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We make pizza on the grill outside. The dough goes directly on the grill, no parchment paper required. It takes a few minutes only and always comes out great. We make our own dough, and use gorgonzola, asiago and fontina cheeses (we don't like bland pizza). It comes out great every time and never sticks to the grill. Here's our recent creation:
Hi,
I made pizza tonight. I had purchased the Pillsbury dough from the grocery store earlier. I added the pizza sauce, olives, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni slices. The problem after preheating oven and putting it on the pizza sheet while baking at the required time, it was still soft/soggy in the crust and the bottom was also soft. I tried broiling afterwards, but it didn't really help. What is the best way to make a nice somewhat crunchy pizza? Thanks.
My husband makes the dough (from scratch) then bakes the dough to make the crust then puts the toppings on the crust and then bakes it again to melt the cheese and cook the toppings. So the crust actually goes in the oven (or on the grill) twice. His pizzas are the best ever and most of the time he cooks them outside on the grill instead of the oven but same rules apply. Hope that helps!
My husband makes the dough (from scratch) then bakes the dough to make the crust then puts the toppings on the crust and then bakes it again to melt the cheese and cook the toppings. So the crust actually goes in the oven (or on the grill) twice. His pizzas are the best ever and most of the time he cooks them outside on the grill instead of the oven but same rules apply. Hope that helps!
I agree with the double baking bit, however, don't forget to "dock" the raw dough the fist time (using a fork to puncture the dough at 1 inch intervals) to prevent air pockets from baking into the crust that 1st short baking.
I stopped using the corn meal on the pizza stone due to the burned flavor of the corn meal that gets attached to the bottom crust. The corn meal will scorch quite fast since it is usually so dry compared to the pizza crust.
Also, expect the pizza stone and your oven bottom to get some of the topping when you either put the pizza in or take it out. I discovered, and I am sure most here already know this, if you have a self-cleaning oven, I left my stone in the oven with one oven rack, and the stone came out almost new clean. They keep warning about not to clean a stone with soap and water; stone absorbs water and then cracks when the water turns to steam.
When you buy a peel, get a file and sharpen the leading edge of the peel, so you have the front like a woodworking chisel, one side flat and the bevel only on the top side. Lowers the angle of the peel to put the pizza on or off the stone. After sharpening the leading edge, wet down the top of the peel with water, to raise the fibers of the wood. Use automotive Wet/dry sand paper at about 300 or 400 grit to remove the wet wood fibers. You only have to do this once, and normally only for a new peel. Keep doing this (wetting the wood, then cutting off the wet wood stand up fibers with wet/dry sandpaper) until the surface is slick. Then work a few drops of mineral oil (AKA, in your drug store, on the shelf with the digestion laxatives is an oil you take by mouth which will not go rancid like corn cooking oil) until there is a very thin smooth oil surface. Allow to set for a few minutes, then wipe as dry as you can. Allow the wood peel to 'cure' for at least 2 weeks, longer is better.
But you all knew all of this anyway.
Phil
Last edited by philwithbeard; 03-24-2010 at 05:24 PM..
Reason: Only do this on once on a new peel!
I made pizza dough from a recipe in my Cuisinart book, put it on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, and made an awesome pizza, no problem with the crust.
Since I am new at this, I can't help with what might be causing your problem, but just wanted to wish you good luck in figuring it out. Home made pizza is really fun to make and delicious to eat!
I've never been able to understand why people MAKE pizza. I thought the whole point of eating pizza is that you can have someone make the food and bring it to your house!
I've never been able to understand why people MAKE pizza. I thought the whole point of eating pizza is that you can have someone make the food and bring it to your house!
Not always feasible for rural dwellers, large families or families on fixed incomes. It is way cheaper to make it at home and usually better after you get the hang of it.
I've never been able to understand why people MAKE pizza. I thought the whole point of eating pizza is that you can have someone make the food and bring it to your house!
Because once you have the basics down, one can go for the Chicago Style Pizza Casserole. That is a pizza made in a deep 9X13 pan, thick crust lines the pan, and the toppings fill the pan, with thick layer of cheese on top. A 4-1/2" by 4-1/2" slice will actually go a long way to fill up a teenage male's tummy. Add a salad and soft drink to top of the teenager.
Toppings for a pizza casserole, start with a lb package of Italian Sausage and about a lb of pepperoni, and a small tin of sliced (or diced) black olives. Add other items to your taste; sweated to translucent medium onion, garlic, green pepper, banana pepper, lightly crushed fresh fennel seeds, spices, and your favorite pizza sauce.
Obviously, if you don't have teenage males in your house, you have no need of making this. We're talking food for people with a very high calorie burn level here. This is not middle aged DINKs food.
We make pizza on the grill outside. The dough goes directly on the grill, no parchment paper required. It takes a few minutes only and always comes out great. We make our own dough, and use gorgonzola, asiago and fontina cheeses (we don't like bland pizza). It comes out great every time and never sticks to the grill. Here's our recent creation:
Can you share your dough recipe?
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