Got Mesh screen! Help me use it

[hammettjr]

A while back HarryHaller73 brought up the topic of a mesh screens that are used in Queens NY, specifically at Margherita Pizza in Jamaica, conversation started at this link:
https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=47003.msg472505#msg472505

A few months ago I posted that while at a children's birthday party on Long Island, I had a pizza with a similar pattern on the undercrust. Well I finally went to that pizzeria, and after discussing the screens a bit with one of the employees, I found myself taking one home 

What I learned at the pizzeria
I was told that the screens are "custom made".
Every 2 or 3 months they receive a shipment of new screens.
Then the owner "makes" it. I asked if that means he folds over the edges, and was told yes.
They use Bakers Pride ovens.
The pies are dressed on the screens.
I'm fairly certain they finish baking directly on the deck.

The pizzeria pizza
It was very good. It was very reminiscent of Margherita Pizza in Queens, except with less mozz. The crust was similar, definitely with a bagel-like chew which may have been more pronounced here. And the sauce again had a real sweetness to it, with no real standout flavors, but clearly had complexity to it. It was really good. I did not see the use of hard cheese when dressing the pie, but believe they include parm in the sauce.

What I need help with and my expectations
The screen is 18.5 inches and my largest stone is 16 inches.
How do you recommend I make it 16 inches??
What I do NOT expect is that I'll throw this screen in my Blackstone and suddenly have a replica of the pizzeria pizza. But I am looking forward to trying to bake with it.

The first few pics below were from the pizzeria, the last few are at my house. Pics of the pizzeria pizza will be in the next post.

[hammettjr]

Pictures below of the pizzeria pizza (that I brought home).

[vtsteve]

The screen is 18.5 inches and my largest stone is 16 inches.
How do you recommend I make it 16 inches??

What do you have for tools, and what's your comfort zone?
The easiest would be to cut off the folded edge with aviation snips and use a hand seamer to refold to the new diameter.

[hammettjr]

What do you have for tools, and what's your comfort zone?
The easiest would be to cut off the folded edge with aviation snips and use a hand seamer to refold to the new diameter.

Yeah, I was going to mention I have few tools and no one would call me "handy ". I am a quick learner though.

I think my wife cuts raw chicken with scissors that kindof look like those snips

[Josh123]

Mail me a bunch of 18.5's...I'll buy them off you

[hammettjr]

Mail me a bunch of 18.5's...I'll buy them off you

  somehow I don't think they'll believe me if I say I need a case of them for a pizzeria in Pennsylvania 

[vtsteve]

If you know anyone that does HVAC or sheet metal, roofing, etc. they'd have the tools and it would take just a couple of minutes.

If you want to try, cut the edge off with the chicken shears, then hang the screen about 1/4" over a sharp edge and press down hard with your palm to fold it 90 degrees, then lay it flat and whack it with a mallet, block of wood, book or whatever to fold it flat. You want to make your folds small enough that you can go *twice* around to hide all the sharp ends, and still finish out at 16".

[hammettjr]

If you know anyone that does HVAC or sheet metal, roofing, etc. they'd have the tools and it would take just a couple of minutes.

Ah, good thinking! I have someone here this week refinishing my basement. He's a skilled roofer.

[HarryHaller73]

somehow I don't think they'll believe me if I say I need a case of them for a pizzeria in Pennsylvania 

There must be a distributor in NYC for this product as it's found in many Queens joints.  If you don't mind asking them next time where they get them, that'd be cool.

[hammettjr]

There must be a distributor in NYC for this product as it's found in many Queens joints.  If you don't mind asking them next time where they get them, that'd be cool.

Absolutely will do. I'll ask where I buy my cheese and tomato too.

[invertedisdead]

If it will fit in your oven, I'd try a bake or two without a stone just to see what happens 

[hammettjr]

If it will fit in your oven, I'd try a bake or two without a stone just to see what happens 

I have small double stacked ovens. 16" max unfortunately

[Josh123]

Absolutely will do. I'll ask where I buy my cheese and tomato too.

I need to find these damn things. I'm actually a firm believer in screen/stone blends. I have better control over my cheese melt. A lot of times I have trouble with bringing out the full flavor of the Grande mozz when going straight on bricks. A good 30 screen/70 bricks is the way to go, imo.

Also makes it much easier when youre rocking on a Friday night. One bad launch of a 20" pie and your oven is royally f*cked for a good bit lol

[HarryHaller73]

I need to find these damn things. I'm actually a firm believer in screen/stone blends. I have better control over my cheese melt. A lot of times I have trouble with bringing out the full flavor of the Grande mozz when going straight on bricks. A good 30 screen/70 bricks is the way to go, imo.

Also makes it much easier when youre rocking on a Friday night. One bad launch of a 20" pie and your oven is royally f*cked for a good bit lol

Can't argue with a workflow that's worked for decades in the outer boroughs.
Other benefits besides great cheese melt are:  more uniform golden undercrust, and less nappy flour on product and on the oven floor.

[quietdesperation]

I need to find these damn things. I'm actually a firm believer in screen/stone blends. I have better control over my cheese melt. A lot of times I have trouble with bringing out the full flavor of the Grande mozz when going straight on bricks. A good 30 screen/70 bricks is the way to go, imo.

Also makes it much easier when youre rocking on a Friday night. One bad launch of a 20" pie and your oven is royally f*cked for a good bit lol

I'm confused by this josh, why don't you just purchase screens? or do you already use screens? Or do you believe these particular screens will give you a better bake?

matt, it's hard to tell from the picture, is the mesh finer than the typical pizza screen? and why do they fold the edges? How rigid is the material? can you bend it with your hand?

[hammettjr]

matt, it's hard to tell from the picture, is the mesh finer than the typical pizza screen? and why do they fold the edges? How rigid is the material? can you bend it with your hand?

Yes, It's a finer mesh that's easily bendable. I'll post pictures of it next to a regular screen. I believe the edges are folded because they may receive a rough cut unfinished piece of mesh.  Folding it gets rid of the jagged edges and makes it close to circular.

[quietdesperation]

I guess this is a silly question but if that's the case, why not just keep folding the mesh to create a smaller screen?

[hammettjr]

Here are pics to show how it bends and a comparison to a regular screen. Additional folds is basically the idea, but cutting it first will keep from having a large rim. And I need a way to make it stay folded

[vtsteve]

I guess this is a silly question but if that's the case, why not just keep folding the mesh to create a smaller screen?

I assumed that folding it once or twice more would make the edges too thick, lifting the edge and preventing good heat transfer from the deck.

[quietdesperation]

I assumed that folding it once or twice more would make the edges too thick, lifting the edge and preventing good heat transfer from the deck.

I've programmed computers to "dance" by modifying device drivers but I can barely hammer a nail. so, understanding I have no idea what I'm talking about, it seems like the mesh could be folded in such a way that the pizza sits inside the rim rather than on the rim. In any case, I'd have no idea how to stitch it so that it stays folded.

anyhow matt, I admire your social skills in procuring the screen and look forward to seeing your bakes once you get it folded.