1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

[Gulf]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

........ room temp here is 78F, its warm here..............

V-Wiz,
Down here we have a saying, coined by Bocephus, "a country boy can survive". But, he is more comfortable when he has air conditioning .

[V-wiz]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

Make the dough, let it double at least for an hour, then ball it, and it can be immediately put in the fridge. The best dough is fermented in bulk for around 24-30 hours at room temp (68 degrees), then balled and fermented for another 6-24 hours, also at room temp. That will make pizza like the picture, which is not mine, but a Gentleman in Houston who has it figured out extremely well.

I normally let it double for an hour or 3, then ball it, and fridge it until use. I do not bring it back to room temp, it is easier to use high hydration doughs cold.

Thanks man, Ill store it in bulk then, however room temp here is 78F, its warm here. so i will put it in the fridge sooner than that. I will make them into balls the morning of the event? will this work, and bring it to room temp before pulling the balls. lol.

[V-wiz]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

3. I agree about the dough keeping it atleast for 24hrs. So i can i make the dough 2 days in advance and just store it in the fridge and take it out the day of and a few hours before i bake them. So do i need to keep the dough out of the fridge for it to properly rise of will it be just fine in the fridge?

Ball the dough in the sizes you want the morning of the event or the night before place them in lightly oiled bowls or plastic bags or wrap also work.

Remove them from the fridge 2 hours before cooking, I usually remove 6 at a time in 30 minute increments or faster if needed.

Just before tossing flour well and then stretch into pies, a bowl filled with flour works well for this, just toss them in and flip them over.

Chip

Great thanks chip. The party will be help Saturday night, So ill make the dough tonight, place in fridge and follow your advice. Thanks

[V-wiz]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

For sauce, go to Walmart and buy Classico crushed tomatoes. Taste them and add a small amount of salt and/or sugar to balance them, and that is all you need to do. Walmart also has whole milk mozzarella and generally carries some fresh mozzarella that is OK in a pinch.

(I hate Wallie-World, but I do go there for those 2 items as they are excellent)

I dont have Walmart around here, its about 30 min away, but i can get crushed tomatoes everywhere, there are many many shops around that carry quality stuff, so if thats what you guys use i can get that. Thank you again.

Regarding Mozz cheese, i notice people put fresh? chunks of Mozz, what is up with that? where can i get those bad boys. As you can see im a total newb

[V-wiz]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

So you have not made dough before? Flour is cheap, start making it now to get a feel for it, even if you just throw it away, although I keep doughballs in the fridge for several weeks with no degradation in quality.

Hydration is measured as a percent of the total weight of the ingredients.

From the recipe I linked:

Ingredient Baker's Percent Grams Ounces Pounds
OO Flour (100%) 691.04 g 24.38 oz 1.52 lbs
Water (60%) 414.62 g 14.63 oz 0.91 lbs
ADY (.075%) 0.52 g 0.02 oz 0 lbs
Salt (2%) 13.82 g 0.49 oz 2.88 tsp
Total (162.075%) 1120 g 39.51 oz 2.47 lbs
Single Ball 280 g 9.88 oz 0.62 lbs


Flour is always 100%, then the weight of everything else is expressed as a percent of the weight of that. This allows you to scale the recipe up or down regarding batch size. That recipe is a 60% hydration, which is low for what I currently make, but still manageable for a newcomer.

If you do not weigh ingredients (I don't normally), you have to have a feel for what is supposed to be like at the various stages on making it.

The same recipe expressed in a volumetric notation:

5 cups OO flour
2-1/2 to 3 cups water
1 tsp ADY
almost 3 tsp salt


As you can see, it is much less precise, and is not really scalable to a larger or smaller batch.

Thank you for the info. I purchased a scale today. I also did make a test dough yesterday, it went well. Its in the fridge as we speak and is looking good, smells good and has risen.

[mrchipster]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

Make the dough, let it double at least for an hour, then ball it, and it can be immediately put in the fridge. The best dough is fermented in bulk for around 24-30 hours at room temp (68 degrees), then balled and fermented for another 6-24 hours, also at room temp. That will make pizza like the picture, which is not mine, but a Gentleman in Houston who has it figured out extremely well.

I normally let it double for an hour or 3, then ball it, and fridge it until use. I do not bring it back to room temp, it is easier to use high hydration doughs cold.

