Conference turris::cooks

What I've found to be better than mixes or homemade dough is to 
find a little Italian pizza place and ask them if they would sell their
dough to you. Usually they charge a little over $1.00 for a large (1 1b.) dough.
They usually make it fresh everyday so if you're not going to use it that day,
I would suggest freezing it - it works well for me!  

I came up with this after some experimentation with the orginal recipe.

I'm still experimenting with it, because it is not raising enough, but
here what I got so far.


This makes two 9'' dia. pizzas, or one cookie sheet size thick pizza.

I use a food processor to mix the dough, it much faster.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups each white all purpose, and wheat flour.
With the flour mix, add 1/2 tsp. of salt, and 2 Tsp. of lard or butter 
(room temp. cut into small bits).

Mix together the flour, salt, and butter.  Add to that a 1/4 cup of 
fairly warm water mixture of 1 1/2 packets of yeast and 1/2 tsp. sugur.
Mix well.

To that start working in 1 cup of milk.  When the dough is complete form
a ball.  Place the ball of dough into a plastic bag. Force all the air
out of the bag and tie the bag closed, leaving enough room for the dough
to raise.  Place in a warm room for around an hour.  At the point the
dough should be read to make into a pizza.


						- Rick -

p.s. 

I think it takes more yeast to make wheat flour raise then white flour.
If so you will have to try different amounts of yeast if you want all
wheat dough, or all white dough.

I have purchased frozen bread dough, let it thaw and rise and spread it
out on a pizza sheet.  It seems to work pretty well.  

While we're talking about pizza, does anybody have a recipe for Chicago
style THICKKKK pan pizza?  I had it in Chicago last summer.. you can't get
thick pan pizza like that around here.  It was a spinach pizza... boy was
it good.

Thanks!

RE:.2

That sounds like a good recipe...here are some additional hints:

	o add olive oil to the dough (about 1/4 cup)

	o allow the dough to rise more than once...the more it
	  rises, the lighter it will be 

	  (I usually start my dough in the morning, let it rise once, then	
	  put it in the fridge, and punch it down every few hours, then
	  I take it out about 1-2 hours before I'm going to cook 	  
	  it to let it rise again...of course, this works well if 	 
	  you're home to do all that...or if you prepare the dough the
	  night before). 



enjoy!

****andrea****

I have found that the bread dough sold at Purity Supreme and Heartland
is excellent for pizza. I usually buy 3 packages at a time, and freeze
it. The morning of the day I want to use it, I take it out and leave
it on the kitchen counter all day. It's just the way I want it when
I return in the evening. It makes the pizza dough so light and delicious,
my family is never tempted to going out for pizza at all.

                                         -- Karen

FOR A GOOD PIZZA DOUGH JUST USE THE FROZEN BREAD DOUGH.  DON'T LET IT RISE AS LONG AS CALLED FOR ON THE PACKAGE.  I USUALLY LET IT RISE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS
IN A WARM OVEN (140 DEGREES) FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.  JUST BE SURE YOU
BUTTER THE PAN AND THE DOUGH AND COVER WITH A DAMP CLOTH SO IT WON'T
DRY OUT.  IF ITS HARD TO SPREAD WAIT A WHILE LONGER UNTIL IT GETS
SOFTER.  FOR A QUICK PIZZA SOUCE I USE LEFTOVER HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI 
SAUCE WITH ANY TOPPINGS I HAVE AVAILABLE, ITS DELICIOUS AND QUICK.  GOOD
LUCK

SPEAKING OF CJICAGO PIZZA, I HAD READ RESPONSE # 3 (JTRAVERS) LAST
WEEK. LST NIGHT I WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME CLIIPINGS OF RECIPES THAT
I HAD CUT OUT OF MAGAZINES. LOW AND BEHOLD, I FOUND A RECIPE FOR:

			CHICAGO DEEP-DISH PIZZA

1 1-LB. LOAF FROZEN WHITE BREAD DOUGH,	1 tsp. dried oregano
        dough, thawed			  leaves, crushed
1 lb. ground beef			1 tsp. dried basil leaves,
1/4 cup chopped onion                     crushed
1 16-oz. can tomatoes                   1 tsp. fennel seed
1 6-oz. can tomato paste                2 6-oz. pkges. KRAFT Natural
1/3 cup (1 1/2-ozs.) KRAFT Grated         Low Moisture Part-Skim
    Parmesan Cheese                       Mozzarella Cheese Slices


	On lightly floured surface, let dough stand at room temperature
1 hr. Brown meat; drain. Add onion; cook until tender. Stir in
tomatoes, tomato paste, parmesan cheese and seasonings; simmer
15 minutes. Roll dough to 15 x 11-inch rectangle; press onto bottom
and 1-inch up sides of greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cover with half of
mozzarealla cheese and meat sauce; repeat layers. Bake at 425, for
20 minutes. Sprinkle with addional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Let stand 15 minutes before serving.             8 servings.

