# Homemade Pizza suggestions



## Fisher1871 (Oct 12, 2016)

Friday nights are 'Pizza Party' nights. Easy for children. Not so easy on my wallet when ordering delivery. Frozen pizzas are an option, but I thought I would experiment with homemade personnel pizzas.

I bought some pre-made pizza dough and Bel Gioioso mozzarella from Kroger. Made my own sauce with san marziano tomatoes, garlic, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes. Sauce is not cooked or anything before hand.

Pre-heated our has oven as high as it will go. Not sure of the temp - I didn't place a thermometer. We don't have a pizza stone or baking stone, but I do have a cast iron griddle. Placed that in the oven as it pre-heated.

For the most part, the pizzas were edible. However, the bottom of every single one was very over done - black and just this side of being burnt/charred. However, the top was maybe a bit under cooked. This was surprising b/c I thought that real pizza ovens got to 800F+. No way my residential oven got that hot. The first pizza was in 6 mins, I backed off to 4 mins for subsequent pizzas.

A couple hypotheses:

Sauce has to much water, causing the top of the pizza to not cook well. Further strain the sauce prior to placing on pizza.
Raise the shelf/griddle to a higher shelf, closer to the top of the oven to reduce heat to the bottom of the pizza while get more reflected heat from the top of the oven.
Keep shelf/griddle in present location, but place a cast iron pan on shelf above the pizza to reflect heat & reduce cook time. (starting at 4 mins and reducing if needed).

Any other ideas?


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## Joeywhat (Apr 18, 2020)

It's probably the cast iron griddle. Either preheat it a little less or not at all and see how it turns out. It's really hot and really good at transferring that heat into whatever you're cooking. Definitely not suitable for super high oven Temps.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Yes, real pizza ovens to run at 7/800* and have a baking stone "floor" to place the pizza on.
First of all if I were you I'd ditch the CI griddle in favor of a minimum of a regular pizza pan, better yet get a pizza or baking stone. You can handle the pizza on a baking sheet to place it on the stone if using. 
Second, a is balancing cooking time against temperature to achieve doneness on both sides of the pie at the same time. Your griddle was far too hot and held the heat I'd say. 

Kudos on making your own sauce, keep working on it. Learn to make your own dough, a very rewarding endeavor and not at all difficult. Several threads here deal with that.


_Sauce has to much water, causing the top of the pizza to not cook well. Further strain the sauce prior to placing on pizza._
I'd say not the ultimate cause but will help.
_Raise the shelf/griddle to a higher shelf, closer to the top of the oven to reduce heat to the bottom of the pizza while get more reflected heat from the top of the oven._
If in the middle now leave it there. If not put it there.
_Keep shelf/griddle in present location, but place a cast iron pan on shelf above the pizza to reflect heat & reduce cook time. (starting at 4 mins and reducing if needed)._
Again ditch the cast iron and adjust temp and cooking time. Get an oven thermometer to help determine the oven temp.
I cook my pizzas at 500* on a pizza stone for 5 to 8 minutes. The top is done, cheese melted but not browned and the bottom is browned. Homemade dough. Meets my taste.


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## Fisher1871 (Oct 12, 2016)

Thank you for the reply.

I ordered a FibraMent D baking stone a few minutes ago.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Let us know how you're coming along on this. Pretty sure you'll enjoy it.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

I cook pizza @ 425 cause I build it on parchment paper and slide the whole mess in the oven. Stones require a peel and a place to store it.

You might want to cruise over to a thread named Two Knots for some pizza planning and drooling.

I suggest you learn to make your own dough, no mixer needed.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Yeah the parchment paper will burn above that temp. You don't necessarily need a peel to use a stone. I don't have a peel. I make my dough then form it by stretching and attempting to toss it.  I'm getting better at that. It's all stretching. I place the dough on a pizza pan or baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal. That will make it possible to slide the dough onto the stone and cook without sticking. I do the same thing with bread loaves that aren't cooked in a loaf pan. When done I take a spatula and lift the closest edge and slide my pan/sheet under it. Works great. I do intend to get a peel some day.
Yes cruise over to the Two Knots thread. She makes lots of pizzas. She has her way I have my way and looks like Colbyt has a yet different way. Doesn't matter how you do it. The end result is the main thing. Also if you learn to make your dough and the kids are old enough think about getting them involved in the process, maybe kneading the dough to start. Ultimately you'll be teaching them to feed themselves.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I use a pizza pan from Amazon. It is a round metal baking sheet with holes all over it. We used to have a stone but the pan works better at 400 degrees.


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## oggy bleacher (May 3, 2011)

.

Ive used a huge cast iron skillet with mixed results with fresh dough. It was like pan pizza at best and too doughy at worst. I did preheat the skillet but it was like 18inches diameter. Temp was around 400. 4 minute cook time seems awfully hot. Maybe that is why it burned. Or maybe your oven heats from below and does not circulate. Is the skillet seasoned and oiled? All pizza methods require trial and error.

