I put this in many times, once more won't hurt.
A lot of reading but it don't take long to actually make
the Pizza.

I used Pans in the Pizzeria, because they could be manuvered easily in the over.
And I didn't have the Cornmeal mess.

An alterative to baking on a stone is to use pans. A 12 inch round pizza will take from 8 to 12 ounces of dough. According to thickness you want. After the dough is made weigh it out and roll into balls. Oil the pans and place a dough ball in the pan and flatten slightly, working the dough towards the side of the pan, with the palms.

Then let it rest a few minutes. Repeat this every so often until the dough reaches the side and up, enough for a crust about inch. Let it raise slightly , pinch the dough all over, with a fork and put into the oven to bake at 400 deg. If it bubbles while baking pinch it with a fork again. When light tan specks show ,take them out onto a rack to cool fast. Then you can use them right away or freeze , to use later.

When cooking the Pizza, place the Pre Baked dough back in the oiled pan ,
Or cook on your Stone.
put a latel of sauce on the dough and swish it around, sprinkle some Parmesan or Romano , put it in the oven for a few minutes. Take it out and spread the topping of your choice and the Cheese Topping. A good topping cheese is a mixture of Mozzarella and Provolone chopped and mixed. The provolone gives it a good flavor and doesn't get like rubber when it cools.
I use all Provolone.
A little trick for baking. Keep a cup of water and brush handy, to baste parts that are cooking too fast.
If you can get new metal pans, (uncoated) they have to be cured in the oven, so they won't stick. Coat them with oil and bake them for at least 6 hours. Never clean them with soap and water. Just rinse with water & wipe with a paper towel.

Dough recipe:
1 cup of warm water (not hot)
1 Package of rapid rise yeast 1 tablesps sugar ,in a half cup of warm water
1/4 Cup of Veg. Oil
1 teasp.Salt
About 3 1/2 cups Flour
½ cup of Whole wheat flour or up to 1 cup
Place in a mixing bowl, the Water, 1 cup of flour, wheat flour , yeast if risen
Add the oil and salt and more flour.
Add enough flour to make a soft ball of dough, that doesn't stick to your hands.
Knead until smooth. Put it back in the bowl , Smooth side up and Rub on some Veg. Oil
Cover and set in a warm place to rise until it doubles in bulk.
I put it in a warm oven, Covered with a damp towel. It rises in about 1 hour.
When doubled, punch it down and knead it well.
Divide into Balls , about 11 to 12 ounces and place in oiled pans. 12" round
Dough should be about 3/16 " thick on the bottom and about ½" around the edge.
For Sicilian Pizza , I used most of the dough in a 11" X 16" pan
Follow the previous instructions.
Good luck, Lou ---- Ask Questions !

Blueiris, I shape it on a floured board. And then slide it on to the hot stone using a peel. You can also shape it and then place it on a mesh pizza pan and put it on the stone. With the mesh pan it gets the benefit of the stone which you don't get using a solid pan.

I shape it in the same way described for the pan by hawk307, but do it on parchment paper (corn meal is optional and I rarely use it). Then I can slide it, parchment and all, onto the hot stone in the oven using a peel. Before we had a stone, we used a pizza pan with little holes all over it, so that the crust crisped nicely.

As an equal opportunity pizza eater, I like pizza just about any way you want to serve it to me. ;o)

But if you want the very best pizza you can make at home, get thyself a wood pizza peel and a pizza stone or quarry tiles from the home store - oh! and some cornmeal if you don't have any on hand. Your first efforts may be "folded" pizza and not perfect, but you will soon get the hang of it. And you will never look back!

Here is a video showing how to make pizza dough and transfer it onto the hot stone - although using parchment paper on the peel, which works just fine!

I don't have a peel...yet...I showed hubby at the kitchen store on Sunday though...hint hint...
LOL

I shape them directly onto either my pampered chef baking stones. I was using my Large round and one of my large rectangle bar pan (15x11, I think). But now I have a 15" Doughmakers round pan and 4 mini pans. I used those Sunday..Shaped directly on to them and put in the 425 oven.

