Pizza prep surface

[james]

What surface do you use to make your pizza? If you making your pizzas on a smooth, stone surface, the way pizzerias do -- where you slide your placing peel under the prepared pizza, you want something in granite, marble or travertine.

As we used slate (rough) for our outdoor counters, I went looking for something we could use for pizza prep, and I found a great remnant. This is a 24"d x 36"w marble offcut, with a pre-finished bullnose on two sides (I'll grind it down on the third side). It weighs a ton, and I think I will just leave it in place. Because it was a remnant, it was only $80. Cool. I think this will work well -- more to come on that.
James

[asudavew]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Sweet find~
!!


I usually just use the formica counters in my kitchen.

But I have yet to complete my backyard counters...

Spring/summer project

Your outdoor kitchen looks awesome James.

Oh.. and get the chef.
with that many people...

Then maybe you can help the guests create their pizzas while the chef cooks and, of course, socialize.

[Frances]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Nice piece of marble there! That'll fit in really nicely with all the rest (how many materials is it now? )

I make my pizzas right on the wooden table top.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Pizza prep surface

James,

A lot the pictures in the Bread e-book show that I use a piece of white Corian that was discarded from a job. It's heavy but portable, so in good weather I can move it outside to shape bread or pizza. I like the Corian because it seems to be naturally no-stick, and if it gets scratched badly or banged up, it can be sanded smooth with wet/dry paper. Four hundred grit, wet, works well on a palm sander.

Jim

[RTflorida]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Good find. I use my granite kitchen countertops so I never have given it much thought.
My suggestion on these remants - check your local craigs list, I've seen several granite installers selling granite and marble cutoffs and a lot of sink cutouts (they usually don't want more than about $25 for them).
Also check the local tile/granite/marble supply houses; the place I got my kitchen and bath granite from also sells remnants and sink cutouts (prices vary on the specific granite or marble involved), but I know you can pick up even the most expensive for under $100. I would think a double kitchen sink cutout would work well...something 18" x 28" or 20" x 30" (I'm guessing at what a kitchen sink measures).

RT

[Richard]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Have garnite counter tops on both indoor and outdoor kitchens. Easy clean up, smooth surface

[james]

Re: Pizza prep surface

...

My suggestion on these remants - check your local craigs list, I've seen several granite installers selling granite and marble cutoffs and a lot of sink cutouts (they usually don't want more than about $25 for them).
Also check the local tile/granite/marble supply houses; the place I got my kitchen and bath granite from also sells remnants and sink cutouts (prices vary on the specific granite or marble involved), but I know you can pick up even the most expensive for under $100. I would think a double kitchen sink cutout would work well...something 18" x 28" or 20" x 30" (I'm guessing at what a kitchen sink measures).

RT

Nice idea.

I wanted 36" wide so that two people can work at the same time.
James

[gjbingham]

Re: Pizza prep surface

I've got a black granite table, 1 meter square that cracked in half in the San Diego sun. I keep thinking I can incorporate the pieces into the BBQ portion of my project. Indoors, I've got a 20 inch sq. piece of granite that I use for part of the dough prep work on - the pizza dough ball twist. Otherwise, just plain old laminated countertops and flour for most of my dough work.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Pizza prep surface

A flat surface works well and it's best when parallel to the ground

James, my experience with marble is that it has a tendency to stain and is also susceptible to erosion from some liquids (citrus?, wine?)

so I tend to prefer the granite type surfaces.

[Thirties]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Granite counter top for initial rolling out (yes, I use a rolling pin).

Then I lift and transfer to a semolina-sprinkled kitchen parchment paper, where I let it rest after a bit of rolling to get it back to where it was.

Final rolling out on the parchment, then add toppings. I use a flat cookie sheet as a peel lifting paper & pizza into and out of the oven.

When done, I lay the [now] brown paper with pizza onto a large cutting board for final stages -- cut, serve, and eat.

[gjbingham]

Re: Pizza prep surface

James,
I never paid attention to the pizzaiolos loading pizzas on their peels. How do they do that without deforming the pizza? Does the semolina or whatever flour they use on the prep surface keep the pizza from sticking to the peel?

[james]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Hey George,

It really does work. You can make a nice, thin pizza on a marble or granite top, and using just flour, you grab one edge of the pizza with your thumb and index finger to slightly lift and pull -- while you shoot your peel under the pizza. Your peel has to be clean and dry, perhaps with a little flour on it, and the pizza stays perfectly round.

You have to make sure you have enough flour for the pizza to not stick, and not so much that it burns, or leaves a singed flour taste on the bottom of your pizza.

Really!

It definitely is time to kick start the FB Video series. We need to capture this -- and a handful of other things, on video.

James

[DaveHI]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Our main kitchen has granite counters which work great for dough prep. I was using the stove top cutout remnant for the final outdoor pizza base shaping, but when we got cabinets out there, we broke down and paid up for granite tops on the teak as well. I feel pretty silly whining about the cost of shipping in bricks/mortars/etc when we paid what we paid for granite over teak but I guess that's human nature.

I do have to keep the granite in shade or it gets way too hot in our sun. I use another remnant as a cutting block for the finished pies. Get a bit of heat retention if that's left in the sun.

I haven't tried actually making the pizza on the counters. I just shape the dough then put it on a wooden peel for the toppings. They get out of round but I've no pride about shape. People only seem to care about the taste when it comes right down to it. It's so humid that everything has to be done pretty fast or the dough gets damp and sticks to anything. Luckily the last time I really stuck one it was just a 4 cheese so we could make a new base and just scrape the cheese off the ruined one.

Our granite guy throws his sink cutouts away (In fact they threw mine away by error. It was was supposed to be cut into my entry hearth, but they made me a beautiful replacement so no harm). He sells finished 3 X 5 bath vanity tops for about $500 but smallish pieces 2X3 really don't have much value. Even the most expensive stone is only about $85/ft2

Marble really does stain, but you can seal them stone sealer (HD has it) and it's not as big a problem. I'd stay with granite as it's much more forgiving. marble also hates acids.

[gjbingham]

Re: Pizza prep surface

Good answer James. Thanks! I guess I have to wash my peel, huh? I'll give your technique a try!

BTW, I made pizzas last weekend with Montery Jack vs. Mozzarella. I was only making two pizzas and didn't want to break open my good Mozzarella. I think they were tastier. Have anyone else ever tried that?

[thebadger]

Re: Pizza prep surface

I think I lucked out. I found a 2x5 ft piece of granite (remnant) with a beveled front egde for only $100!

My plan is to make a counter area with storage, electric and maybe a fridge to the right of my oven.

Dick