Lately, Ive been using phyllo dough sheets . 6 layers of mozzarella or a blend on each sheet with garlic sauted in lots of butter. Every inch of the dough sheet should be brushed with butter and some cheese between each sheet. Top last sheet with a hint of sauce and toppings. 7 minutes at 400. It comes out lighter than dough...easier to digest. Kids might think they are being cheated but it probably has more calories than a gallon of milk


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Did you cook your sauce beforehand? I cook my pizzas mostly at 425* in the middle
of the oven. I often cook them for about 10 minutes, then take them out and put
the mozzarella on then put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes. This keeps the cheese from drying out. 
Do you have a Food Processor? you can make a 40 second pizza dough in a food processor it’s very easy and fool proof. Look on the Two Knots thread to see how 
the FP dough is made.


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## Fisher1871 (Oct 12, 2016)

Nope - I do not cook the sauce beforehand. I do plan on trying to make dough in the future and read up on your 40 sec recipe. Looks great!

Oggy has a good point. My stove does heat from the bottom. It's crappy generic gas stove that has seriously pissed me off many times. I guess I'll put another mark in that column as I very much doubt it circulates well. If I put a pan on the back right burner on top of the range when using the oven, the pan will get hot enough to cook in.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Fisher1871 said:


> Sauce has to much water, causing the top of the pizza to not cook well. Further strain the sauce prior to placing on pizza.


Better to cook the sauce down rather than straining out liquid. Retains more flavor.


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Fisher1871 said:


> Oggy has a good point. My stove does heat from the bottom. It's crappy generic gas stove that has seriously pissed me off many times. I guess I'll put another mark in that column as I very much doubt it circulates well. If I put a pan on the back right burner on top of the range when using the oven, the pan will get hot enough to cook in.


I think that is not uncommon for non-convection ovens. I have a similar bottom burner gas oven and the even cooking problem is easily solved. Half way through the cooking time turn the dish 180*. I do that with all breads and rolls.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

There are a lot of things that might be causing your problem. I never cook my sauce but it it is thick because I make it from paste with lots of spices which absorb the some of the added water.

The biggest cause of raw dough is overloading the cheese and toppings. It's not just cost that keeps the pizzerias from piling them on too thick. The problem is more acute in a home oven

I use the same dough for thick, pan, or thin crusts only the hydration level and volume of the dough is different. For a quick meal and a really thin crust I often build on a 10" tortilla. This results in a crust similar to Pizza Hut's original thin or what Mod and Blaze serve now.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Fisher1871 said:


> Nope - I do not cook the sauce beforehand. I do plan on trying to make dough in the future and read up on your 40 sec recipe. Looks great!
> 
> Oggy has a good point. My stove does heat from the bottom. It's crappy generic gas stove that has seriously pissed me off many times. I guess I'll put another mark in that column as I very much doubt it circulates well. If I put a pan on the back right burner on top of the range when using the oven, the pan will get hot enough to cook in.


cook you sauce first, with garlic sautéed in olive oil...and your regular spices...You only need to simmer it for 15 to 20 minutes...
What do you mean, your gas stove doesn’t have a bottom burner - it cooks from the top?
Never heard of this...


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## oggy bleacher (May 3, 2011)

I think he means the oven exhaust area on the top back pours out so much heat he can cook without turning a burner on. My junky magic chef stove is like this. Heats the kitchen up as much as the oven.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Two Knots said:


> Do you have a Food Processor? you can make a 40 second pizza dough in a food processor it’s very easy and fool proof. Look on the Two Knots thread to see howthe FP dough is made.


But then you have a 15 minute cleaning job for the food processor. I have one and rarely use it due to having to clean it.



Fisher1871 said:


> Nope - I do not cook the sauce beforehand.


I always use marinara and it gets cooked first and is stored frozen for other dishes besides the occasional pizza.
A good sauce is important and cooking a basic mother sauce like marinara is the way to go. Sauces that are not cooked do not get cooked on the pizza. So make a big batch of marinara sauce and eat pasta and pizzas at will. Store the sauce in small containers size for your needs.

OP.......If the dough is an issue, most very good grocery stores like Publix makes pizza dough to sell. It is fantastic and very inexpensive. You can buy several and freeze what you don't need. Publix makes some very good pizza dough.
It is no shame to get help in the kitchen. Theres nothing wrong with cutting corners as long as the cutting results in a fantastic dish.
From sauce making to store bought pizza dough you can get a great product with very little effort. Try it and see.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

JV...I put the processor parts in the dish washer...I never wash it by hand.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Two Knots said:


> JV...I put the processor parts in the dish washer...I never wash it by hand.


We do not run the dishwasher more than a couple times a week. If I used the dishwasher I would not have the processor when I needed it.
I do not like to leave the processor dirty even for an hour.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

J. V. said:


> We do not run the dishwasher more than a couple times a week. If I used the dishwasher I would not have the processor when I needed it.
> I do not like to leave the processor dirty even for an hour.


Then you must not be cooking at home very much. It is 6 out 7 days here and sometimes twice in the same day.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Every day here too, unless we eat out or get takeout.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Colbyt said:


> Then you must not be cooking at home very much. It is 6 out 7 days here and sometimes twice in the same day.


 I cook every single day. Lunch and dinner. Granted lunch will most likely be on a paper plate. And we do not put pots and pans in the DW. My knives also do not go into the DW. 
Its just my wife and I. 
We have not eaten out since the virus. We have on occasion got take out. But we eat home most every single day.


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