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Author Topic: Thin-crust + Napolitana "borders" - is that even possible?  (Read 530 times)

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Offline shayke

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Hello people!

I'm doing experiments for the past 1-2 months with my new oven. I've made more pizzas during that time than probably in my entire life. at the moment I'm making a somewhat Napolitan style pizza (usually no oil, around 65-66% hydration, baked at above 400cel). the pizzas come out pretty good and I love the bubbly, airy crust (the "borders" of the pizza), but I don't like the sogginess of the middle. I know that there is a pizza called "thin-crust pizza" which is extremely crispy and almost "hard". I know I'll get to that crispiness by using dough with lower hydration, maybe some olive oil, and probably I'll need to bake it for longer.

I was wondering if there's a way to combine those two characteristics together? my mind is contemplating that, but I don't want to chase something that maybe is impossible. is there a way to create both the edges of a Neapolitan-like pizza (airy, puffy) and the "middle" of a thin-crust pizza? or do I have to choose between crispiness and "puffiness"?

<3

Offline soler

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Re: Thin-crust + Napolitana "borders" - is that even possible?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2022, 03:20:30 PM »
Hello there.

Soggy center is a problem caused by too much water in tomato sauce or mozzarela.
Try to cut mozzarella the night before and let it dry in the refrigerator. Off course you want get the crispness of a thin crust but you will get a decent bite. Using semolina to open the pizza can give some crispiness to the bottom and the cornicione as well.

Offline wotavidone

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Re: Thin-crust + Napolitana "borders" - is that even possible?
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2022, 06:03:51 PM »
The moisture in the centre of a Neapolitan pizza is from the tomatoes and cheese. I like to pat my mozz dry with paper towel to minimise the water.
I am cooking on plain bricks. Even with the water on top from the tomato and the cheese I still manage to get the underlying crust somewhat crisp in the centre. Not cracker crust crisp, but sort of crisp but soft. Very hard to describe the desired mouth feel, very bloody nice when I achieve it.

To me, this is mostly a top/bottom heat balance issue.
The trick is to cook the bottom more before the top and the puffy edges become over cooked.
I believe you are cooking on the biscotto option in an Effeuno P134H?
Two things:
I believe those ovens allow you to adjust top/bottom heat separately.
Try to increase the bottom heat to crisp the crust despite the moist toppings.
However, its not just temperature.
It's the amount, which is not the same thing as temperature,of heat energy available to the underside of the pizza.
You've been making some magnificent looking pizzas.
I suggest, without changing anything else at all about your process, your dough formula, your toppings, your thermostat settings, anything at all, just swap your biscotto floor back to the original stones.
Very interested to see what happens if all you do is apply a more conductive floor to the underside of your lovely looking pizzas.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2022, 06:09:22 PM by wotavidone »
Mick

Offline wotavidone

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Re: Thin-crust + Napolitana "borders" - is that even possible?
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2022, 06:40:54 PM »
P.S. I expect the toppings will still be "wet" but I would think the crust underneath should be crisper.
Mick

Offline shayke

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Re: Thin-crust + Napolitana "borders" - is that even possible?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2022, 02:58:13 AM »
Thank you for your insights, people! <3

Yes, I'm using the Effuno 134h. I can go up to 500° and up until now, the bottom was at 420° and the top 450°. I was recommended by an Israeli master baker to increase the bottom temperature to 450°.
so, a few more tests to run:

* trying with the original stone (which would probably burn the bottom, since it is not made to deliver the 400°+ properly/evenly from what I read.
* trying to increase the bottom temperature (I would on my next production which is tonight!)
* less is more: this is something I already noted to myself. I'll notch the toppings down a bit. no need for too much cheese (though I'm not using a lot...I think :D ).

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Offline wotavidone

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Re: Thin-crust + Napolitana "borders" - is that even possible?
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2022, 05:10:59 AM »

* trying with the original stone (which would probably burn the bottom, since it is not made to deliver the 400°+ properly/evenly from what I read.

That is my point, sort of. The original stones would probably have much more conductivity than the biscotto, and you can probably put more energy into the pizza crust at a lower temperature.
At present, I do a very nice Margherita with a rolling flame over the top, the roof of the dome reading off scale, but the ordinary brick floor only reading about 380C.
Mick

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