On my stones because they are not preheated..I baked the pizza in two stages..shaped and par baked...topped and finished baking.

oh and I put a light sprinkle of cornmeal on any of the above pans I use before shaping dough.

Iris:
I've been making Pizza's for about 50 years.
These are all good methods and I've tried all of them.

I've helped friends who owned some of the biggest Pizzeria's in the Philly area,
just so I could see how it was done Professionally
( With no Pay!!!!!! )

What I finally came up with is the method I use now.

I've gotten the same results or even better, with the Pans
and then onto the Stone,
if the bottom wasn't cooked enough.
But as I've said before , people have different tastes.

You can't please everyone but if you can make 80 percent happy, you've done it.

Sometimes when a person finds a Recipe, they won't change.
I keep trying different things .
I usually follow my own thoughts and try crazy things.

Don't get me wrong I am; but I'm not, trying to defend my
ways.
I just try to use a little Common Sense.
I have a Prebaked Dough in the freezer now, that i'm going to use for tonight.

Have fun Baking.
LOU

And if you really want the perfect pizza follow Canadave's instructions on Pizza Making.com.

Ann

Not to brag, but this is my pizza with help from the great people at PizzaMaking.com:

{{gwi:1492683}}

Teresa, I think that your Pizza is defintely something to brag about. The crust looks perfect. Just the way I like it.

Ann

Tresa:
Great looking Pizza. The Crust looks Perfect.
I'll have to look into all the " Pizza's Com ",
So I can learn to make a good Pizza.
Lou

Teresa,
Your pizza looks so good!!! Which dough recipe do you use?

Linda

Linda, I've tried so many I could not tell you which one that is pictured. But I know the crust in that pic is one from Pizzamaking.com. I'll check tonight and see if I can figure out which one it is.

Teresa brag away!!! That pizza looks WONDERFUL. That is exactly like how I want my crust to be.

Please try to figure out which recipe you used because I would love to give it a try.

Might as well put in some Photo's for those who haven't seen them.

Small 10inch Pizza

Sicilian Style:

Sicilian Corner:

Sicialian Corner, cutout :

Sicilian Stuffed Crust, With Sausage, Pepperoni , Etc.

Stuffed Crust piece cut out:

{{gwi:1482142}}

Last Year's, Daughters Valentine , Birthday Pizza:

This year I made her a CheeseCake.
LOU

Ann T:
I read Canadave's Instruction's as you said.

He should have been an Attorney. It is well written.

But there is no " Perfect Pizza " for everyone.

Some like hardy any Spices. some like it spiced.

Some like thin , some like thick.

Some like Mozzerella, some like Provolone, maybe mixed.

He makes it sound like NY Pizza is the best in the World.

And they were the first !!!!!!

Chicago claims the same. Pizza's in Philly go, way, way back.

We all heard the true story .

I think it was Posted on the CF. Originated in Naples, Italy. The family brought it here.
I forget who, what, or why.

Everyone knows that Quote by Lincoln

I think it is dumb to argue who has the " Best Pizza "

It's all in the eyes of the beholder.

I've gone to Pizza Places with friends
(I still have a few),
Out of 5 people, 2 might think it is delicious, 2 think OK
and One will hate it. ?????

When they have mine, They all love it. LOL

Try everything or else you are boring.

Lou

I think Terri was at my house!!
Sunday night, Pampered Chef round stone, Pizza, par-baked then topped and finished baking.......

Yep!! That's what happened here too! Amazing!

Deanna

Eureka! I found my post on Pizzamaking.com for April 26, 2005 when I made the pizza posted. Who'da thunk it? This is NOT a recipe of my creation. I totally give all the credit to the great guys at Pizzamaking.com - Pete-zza, Varasano, pftaylor and all the rest.

