Author Topic: Porcini Mushrooms on White Pizza (Read 3597 times)

Bill/SFNM · « **on:** July 17, 2009, 02:23:29 PM »

It's mushroom season around here - early this year. I roasted sliced porcino that had been brushed with olive oil in the wood-fired oven at 900F for a minute. Then topped the pie which is shown below. Also shown bellow is the bottom of the crust which is just how I like it. From the look of many of the photos posted here, other members prefer theirs with much more char.

andreguidon · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2009, 02:53:51 PM »

looks perfect Bill ! i love porcini mushrooms.... i some times make the pizza with shiitake..... beautiful pic by the way....

josteh · « **Reply #2 on:** July 17, 2009, 04:19:16 PM »

Mamma Mia! That is some serious pizzamaking going on there Bill..really impressive.. Btw, do you have any "cross section" picture of your cornicione? I cannot remember to have seen you posted any, and since you definetely have one the puffiest, most amazing cornicione around here, it would very interesting to see how it looks like. Apropos beautiful cornicione, have a look at www.pizzeriasalvo.it, go to ´Galleria´ and ´ Dettagli pizze´(but I´m guessing many of you have already checked out his pizze a long time ago.. :-)

j.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2009, 06:04:37 PM »

Quote from: josteh on July 17, 2009, 04:19:16 PM

do you have any "cross section" picture of your cornicione? I cannot remember to have seen you posted any, and since you definetely have one the puffiest, most amazing cornicione around here, it would very interesting to see how it looks like.

Thanks, josteh.

There probably are some old photos around here, but since my technique continues to evolve, I should take some new photos. Next week for sure.

JimmyMak · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2009, 06:32:18 PM »

Hi Bill that is a beautiful pizza & I think the crust does all the talking. How long would you say you settled in on your dough recipe. I've looked back at older posts & your dough looks just the same "perfect". I have 2 Questions Hydration & % of Ischia or maybe just your whole method. I know there are alot of varibles but I like to try your style. Thanks Jimmy Mak

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2009, 06:53:56 PM »

Quote from: JimmyMak on July 17, 2009, 06:32:18 PM

Hi Bill that is a beautiful pizza & I think the crust does all the talking. How long would you say you settled in on your dough recipe. I've looked back at older posts & your dough looks just the same "perfect". I have 2 Questions Hydration & % of Ischia or maybe just your whole method. I know there are alot of varibles but I like to try your style. Thanks Jimmy Mak

JimmyMak,

It's a very good question and I've been pondering the answer for a while. In terms of ingredients and ratios, absolutely nothing has changed - same flour, starter, salt, and water. Same mixer. fermenting/proofing times and temps. Same oven. But two things are obvious to me: 1) the taste and texture seem to improve with each batch. 2) the dough just seems easier to work with - softer, more supple, easier to shape, less sticky with very little bench flour. I come from an engineering/scientific background, so it is a little foreign to me to think something more Zen-like is involved here. Familiarity with my ingredients and equipment have made me more relaxed throughout the process which is slightly different for each pie as little adjustments become second nature. Hard to explain exactly what cues I use to determine when the dough is ready for the next step, but my theory has long been that there is a sweet spot in which all of the ingredients, ratios, methods, etc. come together to make a great result. The more time you spend in that sweet spot, the better you become at recognizing it and making adjustments as conditions change to stay within it. There is no question that this style of pie is characterized by unstable and unpredictable conditions compounded with a very small sweet spot. It is also very possible that the size of the sweet spot gets smaller as my tastes evolve. Sorry to wax philosophic here, but these are the kinds I think about while planning the next batch.

JimmyMak · « **Reply #6 on:** July 17, 2009, 07:03:53 PM »

Thanks for that honest answer but I was hoping for a base line & then move on from there. I know what your saying I kind of feel the same way. I struggled with the room fermentation which IMO is harder to control. Thanks Jimmy Mak

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2009, 07:15:09 PM »

Quote from: JimmyMak on July 17, 2009, 07:03:53 PM

Thanks for that honest answer but I was hoping for a base line & then move on from there. I know what your saying I kind of feel the same way. I struggled with the room fermentation which IMO is harder to control. Thanks Jimmy Mak

I'm pretty sure I have well-documented my "baseline", but someone else's baseline is an illusion. The only thing to "move on from" is your latest effort and move it towards your idea of great pizza. I'm really not trying to be obtuse. I have tried to show exactly what I do in my videos. But pizza isn't a recipe.

