Pizza on Gabriola

[Icelandr]

I have used it quite a bit though haven’t needed it lately because the sourdough amounts are higher. I spent a bit of time shopping, I have 4+ scales of various descriptions, it was about $50 CDN, but memory is fading, could have been less. I didn’t want to futz around guessing, dividing, counting grains, I wanted predictability somewhere in my pizzamaking!


Here is the link to the one pictured on Amazon.ca
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00ESHDGOI/?tag=pmak-20

[TXCraig1]

Cheap mg scales aren’t precise to 0.001g even if it has three digits,

I highly doubt that most folks, if any, can control other variables to the point where you'd need that kind of precision.

[Icelandr]

Craig, my human error coefficient is off the charts but I know one variable is close enough that I would have difficulty blaming it. I left out the salt a week or so back, but the yeast was bang on . . . .

[Heikjo]

I highly doubt that most folks, if any, can control other variables to the point where you'd need that kind of precision.

I agree, but the point was not that 0.001 precision was needed, but that if you ever should need it for something, a cheap one won’t be good enough. 

It is easy to assume that any 0.01g scale can reliably measure out amounts with 0.01g precision (done it myself), but how many digits it can display does not say anything about the precision. It could have a precision of 0.05 or 0.10, which could become problematic to measure out 0.1g.

In Greg’s example, the scale will probably measure 0.1g reliably, which is what matters. For long RT fermentation with tiny amounts of yeast, it does matter if you end up with 0.05, 0.10 or 0.15g.

I don’t imagine many out there use recipes with yeast amount in the milligram range. I’ve read posts by one on The Fresh Loaf that used evaporation to measure fermentation state of a sourdough starter, where he utilized an mg scale, but he had more expensive ones, and that’s not something most of us do.

I have looked into mg scales myself, but realized I had no need for that level of precision, and they can be quite expensive.

[Icelandr]

Thought I was making some progress . . . . Then this popped up on Facebook from 5 years ago
Hmmmmmmmm, not sure about the progress, but still having fun and the pizza tastes pretty good. When the high winds, cold rain and power outages slow down I must make another attempt.


5 years ago

[Jon in Albany]

I've been following this thread a long time and to my eye, you've definitely made progress. You're still learning a new oven. Take a look at the last pies you pulled out of the pizza party. You regularly make really good looking margherita pizzas. I almost never bake in the Neapolitan style, but your thread always makes me want to give it go.

[Icelandr]

Wow, it seems a long time since a pizza was made here! Last week, a last minute cancellation put balls in the fridge and a family and Grandkid visit, put priorities on a different plane. Tonight was just the two of us, eat a few slices, throw rest away and repeat so we can try a few different toppings and bakes.


I ordered a new bag of flour and was informed it was no longer possible to get Caputo so it would be Primo Molino, which is not a problem, as I really like the flour. Tonight was the first bake with the new flour, 64%, 2.8% salt, 6.2% SD, 24 hours at room temp here, about 20°C.
Some ideas were tried, some succeeded. Still trying to learn the new oven using propane still, Good Fun, nice flavours and textures.


Fun, no records set, ideas brewing for next bake, sounds like an Icelandr’s bake!

[Icelandr]

A question if I may. Cornichone - I use balls at 240-245 grams. The peel I launch from is 12” and when fully opened, the dough just fits side to side as I stop there. The oven floor is 390/410° C. When I cut the pizza, there is still some “gumminess” in the cornichone.
The pies look cooked, taste good and we tend to leave a lot of crusts because of age, and preferring toppings to cornichone.
But why is the cornichone not fully cooked?


Thank you.

[Mark Polo]

Greg, 400C is 752F.  That is on the low side for Neapolitan.  Is that the temp you used in the Pizza Party?  How long was the bake time?

[Icelandr]

Ahh, but the last oven had biscotto.


Sorry for the terse reply Mark, in the car and using my phone with clumsy fingers is my excuse.
With the pizza Party we were between 485° and 500° plus. No burnt bottoms.
I searched the Alfa community posts on Facebook and generally the suggested temp on the floor was 390-400°. Between bakes we turn it down, if not the floor burns the bottom of the next pizzas. Great rolling flame overhead!




Sounds like a search for Biscotto may ensue . . . .

[Icelandr]

Just a note on a purchase, if allowed.

Needed a cover for the new oven and Sharon and I were going to make it out of Sunbrella, like the boat cover. We took the measurements did some thinking, then I started searching. There are apparently lots of places that manufacture covers for all kinds of things. I found Coversandall.ca (also coversandall.com) and had a look, uploaded sketches, received confirmation CAD back, made a few changes and ordered.

