Steel Yourself: Pizza
So today was the day when I made my first foray into the world of pizza making!
I had planned to start out on the simple side, using pre-made dough, but when a certain-dog-who-shall-not-be named got me up on the wrong side of 6 am this morning I figured I make a batch of dough to use tomorrow; it’s currently sitting on the dining room table pumping out the CO2
the instructions said “cover tightly with plastic wrap for 12-18 hours” but that sucker is bulging like Vesuvius so I may have to do some venting later.
Anyhow, I went to the local Commie Store and bought some fresh dough and other needed sundries for the experimentation. I also got my few remaining hairs cut, which was rather exciting.
Upon house returning I moved the baking steel up to the second-from the top rack and got the oven going to 500º
ah, the Baking Steel! As y’all are well aware, it’s a 1/4″ solid steel armored plate, and as I always say: “If 1/4 inch plate is good enough for the Wehrmacht than by gum it’s good enough for Bingley!”
I figured I would make my own sauce as well, and my Dear Bride found a recipe that is all simplicity: simply place in your food processor a drained can of whole ‘maters with some salt and a dash of olive oil
Observant readers will note a black line well down the processor’s bowl. I discovered after making the sauce that the line bears the legend “max fill level for liquids.” Oops. We’ve had the processor for nearly 25 years (it was in fact a wedding present from Crusader) and I ain’t getting rid of it.
After cleaning up the very slight leakage I opened a bottle of wine that I really need to get Gregor drinking
another in what is a very welcome trend from US winemakers of producing yummy blends at reasonable prices: this is only $10 but be warned it is a very…thick, syrupy wine that quite happily only checks in at 13.5% or so, so it doesn’t throw you for a loop too quickly. If you like a full bodied fruity wine than I say do check it out.
Following tips I had gotten of the InterWebs I had split the Commie Dough into two portions and had placed each into a lightly oiled soup container
to come up to room temperature with the added benefit that the round container made the dough round when you dumped it out, which would help in achieving a vaguely roundish pie. I floured the counter and worked the dough over a bit and then transferred it to a lightly floured Norman Vincent
spooned and spread out 4 tablespoons more or less of sauce and added the chunks of fresh mozz and 4-5 fresh basil leaves ripped into big pieces
and then carefully slid it off of NV onto the steel in the exceedingly hot oven, let it cook for about 7 minutes and yum
I was very happy for a first attempt. It wasn’t as crispy as I would have liked; I let the next one go for a touch over 8 minutes (this time with some sausage on it)
and that was better but I still need to let it go a tad longer, and I also need to try and get the dough thinner but these are all errors/learning on my part. I have no complaints about the steel, as it does allow one to make really yummy bar pizzas at home for a fraction of what you’ll pay in a bar.
I have a feeling that by the end of tomorrow my Bride and I will be sick of pizza…
Swill Food and Grog | Mr. Bingley | 
May 10, 2014 4:05 pm
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Looks good! That steel plate works nicely (as a bonus, you have some impromptu individual ballistic armor).
Still … … … any pizza is better with bacon.
Oh I’m sure there will be bacon in my future!
I think it looks lovely.
Sick of pizza? COMMIE B*ST*RD!!!
Claude can take up some of your wimpy slack. Especially if bacon & pepperoni is involved.Just hold of the garlic & 0onions.
Get an oven thermometer. Make sure your oven is getting 500 degrees of heat.
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yeah, I’m thinking it’s not hot enough OG. I’ll bump it up now to 525
How much is that doggie in the background?
Oh and I agree with the oven thermometer idea. Your pizzas look great.