Newbie looking for a basic beginner recipe for home oven

[Artimas]

Hi All.

I joined here a while ago and made a bunch of pretty bad pizzas. I got discouraged and stopped trying, but now I'm ready to try again. I think some of the problems may be because I was using Ken Forkish's 00 flour recipes from "The Elements of Pizza" in my home oven. My recent research here seems to indicate that's a bad idea and 00 is more suited to wood fired ovens (what did I know?). I tried several of his recipes ranging from 24-72 hour proofs but wasn't very happy with any of them.

I have looked through the forum and haven't seen what I would call a basic or "beginners pizza recipe", some kind of basic recipe to start with and then working from it to experiment, learn and improve. Maybe there's one here, but I couldn't find it.  Info that would be helpful are things like which flour, hydration percent, mixing time, proofing time, baking technique, etc. The style of pizza (NY vs. boardwalk vs. Napoletana, etc.) doesn't matter much to me at this stage

FYI, I have a nice pizza steel, but my oven only goes to 500 F. I have access to most of the ingredients I've seen discussed here.

Can someone point me to a basic recipe for a home oven and steel that I can work from.

Thank you very much in advance. I am hopeful that I can learn to make good pizza and pass what I learn along to the next Newbie.

[The Dough Doctor]

If you will go to the PMQ web site at <www.pmq.com> and go to the Recipe Bank, and use "pizza dough" for your search words you will find a home made pizza dough "recipe" that I have posted there. This is a well proven dough formula and procedure and will serve to get you started making pizzas from which you can build upon.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[Gene in Acadiana]

It may not be the traditional round pizza you are most interested in making like New York or Neapolitan, but Detroit and Sicilian style are a lot less complex in both ingredients and technique as well as proofing methods and may be a good place to start in making a great pizza in a home oven that has a limited temperature range.

[Pete-zza]

If you will go to the PMQ web site at <www.pmq.com> and go to the Recipe Bank, and use "pizza dough" for your search words you will find a home made pizza dough "recipe" that I have posted there. This is a well proven dough formula and procedure and will serve to get you started making pizzas from which you can build upon.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Here is the link to Tom's recipe:

https://www.pmq.com/recipe-bank/home-style-pizza-crust/

Peter

[Artimas]

Hi all, thank you for the replies. Much appreciated.

I took a look at the recipe and noted that it isn't in baker's percents nor are weights listed.  It also uses a lot of yeast and has essentially no proofing time.

I feel like I've made enough pizzas that I am ready to move to the 2nd level with my dough with more precise measuring of the ingredients and smaller yeast amounts with 48-72 hour proofing times. Can someone suggest a recipe that might be a level or 2 more advanced than this one?

Thank you very much, and I really appreciate the help.

Edit: I found another recipe on that site than the one linked above that I think is more suitable. I will try that one.  Thanks.

https://www.pmq.com/recipe-bank/basic-all-purpose-pizza-dough/

[Pete-zza]

Artemis,

I didn't want to discourage you from trying Tom's first recipe but some time ago I took a stab at trying to convert that recipe to baker's percent format. I did this in the thread at:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=7892.msg67686#msg67686

And if you go to the last two posts in the above thread, you will see links to posts where a couple of members used my baker's percent versions of Tom's recipe, along with photos, with good results.

Peter

[The Dough Doctor]

Hummm, I must have been side tracked, didn't know you were looking for second level dough formulas.
You might give this one a try:
Flour: 100% (Strong bread type flour)
Salt: 1.75%
Sugar: 2% (optional)
Oil: 2%
IDY: 0.375%
Water: 62% (70F/approx.)

Target finished dough temperature: 75 to 80F
Procedure:
1) Put water in mixing bowl.
2) Add salt and sugar (if used).
3) Add flour then add the IDY on top of the flour.
4) Mix at low speed just until you don't see any dry flour in the bottom of the mixing bowl.
5) Add the oil and mix another minute at low speed.
6) Mix at the highest speed possible just until the dough takes on a smooth appearance.
7) Take the dough directly to the bench for scaling and balling.
8) Lightly oil each dough ball and place into individual plastic bread type bags (NOT Zip Lock type bags).
9) Twist the open end into a pony tail to close and tuck it under the dough ball as you place it into the cooler/fridge.
10) Allow the dough to cold ferment for a minimum of 24-hours (48-hours is the "sweet spot") but dough can CF for 72-hours.
11) Remove dough ball(s) from fridge and allow to warm AT room temperature until the internal temperature reaches 50 to 60F.
12) Roll bag down around the dough ball and invert over a floured surface allowing the dough ball to fall free from the bag.
13) Flour both sides of the dough and open into a skin by your preferred method.
14) The pizzas can be baked on a stone, steel or in a pan/disk.
15) Baking temperature in a home oven is 500F.
Many readers here have used this dough formula and procedure with good success. The formula and procedure are designed to mimic that used by many pizzerias as well as some of the larger pizza chains. Once mastered, it can be modified to provide whatever characteristics you desire in your finished pizzas.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[Artimas]

Thank you for the replies. I will give one of these later recipes a try, but I won't have time till next weekend. I will report back.

And Tom, you weren't side tracked. My initial post was unclear, so it's "my fault".
I truly appreciate the input.
Thank you very much.

