten I (bought or made) I just cant seem to like the sauce. It just tasts too different than Papa'a or Pizza Hut. I am wanting to make somethign for family for a Saturday night dinner.

ANy help is appreciated!

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

There is an American pizza style known as Randy’s American style pizza that some members say comes pretty close to the Papa John’s pizza. I experimented with Randy’s American style, including thin versions, at
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1707.msg15310.html#msg15310. If you are using all-purpose flour, you might want to take a look at this post:
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1707.msg20711.html#msg20711.

As for the Pizza Hut pizza, you might find this thread useful:
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,4067.msg33930.html#msg33930.

Peter

[stryped]

Is there a "simple" was to convert all of that for a newbie? ALl I saw were percentages and somthing about a KA mixer? All I have is basic oven and utensels. I think my wife has a cooking stone from iron chef. Can that be used?

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

You will note that in the recipes I posted for the different versions of Randy's American style pizza I included volume measurements. That means for your purposes you can ignore the baker's percents. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can try hand kneading. I described a possible hand kneading sequence at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1707.msg33870.html#msg33870. Depending on the nature and size of your pizza stone, it is possible that it can be used to make a Randy style pizza. I haven't done that myself but it should be doable. I used a pizza screen because that was what Randy used.

Peter

[stryped]

Thanks alot. What size pizza does this make? Which receipe would you recommend for someone like me? Can I get all the ingrediants at a small supermarket?

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

Since you are fairly new to pizza making, I would recommend that you start with the thin version of Randy's American style pizza that uses all-purpose flour. The recipe is the one referenced above at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1707.msg20711.html#msg20711. That recipe makes enough dough for a single 16" pizza or two roughly 12" pizzas. All of the ingredients, except possibly for the instant dry yeast (IDY), can be found in just about any supermarket. In lieu of instant dry yeast, you may want to use the Fleishchmann's Rapid-Rise yeast, which is sold in most supermarkets and is good enough for your purposes. If you can find the SAF Gourmet Perfect Rise yeast in your local supermarket, that is also a good choice. If all you can find is active dry yeast (ADY), let me know and I can tell you how to substitute that yeast for the IDY and how to incorporate it into the recipe.

Somewhere along the way you may want to think about investing in a peel to load your pizzas onto the pizza stone. Or you might consider buying a pizza screen or two. They cost only a few dollars each and might be a better way to proceed with Randy's pizza style.

Peter

[stryped]

Does that pizza taste like Papa Johns? Can I get a pizza rack at the supermarket? I ususally shop at SuperWalMart so not sur eif they have the yeast you are talking about but I can look.

How long does it take to make?

Sorry for all the questions!

[stryped]

In that receipe, where is the directions for the sause and what tpe of cheese, etc? (Or did I miss something?)

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

It's been such a long while since I last tried a Papa John's pizza that I cannot say whether the recipe I recommended will produce Papa John-like results. Others have previously reported that Randy's American style dough is close to Papa John's, and I have relied on what they have reported. Keep in mind also that I made thin versions of Randy's American style, for personal reasons, so it may be that at some point you may want to try Randy's "original" recipe which will produce a thicker crust. I steered you away from that recipe because it calls for high-gluten flour, which you will not find in the supermarket. To the best of my knowledge, Papa John's uses either a high-gluten flour or a proprietary blend that is fairly high in protein. It would be nice if Papa John's gave us their dough recipe and instructions, but we have not been so blessed. As it is, it took Randy an awful long time to come up with his version.

If by "pizza rack" you mean "pizza screen", you will not find pizza screens in the supermarket. You would have to buy them from a pizza restaurant supply store of from an online source, of which there are many to choose from. The same sources sell pizza peels also.

If you read the entire thread relating to the thin versions of Randy's American style, you will see that all of the other questions have been addressed and answered there. I suggest that you read the thread in its entirety and compile a list of all of your questions in relation to the recipe you want to start with, and I will do my best to answer all of your questons. That is a more efficient way to proceed since I have posted several different recipes with many variations. Whether you choose to use a pizza stone rather than a screen will also affect the answers I give, as well as some of the instructions that you may want to follow.

Peter

[stryped]

On that link I see the crust receipe and a link to the sauce recipe, but how do you cook both "togther with the cheese and things on top? I guess that is where I am getting confused.

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

If you are talking about the sequence of dressing the pizza, you have a lot of latitude there. For example, for the pizza in question, my recollection is that I put the sauce down first, followed by the sausage, some of the pineapple, the cheese, more pineapple, and finally the pepperoni slices on top of the cheese. However, sometimes I put part of the cheese on top of the sauce, followed by the toppings (such as the sausage and pineapple), more cheese, maybe some more pineapple, and the pepperoni slices on top. I almost always put the pepperoni slices on top, although some prefer to put the slices under the cheese. I usually try to keep the sausage, or most of it, under the cheese to prevent it from drying out and getting hard and crispy. It's all a matter of personal preference.

Peter

[stryped]

Yes that is what I meant but also once it is dressed and ready for the oven, how long and at what temperature do you cook it?

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

The time and temperature will depend on how you will be baking your pizza, that is, on a pizza stone, screen, pan, etc. It will also depend to a degree on how high an oven temperature you can achieve and what kind of oven you are using (e.g., electric, gas or convection). Papa John's uses a conveyor oven. The closest to that in a home setting is using a pizza screen. One of the advantages of using a pizza screen for a PJ type dough is that the bottom crust won't darken prematurely or burn because of the high levels of sugar used in such doughs. Using a screen also means not having to preheat the oven for about an hour or so, as you would do when using a pizza stone. With a screen, you only have to heat the oven ambient temperature to the desired temperature, which usually takes about 12-15 minutes. The recipes I posted give the oven temperature and times I used with the pizza screens.