Here is part of my post with the recipe:

This was for a single dough ball for a single large pizza, (I made two 12" pizzas with this dough) and maybe I found it on this forum (pizzamaking.com)? I made it in the food processor - heresy? or not? Anyway, it was a quick mix and the dough was so smooth and silky.

1 3/4 cup plus 2 1/2 TB bread flour
2/3 cup water
7/8 t. salt
1/5 t. IDY
1 TB sourdough starter (I have Carl Griffith's Oregon Trail culture)

I did use the pulse action to mix the dough in the food processor. Did not autolyse but put the mixed dough into an oiled bowl and into the fridge for a 24 hour ferment.

There is not a pronounced sourdough taste - only 1 TB starter remember. But the dough was not tough and had a good flavor and snap to it. It was also very easy to work with and stretched well. Not too dry and not too wet, some small blisters on the edge when stretching it out.

After stretching the dough, I brushed the crust with olive oil, added some very thin slices of provolone, then a little sauce, cooked Italian sausage, thin pepperoni, thin sliced onions, and cubes of Poly O Mozzarella.

This pizza was baked at 475 degrees on tiles set in the upper third of the oven. This was an experiment, usually I bake my pizza on the lowest rack with the oven set at 500. I make my pies about 12" wide. This pie and a second one took about 6 minutes to bake each. There wasn't any bottom charring.

Note: At only 1 TB sourdough starter, I think you could leave out this ingredient if you don't have any sourdough starter on hand.

Recently (2008 and '09) I have started baking my pizza's on my stone set on the middle rack instead of the lowest rack in the oven. Brushing the crust rim with olive oil not only imparts the flavor of the oil, but helps achieve that nice browning on the crust. And I remarked that the crust was easy to stretch by hand. I hate to fight a pizza crust that wants to shrink back when you are shaping it. To avoid that, let the dough have a good long rest before you shape it!

If you've never tried provolone cheese on pizza, please do yourself a favor and add some to your next homemade pizza. I think provolone has a great deal more flavor than mozzarella. The whole milk mozz is what you want for those drippy strings of cheese!

Teresa

IDY = instant dried yeast, like the very fine SAF yeast or bread machine yeast.

Tresa:
I always used New York Provolone in the Pizzeria.
It is not Sharp and is Creamy, has a good taste.
And it didn't get like a piece of rubber when it cooled a little.
There are many Brands out there now.

I put this in a Post last year and got a lot of responses.
A lot of the CF members are using it now.
Lou

Lou, I couldn't agree with you more. Everyone has their "standard" of what they think the perfect pizza is. And if everyone is like me they have tried many different style pizzas before settling on the "perfect" one. Seems to me that there is room for everyone to have an opinion without anyone taking offense.

I'm sure that your pizza is wonderful. If I have insulted you, it certainly wasn't my intention.

Ann: I'm not insulted.
I do get upset when I go thru the time and effort to put recipes in the CF , only to see,
"and if you really want the Perfect Pizza follow,Canadave's
instructions on Pizza Making"
Maybe some of you have the time to do all this but I still like the easiest way ,
just as long as it is good.

I try to encourage people to try different ways to do things.

And I have put many Recipes into the CF to this effect.
But you won't have to worry about me anymore.

Teresa:
Your Pizza looks Great. If I said anything to offend you, I'm sorry.
I guess at times, I use the wrong choice of words.
Have fun Baking.
Lou XXXXXXX

Thank you Teresa for sharing. That pizza looks terrific and I think Ann's look to die for also! All I need is for the two of you to get on a plane and stay at my home for a few days and "train" me.

Very well said Ann and I also have tried many times at pizza but just have not gotten it the way that I would like. Lou we do all have different tastes. I think yours looks good too.

In all honesty, I need to sit down and really "read" and (and practice) to see what you have done Ann and what others have done. That Pizzamaking.com site plus here is an excellent starting point for me. I hope no one minds my asking lots of questions.:)

I agree with Lou.

No "perfect" pizza for anyone.

But for the stereotypic pizza that I think most Americans want (flat, thin crust; round shape), Ann T has the best method.