I don't know if this will match what you had in Chicago, but I
thought it might be worth a shot!

nt

As one who has made pizza dough from "scratch", and all the bother and
sticky hands that go with that mess - and has bought the frozen dough
re -3.-5.-6, i think its safe to say that frozen bread dough is by far
the quickest.  Lets face it, what really makes pizza tasty is not so much
the dough, but whats ON it.  Getting the right, spicy, tomatoe sause etc
it what you really want.  As for my e  personal preference - store bought
bread dough wins every time.

Rick

THE secret to baking a pizza is one of the oven stones available at many 
locations. You preheat the oven with the stone in it covered with corn 
meal. When it's up to temperature you put the pizza on the stone and the 
difference in the cruts will amaze you. 

You can also use the stone for several other things including bread, 
frozen appetizers,etc. It really crispens things up. We have 3 stones - 
one for each oven rack and they've easily repaid us for our investment.

Hints on buying a stone:

1. The round ones are a pain in the neck since they're normally too 
small and you have to aim pretty carefully while sliding the pizza onto 
them.

2. Filene's has a real nice one for $18-20 in the Boston area, that 
suggests that any "Federated" store in the US is likely to have one.

3. Colonial Garden Kitchens also carries them mail order out of New York.

4. Crate and Barrel also has them locally or via mail order.

5. A wooden paddle available at all the above is helpful!

Quick and easy pizza sauce

Ingredients:

1 small can tomato paste
2LB crushed tomatoes - "Parmalat Pomi Strained Crushed Fresh Tomatoes" 
that come in a 2lb 3oz milk carton type box or fresh tomatoes 
(strained and crushed) are best and cheapest, but canned will do. 
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
Basil, Oregano, Parsley
Dash of Cayenne Pepper and Tabasco
1 large or two small onions finely chopped
1 Bay leaf
1 whole carrot
1 Green and/or Red pepper - finely chopped.
Dash of sugar, salt, pepper
Dash of Olive Oil

Directions:
Cook onion and green or red pepper over moderately high heat in
Olive Oil until soft. Add all other ingredients and simmer for an hour 
then dispose of the carrot. 

Now for the question, how much of the herbs..... Well, it depends on 
what you use. If they're fresh (best case) be careful, if they're from a 
place you buy them by the ounce (second best case) keep them frozen and
be generous, if they're those little cans and jars (no taste) dump a TON
in. The goal is something that tastes a little like you put slightly too
much in after 45 minutes into the cooking time since the cheese will
tone it down alot. 

Don't expect the first addition of herbs to taste right and don't be
afraid to taste and add right up until the last 15 minutes. Always cook
for 15 minutes after the last addition or the herbs will be crunchy. 

Oh yes, I almost forgot this will make enough for 3 pizzas
if you invite friends they'll eat them all or don't tell them
and freeze the extra two.

Deep Dish pizza dough

Ingredients:

2 Pkgs dry yeast (1/2 oz)
1 tsp sugar
3.5-4 cu flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cu olive oil
1 cu yellow cornmeal

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Add sugar, 3 cups 
flour, salt, oil and cornmeal. Mix well until thoroughly blended. Add 
more flour if necessary. Knead dough on floured surface for 10 minutes 
or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl, cover surface 
of dough with oil and cover bowl with damp towel. Let rise in warm place 
until doubled in bulk 1-1.5 hours. (note if you use new rapid rise type 
of yeast you should check in about 45 minutes). The dough is ready when 
you can push a finger into it to make a dent that stays.

Punch down dough, stretch to fit a 14 inch round pan with high sides. Be 
sure dough comes up at least 1 inch up on the sides of the pan. Let rest 
for 5 minutes the prick all over with a fork and bake in an oven 
preheated to 450 for 5 minutes.

Remove from oven cover with toppings, return to oven, reduce temperature 
to 400 degrees and bake 25-30 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese 
is bubbly.

I've not tried to make this on a stone as it's already crisp enough when 
I use the black steel deep dish pan I have. 

This is THE Pizza dough. It's from Bernard Clayton, Jr.'s "The Complete
Book of Pastry - Sweet and Savory" with minor adjustments.

Ingredients:

2 packages dry yeast
1.5 cu water
4 cu flour (approx)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cu olive oil (approx)

IF YOU HAVE A FOOD PROCESSOR:

Dissolve yeast, water and a dash of sugar in a small bowl and place in a 
warm place until foamy.

