Flour or Cornmeal

[james]

Which do you like to keep your pizzas from sticking to the peel? Flour, cornmeal, rice flour, or something else.
Let's see how this does in a poll.
James

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

I voted flour, but I might have to give that rice flour a try...had a few sticky pizza this go-round.

[Chris]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

I use all-purpose flour when forming the dough, but for the peel, semolina flour works great.

[james]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

Thanks for that Chris. I just added it to the poll. Can you say what you like about it? I met a pizzaiolo near our first house here (Sarteano) who used it.
James

[Chris]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

The ap flour makes the dough nice and smooth for shaping, but as dlachez says, it's like little ball bearings. Once the surface of the dough is dry from the ap flour, the semolina doesn't integrate itself into the dough the way the ap does, so it slides very well.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

Guys,

I started using stone ground brown rice flour a while ago. It's somewhat coaser than bread flour, and I've found that if there is residual on the bottoms of the bread, it does not burn as readily as white flour. Anything left on the breads after baking brushes off easily. This wouldn't be easy to accomplish on a baked pizza, but you get the reasons.

Jim

[Xabia Jim]

Undecided

I'm still working on this one.

For powdery stuff I'm trying white flour and whole wheat flours...

For gritty stuff I've got cornmeal, wheatmeal and ricemeal.....also a bran which I think may be like CJ's rice flour.

Just need to make some more pizzas!

Maybe a mixture of flour and cornmeal....that's what I ended up with last time when we did a dozen ahead of time....all made it to the fire breathing oven.....

[james]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

I have not had good success with flour and have had major problems getting a pie off the peel more than once using flour. (What happened to that side of the pizza Honey?)

Or, you completely nuke your 8 year-old daughter's perfect pizza. Ouch.
James

[CanuckJim]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

Guys,

We should remember, too, that semolina comes in various types. There's the coarse stuff, sure, but there's also finer durham flour, or fancy durham flour, but it's not as fine as bread flour.

Jim

[Xabia Jim]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Note the last 2 lines in the post too)

Semolina is coarsely ground grain, usually wheat, with particles mostly between 0.25 and 0.75 mm in diameter. The same milling grade is sometimes called farina, or grits if made from maize. It refers to two very different products: semolina for porridge is usually steel-cut soft common wheat whereas "durum semolina" used for pasta or gnocchi is coarsely ground from either durum wheat or other hard wheat, usually the latter because it costs less to grow.

Non-durum semolina porridge or farina has come to be known in the United States by the trade name Cream of Wheat.

Semolina pudding is made by boiling or baking the grain with milk and sweeteners. The pudding can be flavoured with vanilla, served with jam, and eaten hot or cold.

In Italy (Tuscany) spaghetti made with semolina are called pici. In Northern India, it is known as sooji; in southern India, rava. In much of North Africa and the Middle-East, it is made into the staple couscous.

In South India, semolina is used to make such delicacies as dosa and upma. A popular dessert in Greece ("Halvas"), Cyprus ("Halouvas"), Turkey ("Helva"), and India ("Halva") is made with semolina scorched with sugar, butter, milk and pine nuts. In some cultures, it is served at funerals, during special celebrations or as a religious offering.

It can be used as an alternative to corn meal to 'flour' the underside of fresh pizza dough to prevent it from sticking to the peel.

In bread making, a small proportion of semolina added to the usual mix of flour produces a tasty crust.

I love Wikipedia.....XJ

[jahysea]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

Hey... My 2cents.

I think we would all admit that Semolina or Corn Meal is EASIER.

I used to use it regularly.

Then I had to go start reading all about authentic Italian ingredients on this forum and there were numerous posts that made me feel very inadequate for actually introducing a corn meal product into my Pizza making process. Kinda like a high school kid driving an AMC Pacer.

So I started using strictly flour. It's not quite as effective, but as long as you use plenty of flour and don't leave the pizza on the wood peel forever, it works pretty well.

I didn't hate the semolina taste on the pizza dough, but I don't miss the sand consistency either.

End of the day, I'm happy either way. It's all better than any commercial pizza place within driving distance.......

[Johnny L]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

I treid Seminola on the peel instead of cornmeal last Sunday and I liked the results better. The dough slid off of the peel without a hitch.
It also seemed "cleaner" to use than the cornmeal and I understand that it helps to add some crispness to your dough if you use it for dusting (mixed with flour) before pushing your dough.

[james]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

The Wikipedia entry mentioned Pici, so here are a couple of Pici photos. It's a different taste and texture than either egg or water-based pasta. It's very rustic and chewy -- 22 minutes to cook! Very much a specialty pasta. I have been told (though I don't know if it is true) that the wheat fields in southern Tuscany are grown for pasta. More expensive to grow (they do it is small fields that make you wonder how cost-effective it can be), but a better food product.

What are the differences between Durum wheat and other hard winter wheat?

James

[Johnny L]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

Hi James,
Thanks for the info. Very interesting.
The product that I actually used was From Hodgson Mill- Golden Semolina & Extra Fancy Durum- Pasta flour. It costs about $3.00 per 2lb box.
I also had excelleant results using it yesterday.
Thanks again for the info.
I don't know the difference between Durum and other hard winter wheat at this time, but I'll check into it. Unless if someone else offers the information first.
Maybe I should have checked off flour in this poll?
John

[james]

Re: Flour or Cornmeal

John,
I think my previous posting shows off my lack of photograhpic skill. What do you think? Why don't I try to make Pici at home with Durum Semolina. It will give me a feel for the flour, and I will see how it works.
Thanks for the idea John,
James