So I've moved up to 18"

[abilak]

I'm back! Been a while... but don't think for a second I stopped making pies. Still doin 2-3 a week.

Doing an 18" with 2 16" pizza stones on top oven rack, using an 18" pizza screen, right on the grate.
550deg for about 10.5 mins, with about 20 seconds or less to spin pie real quick with door open
Nice n thin, and crunchy.
Grande East Coast Blend Cheese
All Trumps 50143 Unbleached Unbromated Flour
Ezzo Mozz!

This makes 2 balls:

Flour - 525g
H20 - 304g
Oil - I have a quirt bottle, and I squirt until the dough hook goes around 4 times on speed 1.
IDY - 3.8g
Salt - 11.5g Sea Salt
Garlic Powder - 4g
Onion Powder - 4g

Mix for 10 minutes.
Hand shape for 1 minute each ball
Retarded slow-rise for 5 days is best, but after 2 these rock
Too bad my oven can only fit an 18" screen or I would go bigger, LOL

[WestCountry]

Great job - Looks awesome. I need to measure my oven - been wanting to try the 18" also. Thanks for sharing 

Chris

[abilak]

I made 2 more dough balls this morning.
Here are a few shots.

[Pete-zza]

abilak,

Nice. On which oven rack position do you place the screen with the unbaked pizza on it?

Peter

[abilak]

Looks like 3rd from the bottom

[JConk007]

Really Nice!
Curious how it comes out without the stones on top? Do you think that helps with the cooking? or heat distibution? Do you use any Autolyse or rest period for the dough or just throw it all in the KA and crank it up for 10 min.?
I just got a 16 " screen but no chance to use yet. Still no all trumps though
Thanks!
John

[abilak]

Jconk, I do use stones on top (check the 2 stacked in the pic)...
I cook the pizza on the 3rd shelf up from the bottom.. so there is about a 6" gap or so from the top of the pizza to the top stones
Yeah, I think it helps cook the top faster and keep it in par with the bottom browning.
I add all the dough in about the first 2 minutes, then run on speed 1 for another 8, sometimes a minute or 2 more.
A soon as its done I take it out, split it, then hand knead each piece for about a minute.
Oil retard pan, put dough in, oil the top and sides of the dough a bit
In fridge!
Best after 3 days, seriously! Although, they are usable after about 12 hours.
I take em out 30-60 minutes before making the pie to get them a little warmer.
Have fun!

[NY pizzastriver]

First I want to say you have the cleanest oven I've ever seen!
Second, great looking pie, ultra thin!
Third, I've been thinking of adding garlic to a dough, perhaps powder or cloves smashed to paste, so nice!
Fourth, regardless of your comment below your pizza looks pretty bright to me. Don't be so hard on your pizza man!

Retarded slow-rise

[abilak]

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Yeah oven is pretty new, that's probably why. Only been installed for about 4 months or so.
My last oven was disgusting, and that's saying it nicely. I've been trying to keep this one cleaner since it cost $$$
It's a Jenn-Air 30" Built-In Gas oven under my Island. Works pretty good, I can't complain.
My old whirlpool oven was modified so I could cook up to 1100deg... I miss that thing.
My Wife made me throw it out, I wanted to hook it up out back...
But I got the "It's so so ugly, no way".
She loves pizza, but doesn't respect the instruments necessary to make outstanding pies, LOL!
Just kidding, this oven does quite well, and I've got used to cooking at 550 again.
I've been adding the onion power and garlic power for a while now.. it just gives it that special something, but you can't really taste it outright.

[abilak]

Oh, if you guys are bored, check out my kitchen remodel I just finished a few months ago.
I'm not 100% done, but I'm getting there.
I completely gutted the old kitchen and design to open it up A LOT more.
You can see where my new oven is.
SO MUCH ROOM for making pizza!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/andybilak/2008HomeRemodel

[NY pizzastriver]

That's cool man, tell your wife you're putting the oven below in next week, that'll teach her!
I see you tossing in your avatar, this dough almost looks rolled out with a pin though, do tell. I didn't see any info there, I probably missed it though, so sorry if.

Your new new oven!  

.

[abilak]

That oven is freaking AWESOME!
I would love to have that one.
I kinda press all my pies by hand to about half size or so, with my fingers.
Then I stretch and toss to about 1" smaller than what screen I'm going to use
Then kind of stretch it on the screen for the perfect fit/circle.
I need to have her take a pic of me tossing one of these 18" pies.
I'll do that soon!

If your going to toss, keep the pie on the back of your hands, don't use you fingertips that much.. unless you need to grab the outer crust area to stretch it and make the dough even.. I do that sometimes...
If I am really going to toss a pie a lot, I'll add another TBS or 2 while the dough is mixing, and sprinkle some extra flour on it when shaping. This helps lower the moisture a bit, and seems to prevent premature tearing.
I can touch a dough, and just know how far I can stretch it, or if it will toss well.
I think I have breached the 500 pie mark by now.

[NY pizzastriver]

That oven is freaking AWESOME!
I would love to have that one.

Thanks man, I had it hand built in my kitchen by some cats from Naples. Took a long time, but well worth it... I WISH! No, it can be found in this thread in the slideshow, but it was hand built by cats from Naples. 
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,8248.0.html

Great insight on technique, thanks for the write up and insight.