Place metal blade on the shaft and pour flour and salt into work bowl. 
turn on to mix.

Pour Olive Oil into measuring cup and have additional at hand.

Pour yeast (foam and all into bowl) and turn machine off and on until 
flour resembles coarse meal. Turn on machine and pour in oil (additional 
if needed) until ball travels on top of blades for 45 seconds.

Knead under hands on a flourd surface until smooth.

IF YOU DON'T:

Dissolve yeast, water and a dash of sugar in a small bowl and place in a 
warm place until foamy. Stir in 2 cups flour and salt. Beat with a 
wooden spoon or spatula until the flour has absorbed the water. Add 
olive oil and stir until water disappears into the mixture. Add  a cup of 
flour to make a solid mass that can be gathered in the fingers and 
lifted into a floured surface.

Knead under hands for about 6 minutes or until dough is smooth. If 
sticky add more flour.

EITHER WAY:

Place in a greased bowl and cover dough surface with olive oil. Put in a 
warm place until doubled in bulk which is about 1.5 hours for regular 
yeast and 45-60 minutes for "Rapid Rise" yeast.

Preheat oven, and pizza stone covered with corn meal to 475 degrees

Turn dough onto floured surface and knead a dozen times to expel the 
yeast gasses. 

Divide into 3 even pieces.

Roll dough into a 10 inch disk and pinch the edge into a crust.

Cover with sauce and toppings then drizzle on Olive Oil and bake.

HOW LONG TO BAKE:

To freeze, bake 10 minutes, cool and freeze. Then cook frozen in a 475
degree oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling. 

It eat cook 20-30 minutes until bubbling.

	Pepperoni! I love it!!


	Everybody has their favorite recepie for a good tomatoe sauce.
Try putting a little pepperoni in the sauce while it's cooking. You can
cut a piece off, throw it in the sauce while cooking and remove it before
serving. If you cook the sauce for a few hours, you can cut up the pepperoni
into small pieces and there will be no need to remove it before serving.

	My favorite way to have pepperoni on pizza is to grind it in a
food processor. I use the steel blade until it's ground then spread it
on the pizza. This way you get peppreroni in every bite.

Linda

    PIZZA FINATIC!!!!!! TELL YA WHAT I'VE TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
    GET YOU THE MARTHA WHITE PIZZA MIX.COMES IN A PACKAGE.AND YOU DON'T
    HAVE TO WAIT 20 MINS......IT'S GREAT!!
                              TGREENE
    

    I don't know if it is available everywhere, but Pillsbury now has
    a pizza dough that is already made up, rolled up, and in one of
    those cans like their biscuits come in.  I think it's called "All
    Ready Pizza Crust".  We tried it about two weeks ago, and it really
    tastes great!  All you do is pop the can, unroll the dough on the
    baking sheet, put your toppings on, and bake it.  No waiting, and
    it tastes better than any box dough I've ever had.
    
    Sharon

I use the frozen bread dough from the grocery store.  After it's risen, fire 
up your oven, then put some oil on your hands and start pressing the dough out 
onto a cookie sheet to your desired thickness.  Put a layer of thinly sliced 
sharp provolone cheese directly on the crust before adding sauce, as it adds 
flavor, and prevents a soggy crust.

For a quick sauce, I use Preggo marinara with extra oregano and garlic, and 
cook it down till it thickens a bit.

Also, since I like pizza with too much of everything, I found that cooking 
the veggies/pepperoni/sausage for a short time (in the microwave or whatever) 
reduces the amount of water and oil that is produced during cooking.


re: .3

Where is "around here"?  Middletown, Ct.  has lots of good thick crust pizza 
places.

						     
							- JP

                          CHEF GEOFF'S FAMOUS PIZZA
    
    DOUGH                                   SAUCE
    
    3 CUPS FLOUR                            8oz CAN TOMATO PASTE
    1Tbs DRY ACTIVE YEAST                   12oz CAN TOMATO SAUCE
    1.25 CUPS LUKE WARM WATER               2-3 CUPS WATER
    2Tbs OLIVE OIL                          1/8 CUP OLIVE OIL
    A DASH OF SALT(MAYBE 2)                 2Tbs SUGAR
    FRESH GROUND PEPPER                     3tsp SALT
    A PINCH OF BROWN SUGAR                  FRESH GROUND PEPPER
    1/8-1/4 CUP OF BEER, ALE, ORANGE SODA   BASIL
                                            OREGENO
                                            PARSLEY
                                            GARLIC POWDER
                              DOUGH
    
