Need Dough Tips

[FigliodiMariaeGiovanni]

Re: Need Dough Tips

Hi Dave,

I found your videos informative and entertaining. I am at the point where I am obsessed with all of this. It's better than drugs or alcohol I guess!
I will either install a WFO in a storefront or I may go the trailer route.

I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a couple of things.

I remember seeing your recipe which basically is what I follow except for the weights. I think you use 1000 g?
And also with regard to the flour, I find that the Caputo is expensive to ship from CA. I really haven't looked into buying from a supplier here in NJ.
So since you worked for a major chain, what brand did they use?

Thanks in advance,

Roberto

[FigliodiMariaeGiovanni]

Re: Need Dough Tips

Greetings from Brick, NJ

I wasn't able to launch the vids.
Will try again on my home computer.

Thx,

Roberto

[asudavew]

Re: Need Dough Tips

Welcome aboard.

And here ya go.

Just look at the thread, follow the links, and view the different videos.


http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f28/...ough-3332.html




Dave

[asiakhoo]

Re: Need Dough Tips

need more lessons on how to throw the dough n stretch it at the same time
sk
malaysia

[ricocamus]

Re: Need Dough Tips

Hi Helen,

Fresh tomatoes and basil -- you are so lucky. All we can grow is mushrooms in the lawn.

First off, I have never had a real lesson on this from a pro. So take this with a grain of salt. I throw pizzas with the back of both hands. After working the dough ball out to 6"-8", I roll my fingers forward, lay the ball across the back of my hands, and really try to spin it horizontally. It's the spinning action that streches the dough. Two or three tosses, and you are done. You set it down, finish pushing out

I've seen a couple of different pizzaioli in Sorrento throw pizze vertically. They get it spinning like a wheel using their fingers. Tried it, but can't do it. One advantage to throwing is that you don't handle to dough as much, so it isn't as tough when you are done.

Have you seen this photo?
Naples Pizza Oven Photo | Commercial Pizza Oven Photograph

I think Mel saw Tony Gemignano, the American champion pizziaolo. I wonder what Tony would say... maybe we'll ask him.

James

Is there any chance of getting a step by step with pictures on this?

After reading all the threads in here and the wood fired pizza e-book, I have sworn off using the rolling pin.

But I am still struggling with forming the pizzas. I can follow the part of making the dough balls, but could use some help in the actual stretching and pulling.

Thanks,

[DavidK]

thanks Paul. Good tips. I was wondering when the dough master was going to weigh in! Next, I may be hitting you up for some brewing recipies soon. I'm a touch out of practice but have been homebrewing off and on for ten years or so. Home made pizza and beer. Does it get any better?!!

[paulages]

when tossing part takes practice, but here's a good tip: when pressing the dough out on the counter, concentrate on the outer two thirds, leaving most of the weight in the center. this way, when you toss it, the center stretches from the centrifical force, and you end up with an even thickness. also, if you never touch the outside edge (1/4"-1/2"), it will rise higher than the rest of the dough, leaving you with a nice raised crust.

[DavidK]

Success!!

Left out the olive oil, hydrated carefully, used flour a bit more liberally, threw in some of Helen's manual dough abuse and voila! While the dough never left my hands, I was able to pull it out on the back of my hands into nice round pizzas. The dough was crispy, but still flaky inside! I even received my first (hopefully of many) "this is the best pizza's I've ever tasted" compliment! Thanks everyone for the input!

[james]

Hi Helen,

Fresh tomatoes and basil -- you are so lucky. All we can grow is mushrooms in the lawn.

First off, I have never had a real lesson on this from a pro. So take this with a grain of salt. I throw pizzas with the back of both hands. After working the dough ball out to 6"-8", I roll my fingers forward, lay the ball across the back of my hands, and really try to spin it horizontally. It's the spinning action that streches the dough. Two or three tosses, and you are done. You set it down, finish pushing out

I've seen a couple of different pizzaioli in Sorrento throw pizze vertically. They get it spinning like a wheel using their fingers. Tried it, but can't do it. One advantage to throwing is that you don't handle to dough as much, so it isn't as tough when you are done.

Have you seen this photo?
http://fornobravo.com/pizza_oven_pho...s/naples2.html

I think Mel saw Tony Gemignano, the American champion pizziaolo. I wonder what Tony would say... maybe we'll ask him.

James

[Robert Musa]

#1 tip: mop the floor before you begin...

[helenb]

tossing

Hi James,

Can you please give some tips on tossing - I haven't tried that yet! I am having a pizza party tonight and will, for the first time, use my home grown basil and tomatoes!

Regards
Helen

[james]

Try erring on the dry side and seeing if you can toss it. It's fun, and the kids love it.

I make two separate batches all the time, just to see how they behave differently. You can always use the extra dough to make a foccaccia or schiacciata and eat it for lunch the next day.

You can bake those in a pan with a lot of olive oli -- both on top when you are proofing, then after it comes out of the oven.

James

[DavidK]

OK, practice I will! I do have a dough knife and use it but because I did my proofing on pans, it's hard to get underneath. I may do everything on my granite counters this time.

As for moist, I definitely did one too moist and that was apparent Both batches used olive oil, so for this round, I will leave it out.

So the falling apart isn't that unusual. Gosh, and here I was planning on tossing them... OK, well, I guess I'll just play with it more. I suppose you can't have instant perfection...

Thanks again!

[james]

Hi David,

It sounds like you are really close. A well-hydrated pizza dough is soft and pretty delicate to touch. One idea that comes to mind is that your dough might be a little too moist -- sticking to things a little too much. Still, if you don't hydrate the dough it ends up tough, doesn't stretch and doesn't spring (puff up) in the oven.

A couple of other ideas. To get your proofed dough balls off the surface, use a pastry knive -- a rectangular tool with a handle. That's a must have.

Also, flip the ball over so that the underside is up and becomes the top of the pizza. It is nice and fresh, and doesn't have a skin from air contact. With the soft dough, I end up doing a lot of the shaping on the work surface. Before I found the Caputo flour I did a lot more handling in the air.

Have you experiemented using dough with and without olive oil. I have heard the Italian flour described as being silky, and not needing the oil, where it is more necessary with US flour.

Practice, practice. It's a tough job.

James

[DavidK]

Thanks for the input Helen, but..

I'm mixing the dough in a stand mixer, 2 minutes slow, 5 minutes fast, 2 minutes slow, adding water until the dough rises off the bowl and climbs the dough hook. The dough is, at this point, very smooth and appears well blended...