The cover just arrived today, 10 days since ordering, and it fits! We would be still looking for fabric! It was interesting looking at the fedex tracking . .. .India, China, Japan, Tennessee, Seattle, Vancouver then here! Yikes!

I think the price was about what we would have paid for the fabric. Very happy the new oven is under a waterproof cover!
Cool!

[02ebz06]

Looks good Greg.

I've always used   -->   http://vinylcoveringsbymel.com/
Her covers will last as long as what they are covering.
I have some that are over 10 years old and as good as new.

[Icelandr]

Bruce, thanks for the note, it looks like they have closed as of October, if I am reading it correctly.
We will see how mine stands up, looking at the calendar . . . . . . .

[02ebz06]

Bruce, thanks for the note, it looks like they have closed as of October, if I am reading it correctly.
We will see how mine stands up, looking at the calendar . . . . . . .

WOW, that is too bad. She made some great covers.

[Icelandr]

Looks Good, Warm and dry . . . . Can it bake?

Another training session for the Icelandr, trying to dial in the sweet spots (he hopes) in the oven to get the bake and all important coloring as he wishes.They look OK, but.
The dough, Pimo Molino, 64%, 6.2% SD, 23 hours at ~20°C. Three balls produced, one split into two smaller balls (~70 gram each) just for fun and experiment.

The oven was preheated for an hour gas on full. The 3 stones across the oven from fire to the right registered 508°| 470° | 450° and built in Gauge was at the end of its indication 1000°F, while lower than the previous oven is about the recommended temperature (390-400°C).

• First pizza - a Basiless Margherita, instead with fresh Oregano and chunky “fire Roasted” tomatoes were added (canned regrettably) cooked at 452° on right side of oven. Forgot to time, cornichone a bit crisp
• One of the small pizza, simply dressed with “stuff at hand” interestingly stretched to 81/2” . . .72 seconds at 404° on floor
• Third pizza, 7/11 tomatoes, fire roasted added again, pepperoni and yeppow peppers. Cooked on center stone 392° for 2 minutes

The Icelandr started grumbling early and frequently about pizza gods and such as each pizza had darker, perhaps, blush .. . .burnt bottoms. Oven or operator? Perhaps the hands that don’t close dispense too much flour on the peel? Perhaps the stone are a tad too conductive?

More questions than answers but felt compelled to report . . . .

[Icelandr]

Dear Diary . . . .tonight’s bake was cancelled at the “the dough is just about ready” stage. The winds started to howl, the snow started flying sideways and the old guy chickened out, content more on lighting the fireplace, starting the generator and listening for more snapping falling trees. A very big tree hit one of my 2000 gallon water tanks but in the dark I can see no damage.


Dough, if the freezer keeps going, will be tried a bit later
Yikes the excuses this old guy comes up with!

[Jon in Albany]

I know how you feel. I've been looking at my local forecast and I think I've got a comfortable temperature/wind pizza making window on Friday before it starts raining again on Saturday.

[crawsdaddy]

Dear Diary . . . .tonight’s bake was cancelled at the “the dough is just about ready” stage. The winds started to howl, the snow started flying sideways and the old guy chickened out, content more on lighting the fireplace, starting the generator and listening for more snapping falling trees. A very big tree hit one of my 2000 gallon water tanks but in the dark I can see no damage.


Dough, if the freezer keeps going, will be tried a bit later
Yikes the excuses this old guy comes up with!

With age comes wisdom, at least you didn't press on like a younger man ,such as Arne, might have--best wishes from the other OG!

[Icelandr]

Thank you Jon and Dan, it was a bit wild here for a while with some lasting results, the snow and winds took down the fibre optic line to the island  . . . Sounds simple right? Since Wednesday and reportedly until next week there are no land line phones and no ability to use credit cards or access the bank machine . . .  Soon, we hope.

[Icelandr]

Hot oven, burnt bottoms, but nice dough!


I apparently have to listen to the oven when it claims it doesn’t like that much heat! 450°C on the floor for this oven and bricks is too high, even if you twist an and turn fast and furiously.
Just 4 pies and the dough was right on mark, extensible and at the best of development it seemed.

• Another try at the Ritrovata with some cheese
• Italian sausage, mushroom with Taleggio and red pepper garnish
• Pepperoni, black olive and sweet onion, a favourite, one low cal slice!
• Smoked Mozzarella fiore Di latte, Taleggio, spinach, red onion, pistachios ( missing but not noticed until served . . . . Mortadella!)

Frustrating burnt bottoms, but a nice evening with friends . . .and the power stayed on!