    First, dissolve the sugar and the water(if the water is too hot it
    will kill the yeast. Too cold and it won't activate it) in a mixing
    bowl(Food processor works well) and stir in the yeast and let the
    mixture sit until it starts to bubble(approx. 2 minutes). After the
    mixture bubbles add the oil, salt, beer, and enough pepper to cover
    the surface of the mixture. Next stir the mixture and add the flour
    gradually making sure it all gets mixed. Add flour until mixture
    is stiff, but not so dry that it breaks apart(you might not need
    all three cups of flour, though when using a food processor it usually
    takes more flour). Cut the dough into 10oz chunks and fold them
    into themselves to remove air bubbles. As you fold them they should
    turn into small dome shape objects. Place these domes onto cookie
    sheets and allow them to rise covered. Approx. 1 hour at room temp
    or most of the day refrigerated. Once they have risen press them
    down into circles, making sure you remove all air bubbles. Then
    spin them or roll them into desired size pizza shells, cover with
    sauce, cheese, and other desired toppings and cook for 12-15 minutes
    at 475 degrees.
    
                                  SAUCE
    
    Mix the liquid ingredients excepting the water in a large bowl.
    Next add sugar, salt, and pepper and stir. After this add the other
    spices. Except for the garlic powder, you should use enough of each
    spice to form a thin covering on the surface of the sauce. With the
    garlic powder one should use their own good judgement. When all
    these ingredients are mixed water should be added until the sauce
    is the desired consistency. the thicker the sauce the less soggy
    the crust.
    
                                 CHEESE
    
    A good mixture of cheeses is very important for good pizza. I like
    to use four parts mozerella, two parts extra sharp cheddar, 1/2
    part fresh parmigiana, and one part provolone.
    
                                 HINTS
    
    For a ten inch diameter pizza you should use approx. a six oz. ladle
    of sauce and 1 maybe 2 handfuls of cheese.
    
    If you want to make this whole wheat pizza use 2 cups ww flour and
    1 cup white flour. all ww flour will make your dough impossible
    to work with.
    
    
    P.S.  Please look for my new cookbook "CHEF GEOFF, THE MIDNIGHT
    CHEF". Hopefully to be in stores within 18 months.
    
                                                    Thanks
    
                                                    Geoffrey H. Keller
    
    
         

	re: .-1

	Geoff...beer, ale, or ORANGE SODA?  Really?  I'm gonna hafta try
	that one!

	re: .*

	Now that you have a (several) pizza doughs, nd you've let them 
	rise, and then rolled or patted them out, next try spreading some
	of the following ingredients over the dough, roll them up. and 
	pinch the seam closed.  Bake as you would a free form loaf of 
	bread about 20-25 minutes till crispy and golden on the outside.
	(The crust will be much harder than regular bread.)

	Spinach bread:
		1 pkg frozen spinach, squeezed and minced 
		.5 cup Sliced black olives
		.5 cup julienned pepperoni
		.5 cup grated parmesean(sp?) cheese

	Sausage & cheese bread:
		.5 lb hot Italian sausage cooked, drained, and minced
		enough sliced provolone to cover the sausage (leave
		 a border to seal the loaf)

	These should be sliced and served warm for great party food.
	Just about any filling ingredients can be used, but get the
	excess water/oil out of them first, or else the inner layers 
	of bread stay gooey.

						     
							- JP

    re:-1
    
    JP.
    
     The orange soda was the way I originally learned tho make pizza
    dough at the Mailcoach Restaurant In Acton. The beer, or ale was
    my own concoction because I hardly ever have soda at home and beer
    is always on hand.
    
    Thanks for those variations they look delicious. The 'Rolled Pizza'
    (strombolis) I usually make have Sausage, green peppers, ham and
    onions. Another good one is bacon, chives, and mushrooms(sauteed).
    
                                                           Geoff
    

    (Re 72.18)
    All right, Captain Fejj, I know that's you. Your omnipresence
    is quite disconcerting, showing up in all the conferences I
    read.
    Anyway, I'm just a little confused by your excellent sounding
    pizza recipe. First, does that dough need to get kneaded at all
    before it rises? I'd sort of expect to, but you don't explicitly
    say so. Also does each of those little domes become one pizza?
    How big is each one in that case, and how many of them does it
    make?  Finally is it okay to use fresh garlic? I always feel
    garlic powder tastes like garlic powder and not a lot like garlic.

    ...Robert

    
    re .22 the garlick question.
    
    Garlic POWDER has seval uses.....not of which is for COOKING.
    
    FRESH ONLY
    

    Yes fresh garlic is definitely preferable.
    
    The dough is kneeded when you roll the individual portions. Then
    when you press out the rounds this is kind of kneeding. Yes each
    round is one pizza they usually come out about 10" in diameter though
    they can be bigger or smaller depending on how thick you like your
    crust. Feel free to ask any other questions.
    