For the husky, thicker pizza that others like, I think Lou's look good (his remind me of "Chicago-style" pizza).

I'm a somewhere in-between kind of guy.

I like the "deep-dish" pizzas found at some of the better pizzerias. And those take a 1- to 2-inch deep pan to get a tall yet crispy crust. These are the ones that most remind me of the "Sicilian pizza" that my grandmother made -- sfingione (kind of a refined focaccia). She used a high-sided baking sheet. And since I haven't made one in a while, I keep going back to the dee-dish pizzerias. No cornmeal either -- just a good wipe of olive oil in the pan.

And why do I get the impression that Lou is going to vanish again?

Joe

Joe: Thanks, I just peeped in, before I go to watch the Fights, on TV

I make the Pizza's like that because,
they like the Thick end Crusts, that are Crispy and tender,with a thinner bottom
( sounds like a woman I know )
I eat Pizza's every which way anyway.
- - - - - - -

Why do you get that impression ???

Good Night !!! Uncle Lou

Lou, my paisano:

Because you said:

"But you won't have to worry about me anymore."

This forum needs your kind of crustiness.

Joe

Every Friday is pizza night at our house. I don't have a favorite recipe. What I use depends on the time I had that week. Sometimes I use the low yeast/long rise method (like Peter Reinhart's or Maggie Glazer's) or if I didn't have time I'll use the larger amt yeast/ short rise.

My kids and husband enjoy making their own pizzas, so instead of letting the dough raise in bulk, I roll the dough into 100 or 200 gram balls before the rise, and let them rise on a cookie sheet covered with saran wrap. This way everyone has their own dough to shape.

I place our pizza stone directly on the floor of the gas oven (the stone has little ridges on the bottom, which raise it off the floor a bit to allow for air circulation) and use a lightly floured peel to transfer the dough.

I can't have cheese, so I load my pizza with other toppings. The boys tend to go for the traditional mozzarella. It's amazing how much fun the kids have with this.

Here's a picture of my last cheese-less pizza.

{{gwi:1492686}}

Lou, don't go away. I have a question about your method. (Yes, it's a stupid question, too.)

How do you pinch with a fork? I'm not picturing it.

Sally

I think Lou is referring to puncturing the dough bubbles with fork tines if they come up while the crust is being pre-baked. This will help to keep the surface of the pizza crust flat and easier to spread with your sauce and toppings.

Lou, please correct me if I am wrong! I don't mean to put words in your mouth, just trying to be helpful to Sally.

Sally:
Someone told me there was a message for me on the CF,so I peeped in.
If you don't know , it's not a stupid Question.

Teresa answered it right. Thank's Teresa !!!
I do this even with the fresh Dough ,
that's ready to be made to a finished Pizza.

Pinch the dough thru ,into the pan

I'll put the Sauce on and put it in the oven and after a minute or so,
look in to see if there are any bubbles, if so I'll fork them.

When in the Pizza place I used a tool for this, when
prebaking the dough.
It's called a Docking tool. It is a roller with about
100 thin spikes sticking out.
When rolled over the dough, in the pan, it made tiny puntures thru the dough.
Now I use a fork.

SharonS:
Good Job !!! Nice to see everyone in your family, joining in on the Pizza Making.

Why don't you try one in a small lightly oiled pan.
Might have to bake it on a shelf off the bottom.
Let me know if there is a difference, if you do.
Thanks, LOU

Thanks, Lou. Sorry for the delay answering, I haven't had much time at the computer this week.

Your tip will be most helpful, as I've had trouble with pizza dough puffing up like a pillow while baking.

Sharon, what a neat idea for your family! How fun.

Sally

I make not a pizza but something which is a similar idea, although a little breadier below and without cheese. Called a 'coca', it can also be described as a Mallorcan pizza. It needs no special pan, other than an oblong oven tray or cookie sheet and no stone in the oven and is simple to make.