I will try your method next time. Sounds interesting.

Chip

[Tscarborough]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

Make the dough, let it double at least for an hour, then ball it, and it can be immediately put in the fridge. The best dough is fermented in bulk for around 24-30 hours at room temp (68 degrees), then balled and fermented for another 6-24 hours, also at room temp. That will make pizza like the picture, which is not mine, but a Gentleman in Houston who has it figured out extremely well.

I normally let it double for an hour or 3, then ball it, and fridge it until use. I do not bring it back to room temp, it is easier to use high hydration doughs cold.

[mrchipster]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

3. I agree about the dough keeping it atleast for 24hrs. So i can i make the dough 2 days in advance and just store it in the fridge and take it out the day of and a few hours before i bake them. So do i need to keep the dough out of the fridge for it to properly rise of will it be just fine in the fridge?

Ball the dough in the sizes you want the morning of the event or the night before place them in lightly oiled bowls or plastic bags or wrap also work.

Remove them from the fridge 2 hours before cooking, I usually remove 6 at a time in 30 minute increments or faster if needed.

Just before tossing flour well and then stretch into pies, a bowl filled with flour works well for this, just toss them in and flip them over.

Chip

[Tscarborough]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

For sauce, go to Walmart and buy Classico crushed tomatoes. Taste them and add a small amount of salt and/or sugar to balance them, and that is all you need to do. Walmart also has whole milk mozzarella and generally carries some fresh mozzarella that is OK in a pinch.

(I hate Wallie-World, but I do go there for those 2 items as they are excellent)

[Tscarborough]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

So you have not made dough before? Flour is cheap, start making it now to get a feel for it, even if you just throw it away, although I keep doughballs in the fridge for several weeks with no degradation in quality.

Hydration is measured as a percent of the total weight of the ingredients.

From the recipe I linked:

Ingredient Baker's Percent Grams Ounces Pounds
OO Flour (100%) 691.04 g 24.38 oz 1.52 lbs
Water (60%) 414.62 g 14.63 oz 0.91 lbs
ADY (.075%) 0.52 g 0.02 oz 0 lbs
Salt (2%) 13.82 g 0.49 oz 2.88 tsp
Total (162.075%) 1120 g 39.51 oz 2.47 lbs
Single Ball 280 g 9.88 oz 0.62 lbs


Flour is always 100%, then the weight of everything else is expressed as a percent of the weight of that. This allows you to scale the recipe up or down regarding batch size. That recipe is a 60% hydration, which is low for what I currently make, but still manageable for a newcomer.

If you do not weigh ingredients (I don't normally), you have to have a feel for what is supposed to be like at the various stages on making it.

The same recipe expressed in a volumetric notation:

5 cups OO flour
2-1/2 to 3 cups water
1 tsp ADY
almost 3 tsp salt


As you can see, it is much less precise, and is not really scalable to a larger or smaller batch.

[V-wiz]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

Some great suggestions and instruction in these posts! A few more thoughts that I will add..

1. Hopefully your oven has been fully cured and you have done a full heat saturation to temp at least once so (a) you know it will get to temp, and (b) you know how long it will take.

2. If you are making multiple batches of dough, do 1 at a time even if your mixer can handle a double batch.

3. Whatever dough recipe you use, I would absolutely make dough 24hrs before and let it rest in the fridge for a day.

4. dont play with the dough too much. It needs to be room temp and it should stretch out with very little spring back. If it is springing back and wont stay stretched out, you have either overkneaded it and/or not let it rest long enough.

5. Strongly consider getting your dough from Bertucci's....they will roll them out and put them in pizza boxes. Chances are if you have never done dough before, you arent going to get it right the first time.....there is a reason why there are thousands of posts on this forum discussing dough....it isnt rocket science but until you do it a few times and start to get it, it can be a beast....

6. Make sure you have some other food besides pizza! If things dont go well, you still need to be able to feed people.


7. Preparation/Tools. Hopefully you have the right tools to aid rather than hinder you....the GI Metal perforated anodized aluminum pizza peel is the only way to fly IMO...it will allow you to scoop up a pizza off nearly any surface with ease and pop it in the oven. It is worth every penny....seriously watch this video.... 2009 perforated pizza peel test - YouTube.

a simple stainless shaker filled with AP is not crucial but so much better than grabbing handfuls of AP or covering the work surface with piles of AP.

