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I just made one of my best Pizza's ever, accidentally


Old Ironmaker

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Yep by accident. I buy my dough at Food Basics, Mollinaro brand, a very good store bought, I have been banned from making dough from scratch, the entire kitchen is white when I'm done. On Thursday I took one out of the freezer to let thaw and rise in an oiled metal bowl for Friday. Friday became Saturday then Sunday. It rose at least 4 times at room temp. I put the bowl in the fridge yesterday morning and forgot about it. This morning I'm thinking I best throw it out, I do not throw food out. So tonight I rolled it out and made a basic Pepperoni and Mushroom and used the cheap fake rubber Mottzarella so not to waste the good stuff.

 

I have been making Pizza's for the last 59 years. I remember helping my Nani at the Family restaurant in Buffalo before I was in Kindergarten. For whatever reason this was one of if not the best pies ever. You can tell a good Pizza by holding a slice straight out, if it sags not good. If it sticks straight out it is done right. The dough was perfect, moist but not that raw wet slime that you get from 4 for 1 Pizzeria. It was so good you didn't notice the fake cheese. Usually I raise a dough once, twice for Focaccia some times thrice. But never 4 times. It will be 4 times from now on.

 

There is only 1 slice left and I'm home alone tonight, come on over. I just had to share this victory.

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Ah buddy you have to make them at home. Get a pizza pan from a restaurant supply place. That is the key. It has perforations like expanded metal or holes in it, it has to season like cast iron and never let anyone scrub it clean, just soap and water. High heat, 480 for my gas oven works best. 17 to 19 minutes and done like dinner. Slides right off onto my giant 1" Ash cutting board from a tree we cut down years ago. Go for it, PM me and I'll talk you through it.

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I can't even go out for dinner anymore without getting heartburn or just feel like poo after. Too rich for me now and I'm full after an app and a beer. Dinner out now is A&W once every 6 weeks or so and it's about 100 bucks less for the 2 of us. Or a Big Mac when I am jammed up, works better than anything in the Drug store. And it kills me to pay crazy money for something we can make as good or better at home. I lie, we will hit a Chinese food restaurant every few months or so. We used to eat out at least 5 nights a week minimum when we lived in downtown Hamilton, that was a long time ago.

Edited by Old Ironmaker
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Slides right off onto my giant 1" Ash cutting board

 

Yeah I have to agree with that, a seasoned pizza pan works great; sometimes to good.

My wife and I put together a great looking pie. I was all but done and wanted to move it up to the top shelf of the oven, as to brown the cheese a bit with the broiler.

Wife pulls it out of the oven, sets it on the counter; so she can change the oven shelf.

Putting the pie back in, she accidentally tips the pan. The pizza slides off, does a flip and land topping side down on the oven door. LOL

It was still good, just an unconventional way of eating pizza from a bowl.

 

Dan.

Edited by DanD
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When I made the pies at home I just used the bread machine on dough cycle for the crust and veggies from the garden. The recipe used flat beer as the liquid, had the pans with the holes and the high heat in the gas oven. My step daughter still raves about my pies 10 years later. Haven't made a pie in a few years, the gardens are gone, our 2 pups own our backyard now , but I'm down to 185 from 245 a year ago. :mellow:

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Old Ironmaker this response should be in one of your past threads. I went on a hunting trip with a group of guys that I didn't know that well, but was invited. This was years ago. I jumped in to clean up the kitchen after dinner and proceeded to clean the cast iron pan....oops.....that didn't go over too well. LOL

Will have to try the new pizza procedure though. Thanks for sharing.

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If you think pizza tastes good coming off a good pan, try one baked on a stone. It's easily 100x better!! Put the stone in the oven before you turn it on, then pre-heat to 425 degrees. Take the stone out, sprinkle on a pinch or two of cornmeal, and lay on the dough. Paint the dough with olive oil, and bake for 5 - 6 minutes. Haul it back out, put on your toppings, then bake for an additional 10 - 11 minutes. Easy.

 

A proper pizza pan is a great investment. But once you try using a pizza stone, you'll never go back. They're about $20 at any kitchen supply store.

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We almost never eat out it would cost me a fortune!

 

And yes OI, homemade is better anyhow

 

I have a good pizza dough recipe. Don't remember where I came across it but it makes a great pizza! Only part I hate is the cleanup. I get flour everywhere lol

Like I said Rick I am banned from making home made dough, much better by far. The kitchen looks like a scene from Good Fellas cutting Coke.

 

 

Yeah I have to agree with that, a seasoned pizza pan works great; sometimes to good.

My wife and I put together a great looking pie. I was all but done and wanted to move it up to the top shelf of the oven, as to brown the cheese a bit with the broiler.

Wife pulls it out of the oven, sets it on the counter; so she can change the oven shelf.