JimmyMak · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2009, 08:09:31 PM »

Bill thanks I'll move foward & continue experimenting & making adjustments till I'm happy & my fans are to.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2010, 04:18:32 AM »

It's mushroom season again and this year promises to be a good one as long as the rains keep up. I made some white pizzas with the latest batch. I brushed the slices with oil and blasted them in the WFO to precook them, drive off the excess moisture, and concentrate the flavor. I then tossed them with chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley. They were put on a Neapolitan dough (Russian starter, 2-day room temp fermentation/proof), and covered with mozzarella and fontina. We had some other pizzas also, but the mushroom ones were by far the best. My dog and I will go up into the forest to hunt for some more in a few days.

Jackie Tran · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2010, 08:11:00 AM »

Bill have you considered growing your own porcini mushrooms? Compost, nice cool dark spot, chopped up mushroom?

dellavecchia · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2010, 08:18:37 AM »

Porcini only show up about once a year here in Boston, and they are upwards of $30 per pound. I would love to have access to the foraging resources at your disposal. Excellent pies as always. Truth be told I am striving for your dough aesthetics. Beautiful neapolitans. I may have to re-start my Ishia culture.

John

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #12 on:** August 15, 2010, 08:36:57 AM »

Quote from: Jackie Tran on August 15, 2010, 08:11:00 AM

Bill have you considered growing your own porcini mushrooms? Compost, nice cool dark spot, chopped up mushroom?

Chau,

I would think they would be commercially cultivated and widely available if such a thing was possible. Anyway, I love the opportunity to get up into the woods and tromp around. My dog loves it too. Now, if I could only train him to sniff them out like the trained dogs and pigs they use for hunting truffles!

norma427 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 15, 2010, 08:41:15 AM »

Bill,

Your pizza with Porcini Mushrooms looks absolutely lovely and sounds delicious.

Great to hear your dog gets to go along on your adventures in mushroom hunting. My dog loves to go for walls too, but now needs an operation for a torn cruciate ligament in his hind leg. No long walks for him right now.

Your pictures are beautiful!

Norma

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #14 on:** August 15, 2010, 09:56:27 AM »

Bill how did you roast the mushrooms, did you put them in foil and put them in the oven for a minute or so?

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #15 on:** August 15, 2010, 10:23:52 AM »

Quote from: BrickStoneOven on August 15, 2010, 09:56:27 AM

Bill how did you roast the mushrooms, did you put them in foil and put them in the oven for a minute or so?

On a grid directly over the coals - maybe one minute per side.

pizzablogger · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2010, 06:45:49 PM »

Bill, really great stuff as always!

Your pics always make me smile. --K

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #17 on:** August 16, 2010, 09:54:34 PM »

Bill, that looks amazing as usual. I do have a question though. That is one of the more well done pies i have seen you post pictures of. Is that just coloration coming from the russian starter, a different fermentation regimine, your preference changing, or just a couple seconds longer than normal. Just curious -marc

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #18 on:** August 16, 2010, 10:11:13 PM »

Quote from: widespreadpizza on August 16, 2010, 09:54:34 PM

Bill,  that looks amazing as usual.  I do have a question though.  That is one of the more well done pies i have seen you post pictures of.  Is that just coloration coming from the russian starter,  a different fermentation regimine,  your preference changing,  or just a couple seconds longer than normal.  Just curious -marc

The oven seemed hotter than usual that day. Also, this dough may have been a little more fermented than in the past since I am still adjusting to a new, more accurate proofing box. I don't pay as much attention to coloration as I do to things like when the crust begins expanding, how quickly it expands, and how much it expands. Usually it comes out less colored, but I had no complaints about this pie. It was not tough and dry at all.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. The pup and I are going hunting again tomorrow. If we come back with enough, we'll do pizzas again on Thursday. Stay tuned.

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #19 on:** August 16, 2010, 10:26:45 PM »

Interesting Bill, thanks for the answer. Putting heat aside, would you say younger or older doughs are more likely to brown off like that? Where is that point where sugar content is peaking?

Now what did I do to have my quote all screwwy like that!?

-marc