8. Ingredients/KISS. Do use quality ingredients. No pizza sauce. Search here on tomatos/sauces and use quality italian plum tomatoes. Fresh mozz and/or a quality shredded mozz. Keep the topping selection down to 2 or 3. And MAKE sure folks dont overload the pizzas. Less is more. Hopefully you have seen a Neopolitano WFO pizza before it went in the oven to see how little sauce, cheese and toppings are on it....the dough ideally will be paper thin...it cannot hold much.

9. Have fun. Drink beer. Take a breath. Dont get frustrated if it doesnt go well. It will get better and if you invest time/energy (and money) eventually it can go really really well...


10. Learn what works and what doesnt. Take pics. Report back with the good and the bad.

This post is very informative thank you.


1. My oven is fully cured (to my knowledge). I will start ahead of time and give my self extra time to slowly build the fire, i dont want a rapid increase in heat.

2. I plan on making enough dough for 16 people so i will hand mix all that.

3. I agree about the dough keeping it atleast for 24hrs. So i can i make the dough 2 days in advance and just store it in the fridge and take it out the day of and a few hours before i bake them. So do i need to keep the dough out of the fridge for it to properly rise of will it be just fine in the fridge?

4. Great advice thank you.


5. Where is Bertucci's? i plan on making my own dough, i did this last night at a test, i used dough from the store and made pizza, it came out well. I also made fresh dough and so far so good. It was practice.

6. I will have steak also. Thanks

7. I do have all the tools so im good there. Check my tool thread

I was planning on getting sauce as i dont have time to make my own yet, any recommendations?. Also where do i get fresh Mozz cheese.


Thanks alot

[V-wiz]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

No one has talked here about hydration level on the dough, I would recommend about a 60 percent because I think the higher hydration doughs are more difficult to work with for someone new to the game.

Assuming 60percent hydration 7 pounds of flour would yield a little over 11 pounds of dough, assuming 250 g (slightly over .5 pounds) dough balls this should give you about 20 pies.

I think having a few par baked crusts available is a great idea. It would take the edge off if you get a rush of people all at once. If you are doing them just before your party, so they are fresh, cook them at a low 600 degree oven and brush them with olive oil before par baking so they do not balloon up all over.

Screens or perforated pizza disks I prefer the disks, are a good idea because almost anyone can stretch a dough on one of them. I find that people with little or no experience stretching dough push the dough into the tiny holes of a screen and it can be difficult to get the pizza off the screen.

You will be able to slide the pizza off of a perforated disk after 30 seconds in the oven and if your floor is to hot you can just leave the pizza on the disk for the full cooking cycle.

Also, only attempt one pie at a time for this first party, two or three in the oven can be difficult to master.

It would be good to have a practice session even without a hot oven, dough and tomato sauce is really cheap and practicing placing it on a peel saucing it with tomato sauce and then waiting a short period of time (30-60 seconds) to account for the time required to put on the ingredients, and then sliding it into the oven.

Btw slide the dough/sauce simulated pizza on to a piece of scrap plywood or cardboard so you protect the oven floor and can slide the whole mess out. You will not be able to pick up an uncooked pizza once it is placed in a cold oven. Slide out the cardboard shield and toss the simulated pies in the trash. If you use cardboard as your shield, weight it down so it does not move when placing the pie.

If your peel gets anything on it, clean it as soon as possible and dust with flour to dry the wet spot. Sauce, oil and cheese are not friends of the peel.

I always start my parties with a real simple cheesy dough pie, grated sharp white cheddar, roasted garlic, a little sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. It is a real crowd pleaser, and kids keep coming back and asking for more.

The trick is to not overdo the cheese, and have a short cooking cycle, idealy the pie is just done, like warm rolls just out of the oven. Not brown and crispy but tan and bubbly
Chip

Chip thanks for your help.

Im note sure how to measure hydration level, or how to tell..

Thats a good idea i can probably make garlic breads?

[sclancy]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

Some great suggestions and instruction in these posts! A few more thoughts that I will add..

1. Hopefully your oven has been fully cured and you have done a full heat saturation to temp at least once so (a) you know it will get to temp, and (b) you know how long it will take.

2. If you are making multiple batches of dough, do 1 at a time even if your mixer can handle a double batch.

3. Whatever dough recipe you use, I would absolutely make dough 24hrs before and let it rest in the fridge for a day.

4. dont play with the dough too much. It needs to be room temp and it should stretch out with very little spring back. If it is springing back and wont stay stretched out, you have either overkneaded it and/or not let it rest long enough.