Putting the pie back in, she accidentally tips the pan. The pizza slides off, does a flip and land topping side down on the oven door. LOL

It was still good, just an unconventional way of eating pizza from a bowl.

 

Dan.

The 5 minute rule. I would cry like a bambino. Just last week I had a crew of guys here helping me do a job and I drained the pasta and dummy me tried to balance the "Spaghetti go, water no" on the middle of the double sink and doesn't the thing fall with a few pounds of pasta into the other sink full of dirty dish water. Idioto! Guys had to wait another 20 minutes to manga.

 

 

When I made the pies at home I just used the bread machine on dough cycle for the crust and veggies from the garden. The recipe used flat beer as the liquid, had the pans with the holes and the high heat in the gas oven. My step daughter still raves about my pies 10 years later. Haven't made a pie in a few years, the gardens are gone, our 2 pups own our backyard now , but I'm down to 185 from 245 a year ago. :mellow:

I guess the beer's yeast would help the dough. 65 pounds in a year, wow, good on you if you were trying to slim down. It sure must help the old joints eh Dave?

 

 

Old Ironmaker this response should be in one of your past threads. I went on a hunting trip with a group of guys that I didn't know that well, but was invited. This was years ago. I jumped in to clean up the kitchen after dinner and proceeded to clean the cast iron pan....oops.....that didn't go over too well. LOL

Will have to try the new pizza procedure though. Thanks for sharing.

Wow, that happened to one of the boys on a ice trip at Nipp years ago. He had never done a dish, pot or pan in his life and was ordered to do the dishes. An hour later "Where's Janko?" He was scrubbing the cast iron pan with a what was full box of steel wool. I know the cottage owners were non too happy.

 

 

Yep, major no no to clean cast.

 

Heck I don't even throw away the oil for quite some time. Pan fries fish etc just get better and better with seasoned oil

 

 

Also, OI, it's blasphemy to make a pizza without sun-dried tomatoes, but I'm sure you know that lol

Actually Rick I don't use sun dried tomatoes. You might not even find one north of Rome.

 

 

If you think pizza tastes good coming off a good pan, try one baked on a stone. It's easily 100x better!! Put the stone in the oven before you turn it on, then pre-heat to 425 degrees. Take the stone out, sprinkle on a pinch or two of cornmeal, and lay on the dough. Paint the dough with olive oil, and bake for 5 - 6 minutes. Haul it back out, put on your toppings, then bake for an additional 10 - 11 minutes. Easy.

 

A proper pizza pan is a great investment. But once you try using a pizza stone, you'll never go back. They're about $20 at any kitchen supply store.

I have one somewhere around here and forgot all about it. Need to dig it out. Mine fits perfect in the BBQ but on the small side now that I recall. Thanks for the reminder Craig.

Edited by Old Ironmaker
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We always use our pizza stone in the oven and it's the way to go.........

 

We sometimes like to make a WHITE pizza and if we are near Sam's we buy one of there take and bake pizzas but we have it made with no sauce and just cheese on it.

 

Once home we remove the cheese and bag it, then rub seasoned EVOO on it and then add some of the cheese, cut tomatoes, hot pepper and sweet peppers from the garden and whatever else looks good that we have in the kitchen/garden like fresh basil and oregano . Sometimes even slice of pineapple which until you try it you would think NO WAY.

 

Another way to make a GREAT pizza for little cost is to use french bread cut length ways and add pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheese.......we did this alot when we first got married and couldn't afford to eat out. This was our Friday night meal in front of the TV way back in the day.

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I made another one the other day. Only raised twice and it was as good. Did something a bit different based on the stone oven Pizzas they bake in store at Fortino's on Upper Centennial Hamilton. Balsamica, formage, fungi  et chippolla rosa Pizza. Only Ketchinany or Big Ugly may know I can't spell or speak well in Italiano.

Pre heated gas oven to 480F

Rolled out dough, place on oil sprayed Pizza grate

Drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (EVO) spread with hand to edges

Sprinkled on dry Oregano

Laid on good soft Galbani Mottzarella Fresca (also Food Basic), $7.99 so 2 bucks more than the white rubber balls they sell

Reduce Balsamic Vinegar in sauce pan, about 1/2 cup reduced to 1/4 cup, don't do too early it will turn to tar

Sliced red onion rings and fresh mushrooms, (no canned stuff of which I do like sometimes,)

Red onion rings and mushrooms on Pizza and drizzled on reduced Balsamic,

In oven for 17 minutes then check,  then keep baking if crust edge is not a golden brown,

Take smoke detectors off ceiling, shake until silent,

Drizzle with EVO or if you want spicy drizzle on President's Choice Red Pepper Stir Fry Oil, (beware it's spicy, actually hot depending on how much) In a real deal Pizzeria they give you a basket full of different oils to drizzle on your Pizza. I usually make my own flavoured oils but am all out.  

Fight over last slice.