Peter

[stryped]

I just have an electric oven and an iron chef stone. The dial on my oven goes to 500 I think. "broil"

Using this set up how long to you think it would take to cook. I would love to get the rack you were talking about but I guess I would have to order one. I am wanting to try a pizza this weekend with my little girl helping.

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

I am not familiar with the "iron chef" pizza stone. Do you mean "Pampered Chef" by any chance? Either way, what is the size of the stone? If it is big enough to handle 12" pizzas, I would use the dough recipe I mentioned (the one using all-purpose flour) and make two roughly 12" pizzas. Or you can cut the recipe in half and make one 12" pizza. Since you are unlikely to be able to get a pizza screen in time for your weekend bake session, and assuming that you don't have a peel to be able to load the pizza(s) onto the preheated pizza stone, you may have to come up with a quick alternative. This thread may be helpful to you in this regard:
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,2976.msg25486.html#msg25486.

On the assumption that you have a pizza stone capable of handling a 12" pizza, and assuming that you preheat that stone for about an hour at around 500 degrees F, I would estimate that it should take about 6-8 minutes to bake the pizza. The pizza stone would be placed on the lowest oven rack position. In your case, I would be inclined to reduce the amount of sugar and honey in the recipe by about half so that the bottom of the pizza doesn't prematurely brown or burn. I am somewhat guessing here because I have never baked a Randy's American style pizza on a pizza stone, only on a pizza screen.

Once you get all of the ingredients and can tell me what they are and how you plan to bake your pizzas, please let me know so that I can determine if you need any last-minute advice.

Peter

[stryped]

you are right it is a pampered chef and it is about14x14 I think. I also went digging tonight and I have a "pizza pan" that was a gift. It has several small "holes" in the bottom of the pan if that means anything. I also found on the main website this receipe for thin crust that uses regular flour and uses a pan and has oven times. It was rated excellent. Is this any good?
http://www.pizzamaking.com/pizzainnstyle.php

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

The dough recipe your mentioned is a popular one. I have made a few cracker-crust pizzas but I don't recall offhand whether I tried the one you mentioned. However, as you may have gathered, it is not a PJ type pizza. The pan you have may work with the cracker-crust recipe but if it is a shiny aluminum pan it may not work as well as a dark or seasoned pan. Light colored pans reflect oven heat such that the bottom of the crust doesn't brown up that well. Dark or seasoned pans absorb more oven heat and have darker bottom crusts as a result. There are several threads on the forum directed to cracker-crust pizzas. I can help you locate a few if you are interested.

Peter

[stryped]

Yep, it is aluminum and shiny. Thought about trying that recipe but I noticed it called for a stand mixer or a food processor. Both of which I dont have. (My mom does have a food processor I might could borrow if I see her).

The thing I like about the receipe is you just pre-heat the oven to 475 then stick the pan and pizza in there for 10 minutes. (If I understand it correctly) Also it uses regular flour.

I found a "papa johns sauce" recipe on this site and wondered if I could use that on the pizza. (My daughter and I love thin crust pizza) What is the difference in this recipe and thin crust pizza at Pizza hut or Papa johns?

Had a thought last night too while looking at my oven. When I looked online at pizza racks, allt hey looked like where grilling "grates" What is the difference in using one of those and baking directly on the oven rack?

If you have better, simple thin crust pizza recipes that you think would tast better and be easier to do I am open to any suggestions!

[Pete-zza]

stryped,

I don't personally each chain pizzas so I am not a good one to ask about how the DKM cracker-crust pizza compares with the similar pizza styles offered by PJ or PH, or any other chain for that matter. I have not tried the PJ sauce personally so I can't tell you anything about it. My advice is to try it and see if you like it. If not, you can come back to the forum later and look or ask for something that you think you and your family will like better. Sauces especially tend to be highly individualized matters, and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another.

A principal advantage of using a pizza screen, apart from the fact that it allows you to position and dress your pizza directly on it and to load the pizza into the oven without incident, is that it provides a physical support for your pizza. If you try to load your pizza directly onto an oven rack, it stands a high chance of sagging and falling through the rack openings. I know this from personal experience. You could try using a sheet of parchment paper under the unbaked pizza and loading the pizza onto an oven rack, but having tried that also I can tell you that it is not a surefire solution. The pizza can still sag, especially around the edges. You could try using your pan, partially bake the pizza until it is firm, and then remove the pan (leaving the pizza directly on the oven rack), but the bake characteristics will not be the same as baking the pizza on the pizza stone or a pizza screen. Only you will be able to say whether you like the results or not.

I mentioned the Randy American style recipe to you because you indicated a preference for a PJ type of pizza. To me, it is a simple recipe. I have others that I could recommend but I can't guarantee that they will be any easier or more successful than the one I recommended. You will have to do the best you can with the limited equipment at your disposal and hope that you succeed. Making pizza in a home oven is not all that difficult but there is a learning curve that has to be climbed before you really know what you are doing and be able to replicate your best results on a consistent basis. It all comes down to practice, practice and practice. No words or advice or photos from me can replace that.

Peter