    						Geoff

This note contains a directory, as of very early 2/20/88, of selected
notes with the keyword, PIZZA.  In a moment, reply 994.8 will be moved 
to 72.26 and deleted from the oven stone topic set.

In some cases, titles have been added here to replies without titles.


Base notes with the keyword, PIZZA:
-----------------------------------

    72  SUMMIT::GUNNERSON     6-FEB-1985    24  PIZZA
   244   FROST::WALZ          7-APR-1986     4  Whole Wheat Pizza Dough?
   994     RGB::JIM          14-FEB-1988    10  Oven stones; for pizza and bread.

Notes and replies with the keyword, PIZZA:
------------------------------------------

    72  SUMMIT::GUNNERSON     6-FEB-1985    24  PIZZA
         PIXEL::OREAR         7-FEB-1985   72.1  [buy pizza dough]
         TONTO::JONES         8-FEB-1985   72.2  [whole wheat pizza dough]
        USMRW1::JTRAVERS     11-FEB-1985   72.3  [frozen dough]
        PNEUMA::MASON        12-FEB-1985   72.4  [extension of 72.2]
         HARDY::ROSENBERG    12-FEB-1985   72.5  [store dough]
        NISYSE::PSTACY       14-FEB-1985   72.6  [frozen dough]
        USMRW1::TOURIGNY     22-FEB-1985   72.7  [Chicago Deep Dish Pizza]
         HARRY::MEDVECKY     15-MAR-1985   72.8  [toppings]
        NERSW8::ENDRY         2-MAY-1985   72.9  [oven stones]
        NERSW8::ENDRY         2-MAY-1985   72.10  [quick and easy sauce]
        NERSW8::ENDRY         2-MAY-1985   72.11  [extension of 72.10]
        NERSW8::ENDRY         2-MAY-1985   72.12  [deep dish cornmeal dough]
        NERSW8::ENDRY         2-MAY-1985   72.13  [Bernard Clayton's dough]
        ASYLUM::PERRON        4-SEP-1985   72.14  [add pepperoni]
          OASS::TGREENE       6-NOV-1986   72.15  YUMMY CRUST(NO WAITING)
        GENRAL::WHALEY        7-NOV-1986   72.16  We're Talking EASY Here
        PARSEC::PESENTI      17-NOV-1986   72.17  [using frozen dough]
         SALES::RFI86        18-DEC-1986   72.18  The worlds best pizza
        PARSEC::PESENTI      18-DEC-1986   72.19  Rolled Pizza
         SALES::RFI86        19-DEC-1986   72.20  more variations on rolled pizza
         CSC32::KACHELMYER   12-SEP-1987   72.21  What's in Bertucci's pizza sauce?
        ZWODEV::NOBLE        11-DEC-1987   72.22  [questions re 72.18]
         DARTS::WIERSUM      11-DEC-1987   72.23  The bottled kind is OK in a pinch
         SALES::RFI86        11-DEC-1987   72.24  Always fresh if available
   244   FROST::WALZ          7-APR-1986     4  Whole Wheat Pizza Dough?
         KATIE::RICHARDSON    8-APR-1986  244.1  [recipe for whole wheat]
         FROST::WALZ         14-APR-1986  244.2  Thanks...
        PNEUMA::MASON        16-MAY-1986  244.3  add oil
         GRECO::ANDERSON      9-OCT-1986  368.4  Garlic Pizza..Yum!
        AKOV75::BROWN        17-FEB-1987  520.2  How's this?
        RHODES::WARD          3-MAR-1987  520.7  FILLINGS RECIPES
        RHODES::WARD          6-MAR-1987  520.10  Basic dough + herb dough
        RHODES::WARD          6-MAR-1987  520.11  The rest of the dough
   994     RGB::JIM          14-FEB-1988    10  Oven stones; for pizza and bread.
          STAR::APPELLOF     16-FEB-1988  994.7  Pizza ideas
        TIGEMS::RYDER        17-FEB-1988  994.8  Pizza [building] party

This note has been moved here from Note 994.8 where it had been entered 
as part of a discussion on oven stones.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Home-made pizza is a favorite in my house with at least three advantages 
over commercial pizza:

    The [spiced] crust tastes much better than a commercial crust.

    Building the pizza is a social activity, a *family* affair.

    And perhaps least, the topping quality and taste are controlled.

Although pizza-from-scratch does take an hour of advanced planning, that 
is not much longer than buying a commercial pizza for us --- we live 
seven miles from a shop.    Pizza-from-scratch directions follow.


Pizza-from-scratch      (for 2 to 3 pizze, 12 inches in diameter)

Put the following into a warm 2 qt bowl and mix them with a spoon.