This is one version of the delicious cocas prepared on the Spanish Balearic Islands. They are sold in nearly every bakery and are often eaten out of hand while standing up in the bakery, as a breakfast on the way to work, or as an afternoon snack on the way home or after school. They are usually eaten at room temperature and make wonderful side dishes for a cold summer buffet, picnic or evening snack.

There are many variations of coca and in winter the peppers may be substituted by Swiss chard or spinach and without tomatoes. Here is one recipe which is also know as 'Coca de Trempó'. Often the red peppers are skinned and in strips, and accompanied on top of the coca by artichoke hearts, olives and anchovies. This would be called 'Coca Amb Pebres', where 'pebres' are the red peppers in the Mallorquin dialect.

Vegetable Tart - Coca de Verduras
(From the Island of Mallorca)

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 cups (500 grams) all purpose flour
1 oz (25 grams) fresh yeast or 1 pkg dry yeast
4 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup (2 oz or 50 grams) lard
3 medium Italian sweet green peppers or green bell peppers cut in small pieces
3 spring onions - cut in small pieces including all the stalk
3 ripe medium sized tomatoes- sliced finely
1 clove of garlic - sliced finely
1 handful of Italian flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 TBS of sweet red paprika
salt
water - 1 cup lukewarm

1) Turn on the oven and set temperature at 375 F (191 C)

2) Put the warm water in a mixing bowl (preferrable one of porcelain or terracotta) and dissolve the yeast in it.

3) Add the lard and the olive oil. Add the flour gradually, mixing in by hand until the mixture leaves the side of the bowl.

4) Form a ball and let it rest for a few minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

5) Chop and slice vegetables into a large bowl, add the paprika and some salt and mix all together.

6) Lightly oil either a round pan of about 13" diameter (32 Cm) or a rectangular pan 13" x 11" (32 Cm x 27 Cm) both with a depth of approx 1/2 inch (1 cm). A cookie sheet or oven tray would be ideal.

7) Place dough in centre and carefully stretch it out with palms of hands, patting to fit pan, keeping an even thickness. It should be thin.

8) Arrange vegetables evenly on top of the dough, drizzling at the same time with olive oil and salt.

9) Put coca into oven for about 1 hour or until crust is lightly golden and vegetables are cooked. After taking it out of the oven, drizzle a little more olive oil on top.

10) You can eat this hot or cold. In winter the vegetables may be swiss chard or spinach, substituting the peppers, but also used raw and finely chopped.

Source: translated from "Cocina Balear" Ana Maria Calera
Editorial Everest - Leon (España)

SharonCb

One more question. I will only make one pizza out of my Artisinal Pizza dough so if I want to freeze the other one do I freeze it in a ball, roll out and prebake or something else?
Thanks, jude

I would freeze the dough in a disk shape, wrap well with plastic wrap and then put in a freezer zip bag. I always recommend that anything being frozen gets double-wrapped to prevent drying out and the dreaded freezer burn.

Then, when ready to use, thaw in fridge a day or so, then let come up to room temp, shape, top, and bake.

Teresa

Sharon Cb:
That really looks Good and Different from the usual.
Did you see the piece I bit out of the other side.
You didn't say if you had to oil the Pan.
Great Photo's !!! One day I'll take the time to learn how to use my camera.
Sometimes I get good Photo's.
Not like your's. " Show off "

Jude 31: Teresa:
According to how thick you make the bottom Crust.
It can be prebaked and frozen.

I prebaked all my Pizza's,in my Shop, especially the Sicialian, because of the thickness.
Besides they bake faster, to make the finished Pizza.
That's a neccessity, when you have custumers coming at you 10 at a time.
I had about 100 in the freezer. And 100 in the Proof Cabinet rising in Pans.

It took a while to get it down pat.Everyone liked them because the top of the dough wasn't too gummy.
I've had Pizza's that taste like you are eating raw Dough.
No Way !!!!! Not for me !!!

If you have anymore problems, call the Cops, I'm outa here.
Lou