Rest Dough Between Mixer and Forming Ball?

[Puzzolento]

I am crazy about the crust I make for Sicilian pizza, but I always feel like I can look for little improvements to my thin NYC crust. Today it occurred to me that maybe I should try part of the Sicilian process for a thin crust.

When I make Sicilian, I mix the dough, form a puck, and put it in a very oily pan. I make sure the puck is oiled, and I generally put plastic over the pan. Then about 20 minutes later, after allowing the dough to rest at room temperature, I stretch the dough, cover it, and let it rise again. The 20-minute rest changes the dough from something like rubbery batter to a relaxed dough I can spread easily.

Do the rest of you form your dough balls right out of the mixer, or do you let them rest first? The ball I made today looks really nice. It has a tight surface, and it's not lying down like a blob of oatmeal. I didn't oil the outside. I kneaded it a few times, made the ball, and put it under a cover without oiling the surface.

[9slicePie]

in for answers

[Puzzolento]

Thinking maybe the increased tension will improve oven spring.

[Puzzolento]

I made a pie, and it puffed up very well. Photo attached.

This was not a work of art. I was going to make sliders today, but I decided to make pizza instead, so this thing was in the oven about two hours after I started. I only ate half of it. While the crust was airy and had a crunchy exterior, the flavor was not what I was looking for. I substituted honey for sugar, and it's just not the same. I am now working on a second pie.

I did a couple of other new things. I scored half of the rim to see if it did anything, and it really didn't do much. I also added some steam, but the pizza was almost 3 minutes into baking when I got the urge, so I guess it was too late to matter. Finally, I didn't let the dough rise as much as I usually do. I think I've been overdoing it.

I wish my oven would go up even 50 degrees more. I am looking at new ones. Of course, there is now an oven shortage. I am wondering if I should try a Samsung. They make an oven that injects steam while baking bread.

[Puzzolento]

I slapped another one together. Used sugar this time. I also added steam when the pie went in, and I tried brushing water on part of the rim because I had read it would make it crunchier.

This one really blew up. Maybe too much.

[scott r]

great looking crumb in both of these posts!

[Puzzolento]

Yeah, it's amazing what you can do when you get advice at pizzamaking.com. 

I just wish I hadn't used Boar's Head provolone. It's pretty bad. At the store, I saw the low-sodium label, and they didn't have anything that didn't have that label, so I thought maybe it was normal. It's not good. The Boar's Head site doesn't even list regular provolone.

I just ordered a Frigidaire oven that goes to 550 and has steam injection. The old oven is no fun to use with its fading display, non-usable cleaning cycle, and low maximum temperature, and I am seriously concerned about future appliance shortages, not to mention inflation.

[scott r]

 

cool oven!

[Pizza_Not_War]

Yeah, it's amazing what you can do when you get advice at pizzamaking.com. 

I just wish I hadn't used Boar's Head provolone. It's pretty bad. At the store, I saw the low-sodium label, and they didn't have anything that didn't have that label, so I thought maybe it was normal. It's not good. The Boar's Head site doesn't even list regular provolone.

I just ordered a Frigidaire oven that goes to 550 and has steam injection. The old oven is no fun to use with its fading display, non-usable cleaning cycle, and low maximum temperature, and I am seriously concerned about future appliance shortages, not to mention inflation.

Boar's head picante provolone is very good. Low sodium is tasteless.

[Puzzolento]

cool oven!

If it sounds good, Home Depot has it on sale now. Things are so unpredictable now, I feel like I have to get whatever I may need in the future right away.

There is even a wig shortage. My wife has me working on that.