The perfect pizza crust!

[shoezoo]

For those of you who love a thin crust pizza i think I've found the perfect crust recipe. I know the recipe's been posted before but I think Todd English's Figs and olives pizza crust is the best. The first time I made it I think I overrolled it so it was very thin and crisp-not necessarily a bad thing. The second time I made it I didn't roll it quite as thin and I borrowed a coworkers pizza stone. It was perfect-thin , crisp on the bottom and just a little soft on top. Any new ideas for gourmet toppings. The only problem is now I'm lusting after pampered chef stoneware-I really want a pizza stone, bundt pan and bar pan. Does anyone have these and use them?

[Gracie]

I hosted 5 annual PC parties that would gross over $1500 each time so I have a lot of stoneware!! In general I love the stoneware for its easy cleanup, however storing a lot of it is an issue since you can't stack like pieces.

I had 3 pizza stones and am now down to 2 (one broke and my warranty was up). I use them constantly for pizza. I preheat them despite the PC consultants saying that you don't have to. I found that not preheating them makes for a limp (not soggy) crust.

I have the bar pan and use that for things like roasted new potatoes or roasted veggies.

I have the bundt pan but find that you really have to spray it super well so that all the cake comes out of all the crevices.

Loren

[Sarah]

I love my bundt pan. I now make a lot of cakes that use it to justify the purchase :D It's the perfect size for the CL sour cream pound cake. I don't have to spray it at all any more. I've never had a problem with anything sticking, except chocolate chips when I made the BC chocolate orange bundt.

I'm a huge stoneware lover. I have a broken bar pan that cracked in the oven and a replacement, the bundt, 2 loaf pans, and a pizza stone. I also picked up a couple of oval bakers at a really good price, but I think I'm going to save them to use as shower gifts. I don't know where I'd keep them.

I like the ease of cleanup, and find the 2 halves of the bar pan very convenient for fast reheating for 1. It also does a good job of keeping leftover pizza crisp on a reheat, which is nice.

[mom2garret]

I have two PC pizza stones (1 round, 1 square). I love them! DH doesn't like leftover takeout pizza, but when I started using the stone to reheat he couldn't believe the crisp dough. I also use mine for cookies and they are great all the time.
Jodi

[cangoss]

I have a pizza stone that I picked up for about $10 at HomeGoods or TJ Maxx. It works just fine. So there's no need for a baking stone to be a luxury item!

[jphilg]

I agree that the Figs recipe is the Perfect Pizza Crust of all time, and also agree that the 10 version from Marshalls is every bit as good as the PC pizza stone.

But I have long been a PC skeptic, so feel free to discount my opinion accordingly :p .

[cas]

I must be the only one whose pizza doesnt get crisp when using the stone. Everything else works great on it- heating up french fries, biscuits, etc but I still don't have good luck with the pizza. When I preheat it then I can't get the dough on it, does anyone else have these problems?

[jphilg]

cas, I build my pizza on a sheet of parchment, then move the pizza and parchment together onto my preheated stone. Works SO much better for me than messing around with all of that cornmeal, etc.....

[Jennifer22]

Somebody tell me where to find Todd English's pizza crust recipe!!! I have a dessert book of his (full of recipes I will NEVER make, but that all look fabulous!). I'm making pizza for supper tonight, and am using a 'Cuisine at Home' Neopolitan crust recipe that is super easy, but has long rising times. I'll let you know how it turns out.
I have a different prob with my crusts. I have a hard time getting them to roll out into non-blob shapes. They taste fine and the crust quality is not an issue, but has anyone else ever had this problem?? What did you do to fix??

Thx in advance...

[VegasDramaQueen]

CAS: The stone should be preheated to 450 degrees for at least 15 min. after reaching that temp. If you put your pizza on a peel sprinkled with corn meal, the pizza will just slide right off the peel onto the stone. The stone of course should be on the lowest rack in your oven. The pizza will come off the stone just as easily when it's baked. Maybe you don't heat the stone enough or you're not using corn meal to keep it from sticking onto the peel or whatever you're using to slide the pizza onto the stone. Your crust will come out very crispy. BTW - if hubbyy calls an says he's bringing pizza home, put your stone in the oven and heat it up then slide the pizza onto the stone for about 5 minutes. Wow. what a difference, it crisps the crust and the pepperoni.

[donleyk]

I must be the only one whose pizza doesnt get crisp when using the stone.