	3	cups of flour (I use bread flour.)
	1	package	yeast (Rapidrise or ordinary)
	1	teaspoon of salt
	1	tablespoon of ground black pepper (optional)
	1/2	tablespoon of dill weed or more (also optional)

Add	1 1/2	cup of hot water and mix well.

Add	2	tablespoons of oil (preferably olive oil) and mix well.

Mix in enough additional flour (a few tablespoons at a time) to make a 
soft dough barely able to keep its shape.  Knead it in the bowl or on a 
clean table for a few minutes.  Clean and grease the bowl, return the 
dough to the bowl, cover it with a plastic wrap, and let the dough rise 
in a warm room for an hour or more.  

The following directions are a reflection of my practice using a bake 
stone.  If you don't have one, then build the pizza on a greased cookie 
sheet and bake at a more conventional 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Put a large bakestone in the middle of the oven and preheat to 550.  
Yup,    very, very hot.

Sprinkle a dense layer of cornmeal on a peel (or piece of stiff 
cardboard or a cookie sheet without a lip on at least one side).

Tear off a third of the dough, flatten to express all bubbles, and shape 
into a disk a few inches across.  Oil your hands including the back of 
your hands (finger tips will penetrate the delicate dough).  Drape the 
disk over the back of a hand and start enlarging it with care.  Expect 
early trials to be less than perfect, but try to avoid any punctures.  
When it is about the right size, flop it onto the peel.  Patch any holes.  
The center area should be extremely thin, almost transparent in spots.  

Pinch up the margin to make a sauce retention ridge.

Share the fun; invite someone else to build the sauce/topping, provided 
it doesn't exceed fifteen ingredients and three inches in thickness.  A 
combination of Mozzarella plus Cheddar plus Romano or Provalone will 
probably taste better than a straight Mozzarella.  Go wild.

Slide/quiver/levitate the pizza onto the bakestone.  The cornmeal helps.
Bake at 500 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes (in a convection oven; probably 
ten minutes conventionally; check the crust bottom after the edge is 
browned).  Meanwhile, build the next pizza.  

Pull the completed pizza onto a cookie sheet for cutting and serving; 
it can be handled without tools when it is whole.

    Courtesy of Food & Wine Magazine, June 1988
    
    2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    4 Medium Onions, thinly sliced
    2 Large garlic coves, thinly sliced
    1 large sprig of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
    2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
    1/2 lb bread dough
    8 flat anchovy fillets, rinsed & drained
    12 oil-cured black olives, preferably from Nyons, pitted & halved
    
    1.	In large skillet, heat the oil over moderately low heat.  Add
    the onions, garlic and thyme & toss to coat with the oil. Cover
    & cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a light golden
    color, about 20 minutes.
    
    2.	Stir in the tomatoes and cook until their liquid has evaporated
    and the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig.
    
    3.	On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 11-by-14
    inch rectangle.  Transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover & let
    rest for 15 minutes.
    
    4.	Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Spread the onion-tomato
    sauce evenly over the dough. Arrange the anchovies in a spoke like
    pattern on top & sprinkle with the olives.  Let stand for 15 minutes.
    
    5.	Bake the pissaladiere until the crust is crisp, 15-20 minutes.
    Slice & serve warm or at room temperature.
    
    [Serves 6-8]

< Note 72.18 by SALES::RFI86 >
                           -< The worlds best pizza >-

TO: CHEF GEOFF
    
RE: CHEESE
    
    "A good mixture of cheeses is very important for good pizza. I like
    to use four parts mozerella, two parts extra sharp cheddar, 1/2
    part fresh parmigiana, and one part provolone."
    
WOULD YOU BY ANY CHANCE KNOW WHAT THE COMBINATION OF CHEESES USED AT RUGGLES 
IN BOSTON WOULD BE?                             
    
    
    
         

TO: CHEF GEOFF
    
I tried your pizza dough recipe this weekend and used some leftover
marinara sauce, some medium cheddar, mozzarella, and grated parmesan
and romano mixture for one of the BEST pizzas I have ever had!!!


Did your cookbook ever get into print???
    
    
         

I've just finished reading through 72.*, and there are obviously some recipes
here I *must* try. I notice that all the Pizza-base recipes are yeast-based.
Here's the recipe for the base I normally use; it's a biscuity base (no hanging
around waiting for the yeast to rise). 

I acquired this recipe from one Steve Hubbard, the then-president of the
Southampton University Real Ale Society, whilst drinking in the Students' Union
one night (circa 1983).

-To make dough for 2, 10" pizza bases:

Rub 2oz. butter into 8oz sieved, self-raising flour. Season with salt and
(black) pepper. Add 1 egg (beaten) and mix. Add milk gradually to obtain a
dough-like consistency.