5. Strongly consider getting your dough from Bertucci's....they will roll them out and put them in pizza boxes. Chances are if you have never done dough before, you arent going to get it right the first time.....there is a reason why there are thousands of posts on this forum discussing dough....it isnt rocket science but until you do it a few times and start to get it, it can be a beast....

6. Make sure you have some other food besides pizza! If things dont go well, you still need to be able to feed people.


7. Preparation/Tools. Hopefully you have the right tools to aid rather than hinder you....the GI Metal perforated anodized aluminum pizza peel is the only way to fly IMO...it will allow you to scoop up a pizza off nearly any surface with ease and pop it in the oven. It is worth every penny....seriously watch this video.... 2009 perforated pizza peel test - YouTube.

a simple stainless shaker filled with AP is not crucial but so much better than grabbing handfuls of AP or covering the work surface with piles of AP.

8. Ingredients/KISS. Do use quality ingredients. No pizza sauce. Search here on tomatos/sauces and use quality italian plum tomatoes. Fresh mozz and/or a quality shredded mozz. Keep the topping selection down to 2 or 3. And MAKE sure folks dont overload the pizzas. Less is more. Hopefully you have seen a Neopolitano WFO pizza before it went in the oven to see how little sauce, cheese and toppings are on it....the dough ideally will be paper thin...it cannot hold much.

9. Have fun. Drink beer. Take a breath. Dont get frustrated if it doesnt go well. It will get better and if you invest time/energy (and money) eventually it can go really really well...


10. Learn what works and what doesnt. Take pics. Report back with the good and the bad.

[wesslock]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

Hi , I finished my oven and two weeks later made pizza for over 60 people. That was four years ago , about. Was it my best pizza , not even close. But people had a great time and still talk about it.

I would suggest having too much flour as it wont go bad , will continue to make pizza. Same with tomatoes. Just have fun and dont be overly critical as your still new. No one will be as tough on the pizza as you are.

good luck.

[mrchipster]

Re: 1st Pizza, 1st Pizza party & its going to be a big one...

No one has talked here about hydration level on the dough, I would recommend about a 60 percent because I think the higher hydration doughs are more difficult to work with for someone new to the game.

Assuming 60percent hydration 7 pounds of flour would yield a little over 11 pounds of dough, assuming 250 g (slightly over .5 pounds) dough balls this should give you about 20 pies.

I think having a few par baked crusts available is a great idea. It would take the edge off if you get a rush of people all at once. If you are doing them just before your party, so they are fresh, cook them at a low 600 degree oven and brush them with olive oil before par baking so they do not balloon up all over.

Screens or perforated pizza disks I prefer the disks, are a good idea because almost anyone can stretch a dough on one of them. I find that people with little or no experience stretching dough push the dough into the tiny holes of a screen and it can be difficult to get the pizza off the screen.

You will be able to slide the pizza off of a perforated disk after 30 seconds in the oven and if your floor is to hot you can just leave the pizza on the disk for the full cooking cycle.

Also, only attempt one pie at a time for this first party, two or three in the oven can be difficult to master.

It would be good to have a practice session even without a hot oven, dough and tomato sauce is really cheap and practicing placing it on a peel saucing it with tomato sauce and then waiting a short period of time (30-60 seconds) to account for the time required to put on the ingredients, and then sliding it into the oven.

Btw slide the dough/sauce simulated pizza on to a piece of scrap plywood or cardboard so you protect the oven floor and can slide the whole mess out. You will not be able to pick up an uncooked pizza once it is placed in a cold oven. Slide out the cardboard shield and toss the simulated pies in the trash. If you use cardboard as your shield, weight it down so it does not move when placing the pie.

If your peel gets anything on it, clean it as soon as possible and dust with flour to dry the wet spot. Sauce, oil and cheese are not friends of the peel.

I always start my parties with a real simple cheesy dough pie, grated sharp white cheddar, roasted garlic, a little sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. It is a real crowd pleaser, and kids keep coming back and asking for more.

The trick is to not overdo the cheese, and have a short cooking cycle, idealy the pie is just done, like warm rolls just out of the oven. Not brown and crispy but tan and bubbly
Chip