Where do you work your dough?

[stuart]

A nice cool slab of marble has been used by many to prepare dough in the kitchen. No matter the ambient temperature, marble is a few degrees cooler.

I'm curious as to if this would be the case in an outdoor kitchen? I'm designing and building the counters for this kitchen out of concrete. One consideration is to inset a slab of marble into the counter. Even if the marble does add cooling I'd like to get a sense of how many members even work their dough outside at the oven or just inside.

[RTflorida]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

Inside, on the cool granite countertops in my kitchen. I have to believe the 90-100 degree summer temps and humidity you and I (FL) experience is not good for dough......Lets get a definitive word from one of our resident experts.

[james]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

If you keep you dough balls cool in the refrigerator right up until 30-60 mintues before you need them you can still work outside on a hot humid day and they won't explode on you.

We bring all the ingredients outside and do pizza making on a granite counter next to the oven. Even on hot days.
James

[maver]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

I live in a much milder climate, but I stretch my dough on a concrete countertop right next to the oven. I doubt you would need to inset marble, although if it's in the sun the white might stay cooler. You could blend your own concrete with white portland and white aggregate...

[arevalo53anos]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

Indoor I work the dough in marble or granite.
Outdoor, when big parties are running, I use to have a half tennis table covered by a sheet of alluminium foil in one side and plastic foil on the other side.
The plastic part is up and the pizza dough is stretched over it.
The skin is filled on the wood peel.
The half tennis table is conveniently installed near of the oven and everybody is invited to fill his/her pizza. (Normally, only the children love to do that, adults prefer to see the pizzaiolo doing his work as long as they have the left hand occupied with beer can)

Luis

[james]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

Luis,
How hot is it where you live? Is it still fun using it during the hotter months?
James

[arevalo53anos]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

James:

I am so lucky to live neighbour São Paulo, Brazil in a city that is 2000 ft high.
The climate is always ok.
These days, winter, we are running the 40 to 80 °F (around the 60 °F, at night, when the parties begin) and in summer the temperature goes to 80 to 95 °F, with parties running by the 80´s.
Pizza under the moon light, this is romantic, ah? And we have great beer blends!!!
It is not common to have winds with more than 15 Kt, when it happens.
By December, January months we use to have lot of rains, out of these, happy parties!
Please, note that to brazilian people, 40´s is cooold! LOL

Luis

[Dutchoven]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

I have a slab of marble that I bring out of the kitchen near the time I will begin spinning...it is cooler that way but...as the party wears on sadly it warms up...I am in Mississippi where it can be rather hot but this method has served very well...maybe refridgerate a slab?...then bring it out with the dough?
Best
Dutch

[Richie]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

We have had three parties where we cooked at least 40 pizzas and all was done outside in the wonderful hot humid Houston weather on the outdoor kitchen black granite top. I don't know any better, only place I have tried it. Easier to clean up as well and its close to the beer fridge so cuts down on walking.

One drawback is flying insects, but they usually turn to dust pretty quick.

Speaking of, last time I was cooking, a June bug flew right into the oven, bad idea, fell into the coals and combusted in about 5 seconds!

[james]

Re: Where do you work your dough?

Thanks Richie,

Another vote for outdoor prep.

Did you hear about the Cicada explosion in the upper midwest this year? Sounds like dogs love eat them. Perhaps we should add a recipe for wood-fired flying insects. :-)
James