Divide in half, and form into discs. Add topping to taste. Bake for about
30 minutes at Gas Mark 7 (AKA 425 degrees F.)  

I freeze my pizza dough all the time. 

I wrap a pizza pan with foil, lightly grease the foil, spread the
dough out on the pan, and spread the sauce on. Then I wrap it in
freezer wrap and freeze it. If you don't want to leave your pan in the
freezer, once the dough is frozen you can take it off the pan and
rewrap it. When I want to cook the pizza, I take it out of the
freezer, peel the foil off the pizza crust, put it on my peel, put the
cheese and other toppings on it. I bake it on a pizza stone exactly
like I would if it were not frozen. If you don't use a peel and stone,
just leave it on the pan. You can skip the foil if you want. (I hate
to wash dishes.)

You can also build the entire pizza and freeze it. I usually don't put
the toppings on, though. The cheese will freeze fine. To me, veggie
toppings are better if they are not frozen. 

I make a batch of pizza dough and make small pizzas for the freezer
using the 8" round cake pans instead of my big pizza pans. I put
everything on the pizza except the toppings. Then I can just pop one
in the oven when I get home. The mini pizza is just the right size for
dinner with some leftover for breakfast or lunch the next day. 

Patti 

    we buy pizza dough already made up from (1) italian specialty store
    or (2) a pizzaria. 
    The dough can be frozen, but I've found that there is some finite
    limit as to how long. Perhaps the yeast dies or something after
    a while, I'm not sure. Certainly is OK for a week-month.
    Perhaps it depends on the freezer temp ? Anyone know ?
    
    /Jeff

I've discovered that another secret to successful pizza crust is to use
high gluten flour. However, the person who told me (former pizza maker)
doesn't think you can buy it in consumer-sized amounts, just in 100 lb
bags.  This type of flour will give the crust a bit more chewiness.

Has anyone heard of such a thing? What type of store might sell this
in reasonable amounts?

BTW, Chef Geoff (aka Mr Fejj) will soon be leaving us. I thank him for
the recipe (of which he sampled my permutation of and approved of it)
and for being a good friend.

Scott

    I found gluten flour at the health food store on RT 3 in Merrimack,
    NH. The store is just north of the Bedford Rd light, on the west
    side of the road (that's on your left as you're heading toward
    Bedford from Merrimack).  I got a pound of it - I think this stuff
    is not just HIGH GLUTEN flour - it was sold as GLUTEN FLOUR.  I've
    made fried gluten out of it without having to wash starch out of
    the dough.  Fried gluten, for the non-vegetarians around us, is
    a meat substitute.  You can get it in cans at health food or oriental
    food stores, or you can make it at home.
    
    Oh yeah, the store is called something like Golden Grains.  I think
    it's closed Saturdays? for religious reasons - but I'm not sure
    so call before you go.

    --Louise

    This recipe makes 2 12-inch thick crusts or 1 16-inch thick crust pizzas:
    
    
    2 envelopes active dry yeast          3 cups shredded mozzarela
    1 1/2 cups very warm water (115-120 degrees)
    4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour          1/4 cup grated parmesan
    1 1/4 teaspoon salt                   cornmeal
    4 Tablespoons olive oil               Thick Pizza Sauce 
    
    I use my mixer with the dough hook attachment for mixing and kneading,
    but you can get the same results mixing by hand.
    
    1. In large mixing bowl add yeast and salt to 2 cups flour, mix.
    2. Heat water and oil over medium heat until 115-120 degrees(this
       should feel comfortably warm when dropped on wrist).
    3. Make a well in the center of the flour in your mixing bowl, add
       water and oil; mix until rough dough forms.  Add remaining flour
       1 cup at a time and mix until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
    4. Remove dough from mixer and knead by hand for 2 more minutes,
       adding more flour if needed. Shape into ball.  Place in greased
       bowl; turn to coat. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled,
       about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
    5. Punch dough down; divide in half. Grease pizza pan with olive
       oil(lightly with pastry brush) and sprinkle with cornmeal.
       Roll out dough on floured surface to 13 inch circle. Fit into
       prepared pan; roll edges under to make thick rim. Cover; let
       rise in warm place for 15 minutes.
    6. Bake crust in preheated very hot oven(450*)for 10 minutes. Remove
       crust; leave oven on.
    7. Spread Thick Pizza Sauce(recipe follows)evenly over crust, leaving
       1/2 inch border. Sprinkle with 2 cups shredded mozzarella and
       1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan.  Arrange whatever you prefer for
       toppings over cheese; sprinkle with 1 cup more mozzarella.
    8. Bake in very hot oven(450*)for 15 minutes or until lightly browned
       on top. Cool 5 minutes before slicing.
                                                                             
    
    
    
                           Thick Pizza Sauce
    
    This makes about 4 cups(enough for four 12-inch pizzas). This
    recipe can also be doubled easily.
    