A tip, flour (if you don't have corn meal) counter top and roll out from the edges with floured rolling pin, never the centre or crust will be too thick and centre too thin. Toss in air on the back of your hands if you want to impress someone. 5 second rule applies unless guest sees it hit the pavement.

 

 

 

Edited by Old Ironmaker
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OI , I discovered Balsamic Vinegar about a year ago when looking for low cal options for veggies :thumbsup_anim:, they all get roasted in the oven now after a toss in Balsamic and Olive Oil and appropriate spices , will never boil a veg or fry a potato again. The stuff is awesome. Cookie sheet covered with a sheet of parchment, no mess clean up too.

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54 minutes ago, dave524 said:

OI , I discovered Balsamic Vinegar about a year ago when looking for low cal options for veggies :thumbsup_anim:, they all get roasted in the oven now after a toss in Balsamic and Olive Oil and appropriate spices , will never boil a veg or fry a potato again. The stuff is awesome. Cookie sheet covered with a sheet of parchment, no mess clean up too.

Agreed 100%. Baked veggies are a whole new level of awesome!

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2 hours ago, ch312 said:

BBQ pizza is our favorite and takes only a few minutes. 

 

Oil grill

Cook dough for 2 minutes

Flip

Quickly add sauce, cheese, toppings

Close lid and cook 2-3 minutes

Done

 

 

 

 

 

If ya like that try over a coal pit if ya can have a fire in your yard, or camping.

Unreal good

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There is nothing like using freah veggies from the garden for anything. I have a stir fry pan with holes in it for the BBQ to do fresh veg's in the BBQ, nothing better. Always add the Zucchini and Eggplant just before done. Veggies to us need to have a bite to them,

"Another way to make a GREAT pizza for little cost is to use french bread cut length ways and add pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheese.......we did this alot when we first got married and couldn't afford to eat out. This was our Friday night meal in front of the TV way back in the day."

Mr. G. you made homemade bruschetta bread.  My Mom did big Italian bread that way, just EVO, grated Parm, garlic, dry Basil Oregano and salt. Garlic bread I guess. Why the salt I don't know to this day. When Mom cooked you had to scrape the salt off sometimes. Some things she cooked was unbeatable, some things not so much. She would cook a beef roast for 2 hours, slice it up and put it back in the oven for 30 minutes. I had the real deal roast for the 1st time at the home of a High School girl friend. I asked "Mrs. Forde what are we eating?" they all looked at me like I had a few heads and her Mom said "Roast Beef" I said  "No way." and explained why.

My wife said yesterday if we have another Pizza and salad again for breakfast, lunch or supper she's going out for dinner, with a friend and I can stay home and get fat. I could eat pasta and or Pizza everyday of the week. I had an Uncle that has to eat pasta at least once a day, and it had to be homemade. At least Zia Anna didn't have to guess what to make.

Western over Acadia in the Uteck Bowl 74-0, at home, (Football). former Ti-Cat coach Greg Marshal shouldn't have run that score up, not impressed Greg.  Edit: Acadia just got a field goal, 74-3. Sad way for some Acadia kids to end a 5 year College Football career.

Edited by Old Ironmaker
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Lol my nonno Lucca is a pasta fanatic!

At least 2-3 times a day. Fresh too. His food is super simple (aside from all the pasta making) but it's sooooo good!

Ask him to make a pizza, I dare ya too lol.

No such thing to him. 

It's just a flat bread EVO provolone and tomatoe(and it's very good) but...

When I was 12-13 I went and stayed with him for about 3 months in Minnesota and I laughed the first morning he woke me up at 6am for pasta and wine lol. Then he sent me job hunting. I was allowed home for breakfast and lunch, that's it until supper. And I had to walk everywhere and he was on the outskirts of I falls lol. So those meals were amazing given I was walking 30+ I'm a day. 

Edited by manitoubass2
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21 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

 

Mr. G. you made homemade bruschetta bread.  My Mom did big Italian bread that way, just EVO, grated Parm, garlic, dry Basil Oregano and salt. Garlic bread I guess. Why the salt I don't know to this day. When Mom cooked you had to scrape the salt off sometimes. Some things she cooked was unbeatable, some things not so much. She would cook a beef roast for 2 hours, slice it up and put it back in the oven for 30 minutes. I had the real deal roast for the 1st time at the home of a High School girl friend. I asked "Mrs. Forde what are we eating?" they all looked at me like I had a few heads and her Mom said "Roast Beef" I said  "No way." and explained why.

 

OI, my mother would also cook the piss out of everything she made......she would cook a T-Bone steak past well done and then put butter on it because the meat was dry.........LOL

Now, we cook beef to 128 degrees and let it rest, then woof it down like no tomorrow......LOL.....God I love beef and B A C O N ! ! !

BTW did you ever make "Burn't Ends" from pork bellies........did it the first time in October........OMG is all I can say........

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