I also preheat to 450F. And I do this before I make the crust. My recipe (EW's whole wheat) calls for a 20 minute rest so it works well for me. I also roll my crust on my Silpat and it all goes on the stone. I like my toppings crispy also so I think this helps.

[Gracie]

Donleyk, I never would have thought of putting my silpat on a stone. Does the crust come out crispy (or at least hold up to the toppings?

Loren

[bobmark226]

Originally posted by Jennifer22
Somebody tell me where to find Todd English's pizza crust recipe!!!

Here you go!

Bob

**************


Figs Pizza Dough


With a little bit of time and effort, Figs pizza dough can easily be mastered However, if you don't have the time or are intimidated by working with yeast, call your local pizza place and see if they'll sell you some of their dough. In some areas you can buy refrigerated dough (not the kind in a tube); this would also work well. If you use a heavy, bready, prebaked, vacuum-packed pizza crust, it just won't be the same.
Our dough is far wetter than you'd ever believe; it makes a light, crisp crust It may take you a few tries before you get it right. Be patient and err on the side of underworking the dough; if you overwork it, the crust will be tough and dry.
This recipe makes four rounds of pizza, though the topping recipes make two pizzas. We figure that this way you only have to make the dough every other time. Simply wrap the remaining two balls of dough in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two weeks

Makes four 8- to 10-inch pizzas
(Serves 1 to 2 people per pizza)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus additional for rolling
2 teaspoons (1/4 ounce) fresh yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 2/3 cups lukewarm water


Instructions:

• Place the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour; yeast, salt, and sugar in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. While the mixer is running, gradually add the oil and water. Knead on low speed until the dough is firm and smooth, about 10 minutes.

• Divide the dough into four balls, about 7 1/2 ounces each. Line two cookie
sheets with parchment paper. Place two balls on a sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let them rise in a warm spot until they have doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

• To roll out the dough: Dab your fingers in flour and then place 1 ball on a generously floured work surface and press down in the center with the tips of your fingers, spreading the dough with your hand. When the dough has doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin and roll out until it is very thin, like flatbread. The outer border should be a little thicker than the inner circle. Pick the dough up with a spatula or the back of a knife, allowing it to fold up almost like an umbrella and transfer it to a paddle. Do not worry that the pizza is not round, you are looking for; an 8- to 10-inch shape, a cross between an oval and a rectangle. If you get a hole; simply pinch the edges back together. Repeat with the remaining balls and proceed; with any of the following recipes.


ToddEnglish.com

[donleyk]

Originally posted by Gracie
Donleyk, I never would have thought of putting my silpat on a stone. Does the crust come out crispy (or at least hold up to the toppings?

Loren

Yes. It's the best I've come up with. I can't seem to get my pizza on the stone any other way.

[shoezoo]

I rolled my pizza dough on the counter and then transfered it to my borrowed preheated stone. I didn't use any cornmeal and didn't have trouble putting it on or off. I didn't top it until I put it on the stone though. Now does anybody have any topping ideas??
I've made several types: asparagus with mushroom sauce, chicken and asparagus, greek salad pizza, bbq chicken, traditional with pepperoni, onions, etc.

[donleyk]

You know, that is a good point. Maybe I will start doing that, top the pizza when it is already on the preheated stone. Seems like it would just give it more time to crisp up. Thanks.

[JHaris]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bobmark226
[B]

Here you go!

Bob
**************
Figs Pizza Dough

Thanks so much for the recipe. I was looking at frozen pizzas yesterday in the supermarket and decided that it was time to start making my own pizza dough.....without all the preservatives....and was thinking where I could find a good recipe.

Love the BB...someone always comes up with a solution to ones question.

[Sheila in MD]

Originally posted by bobmark226
Figs Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
1/4 cup whole wheat flour


Anyone know if you can use whole wheat pastry flour...that is the only kind I usually have (Bob's Red Mill or something like that...love it!)

Thanks!

Sheila in MD

[jphilg]

Sheila, that should be fine, especially since it is just 1/4 cup. I've made this with all-white, as well, when I discovered something not right in my wheat flour, and it was just as good.

[cas]

Thanks for the pizza crust advice, I will preheat my stone next time and see if that does the trick.

[gperls]

Originally posted by donleyk


Yes. It's the best I've come up with. I can't seem to get my pizza on the stone any other way.

I use a sheet of parchment paper to help me slide the raw pizza dough from the peel to the stone. It's another way of doing it. I don't like the cornmeal method, cause it makes a mess in the oven.