[stevenfstein]

here is also a link that some of the members pointed me to. I also try and follow a thread for a particular style and look at the different recipes that members have discussed. My wifes new favorite is Roman thin Tonda  Learned so much from the very talented and sharing folks on this board.

http://doughgenerator.allsimbaseball9.com/index.php

[Artimas]

Thanks for the replies. Here is my latest attempt with the dough recipe from above with a 48 hour proof. The crust was very good. I need to get better at stretching it, though.
I need to change my sauce approach. I used canned pizza sauce. I'll make my own next time.

Thanks all for the help.

[Pizza_Not_War]

That's a fine looking pizza for a newbie.

[Artimas]

Thanks.
It was good but can definitely use improvement.

I've been too busy to try again. Hopefully soon.
Thanks again!

[Johnlernert]

How do you make a homemade pizza in the oven?
Instructions
Heat the oven to 550°F or higher. Arrange a rack in the lower-middle part of the oven (if you have a baking stone, place it on the rack) and heat the oven to 550°F or higher. ...
Divide the dough in half. ...
Roll out the dough. ...
Top the pizza. ...
Bake the pizza. ...
Slice and serve.

[Grease Wheel]

How do you make a homemade pizza in the oven?
Instructions
Heat the oven to 550°F or higher. Arrange a rack in the lower-middle part of the oven (if you have a baking stone, place it on the rack) and heat the oven to 550°F or higher. ...
Divide the dough in half. ...
Roll out the dough. ...
Top the pizza. ...
Bake the pizza. ...
Slice and serve.

How might I properly consume this pie?

[Artimas]

Following up-
I've made pizza dough with this recipe a few times now.  All were pretty good, but it's amazing to me that following the exact same steps as best as I can there is still some significant variation in the way the dough turns out.  I am very careful and methodical, measure by weight to the tenth of a gram, check temperatures, use fresh yeast, etc.

It's really fascinating to me. I wonder if professional pizza shops have the same issue, and if not, why.

[nickyr]

Following up-
I've made pizza dough with this recipe a few times now.  All were pretty good, but it's amazing to me that following the exact same steps as best as I can there is still some significant variation in the way the dough turns out.  I am very careful and methodical, measure by weight to the tenth of a gram, check temperatures, use fresh yeast, etc.

It's really fascinating to me. I wonder if professional pizza shops have the same issue, and if not, why.

To some degree, they do. I went to Razza one time in the winter before they got famous and Dan was telling us that they were scrambling to put al the dough next to lights that morning because it had been so cold at night the dough hadn’t risen enough. I guess these people are just so good that they read the dough and know how to adjust.

[The Dough Doctor]

Grease Wheel: You left the door open on this one! 
With GUSTO!

Artimas: Can you please describe the differences you are seeing?
There is a quantum leap between the average pizzeria and the average home kitchen when it comes to making pizza dough, but the biggest difference that I've seen is in how the dough is refrigerated. Most home refrigerators are really not all that good for dough storage as in many cases they lack the necessary refrigeration capacity but more importantly it is small in comparison to a walk-in cooler or even a commercial reach-in cooler so every time the door is opened the temperature fluctuation is significant, it may not seen so, but it is. This temperature fluctuation will have a significant impact upon the dough over the course of 24 and more hours. In many cases we can address this by targeting a lower finished dough temperature or by modifying our dough management procedure to better accommodate our unique conditions under which we make our pizzas. When teaching pizza making at homes I always tell everyone that the first thing we need to do is to have a dough formula and dough management procedure that allows us to make a decent pizza, then we need to fine tune it to allow us to make a great pizza on a consistent basis (this is a real confidence builder), after that I encourage them to experiment making different types of pizzas/pizza doughs/crusts, such as wheat, whole-wheat, multi-grain, Tex-Mex, Asian, based on thin crust or deep-dish formats (whatever their family preference is). Pizza making should be a family fun adventure in pizza cuisine, and now that we're hopefully all at home with our families this is a great time to get everyone involved in the pizza making process. My wife and I have made a pizza together for dinned for the last two days, the first one was a vegetarian topped N.Y. style and last nights pizza was a shrimp topped pizza with Alfredo sauce instead of a red sauce seasoned with dried dill from our garden last year, then we added left oven vegetables from the previous nights pizza preparation. No complaints form my better looking half! Like the old adage goes, "Happy wife, happy life" 
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
 

[accordionistP]

Dear Artima, I just joined and I'm waiting for my supplies I ordered and thought to give you "Jenny can Cook Easiest Pizza recipe."
Go to:   

This is a pizza that you put the ingredients in a bowl the night before then next day spread it in your Peel, or Cast Iron skillet.
Jenny uses a Cast Iron Skillet.  I'm going to be using a Pizza Stone.  If anyone reading this is experienced I could use advice in adapting Jenny's Cast Iron Pizza to using the Pizza Stone.
This pizza is the easiest, no Kneading, no nothing!...view it.  Let me know after you try it.
accordionistP

[Artimas]

I am sorry it took so long for me to reply.  This Coronavirus thing has been a giant distraction and I haven't made pizza in a while.

To answer Tom's question, the variation that I see in my dough from time to time is mostly the consistency. Some times it seems lighter and is easier to stretch, other times it is denser, has more pullback, and doesn't stretch out nearly as well. The lighter dough makes a better, crispier, airier crust.  I let it rise for 48 hours in our second refrigerator which is opened much less often than our main one, but I don't know if it affects the dough. I'll have to be more careful with the refigeration and see if it helps.