                                        
    2 cans(28 ounces each)peeled italian plum tomatoes
    2 large onions, chopped (2 cups)
    6 large cloves garlic, minced
    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled
    1 teaspoon leaf basil, crumbled
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    
    1. Pour tomatoes with their liquid, one can at a time, into blender
       container. Puree'
    2. Saute' onions and garlic in olive oil in large skillet, stirring
       often, until onions are tender, 10 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes,
       oregano, basil, salt and pepper; bring to boiling. Lower heat;
       simmer uncovered stirring occasionally, until thickened, about
       1 hour. (No liquid should be bubbling around the edges.)Cool
       slightly before using.
    
    Note: Sauce can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days, or in freezer
          up to 4 months.                   
    
    
    
    . 
    

    This makes 1 12-inch pizza
    
    Cornmeal
    Pizza dough for 12-inch pizza
    1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
    1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
    2 teaspoons prepared mustard(grey poupon)
    1/2 pound thinly-sliced Virginia ham
    1/2 pound thinly-sliced Muenster cheese
    
    1. Preheat oven to very hot(450*). Grease 12-inch pizza pan; sprinkle
       with cornmeal.
    2. Roll out dough to a 13-inch circle. Fit into prepared pan; roll
       edges under to make thick rim. Cover, let rise in warm place for
       15 minutes.
    3. Bake crust in preheated very hot oven(450*)for 10 minutes. Remove
       crust; leave oven on.
    4. Wisk oil, vinegar and mustard in bowl until blended. Brush 2/3
       mixture over crust, leaving 1/2 inch border.  Arrange ham and
       cheese slices over top.  Brush with remaining oil mixture.
    5. Bake in very hot oven(450*) for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is
       melted and lightly browned.
    6. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
    
    
    
       

     The recent request for Bon Appetit's whole wheat crust recipe got me
    looking through the rest of that article.  I made the Spicy Shrimp and
    Garlic Pizza that night - pretty good!
    
                            Spicy Shrimp and Garlic Pizza
    
            2 T unsalted butter
            2 garlic cloves, minced
            8 oz. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
            2 cups grated Fontina cheese (about 7 oz)
            1 Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (see note 2787.1)
            1 T chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried, crumbled
            3 green onions, minced
            1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
    
            Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add
            garlic and stir.  Add shrimp and cook until just pink, about 3
            minutes.  Cool.
    
            Position rack in lowest tird of oven and preheat to 500
            degrees. Distribute cheese over pizza crust.  Sprinkle oregano
            over cheese.  Top with shrimp.  Sprinkle green onions and pepper
            flakes over.  Bake until crust is golden brown, about 20
            minutes.
    
              

From the January '91 Bon Appetit.  The pizza we made using this sauce
and dough was excellent!

--Sharon


Pizza Sauce
===========

Use the leftover sauce with pasta.

Makes about 3 cups

1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes
3/4 cup tomato puree
1 T dried basil, crumbled
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled

Blanch tomatoes in large pot of boiling water 20 seconds.  Drain.
Peel, seed and chop tomoatoes.  Transfer to bowl.  Mix in remaining
ingredients.  (Can be prepared 3 days ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.
Drain before using.)



Pizza Dough
===========

Makes 1 pizza

1/2 cup plus 4 T warm water (110-115 degrees)
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1/4 cup semolina flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 T olive oil

Place 2 T warm water in bowl.  Add sugar and yeast; stir to dissolve.
Let stand until foamy, 6 minutes.

Mix 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, semolina flour and salt in another
bowl.  Gradually mix in remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 T water.  Add oil and
stir until well blended, about 2 minutes.  Using rubber spatula, fold
in yeast mixture.  Mix in 3/4 cup flour (dough will be soft).  Turn
dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and
elastic, adding more flour if very sticky, about 7 minutes.

Grease medium bowl.  Add dough, turning to coat entire surface.  Cover
bowl with damp kitchen towel.  Let rise in warm draft-free area until
doubled in volume, about 1 hour.  PUnch dough down.  (Dough can be
prepared 1 day ahead.  Place in large bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap
and refrigerate.  Punch dough down and let stand 20 minutes at room
temperature before using.)

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

The directions for cooking a pizza say to sprinkle semolina on the
pizza peel, and bake the pizza on a baking stone or tiles, about
10 minutes.

    This was very good.
    
                    Tamale Pizza
    
    	2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth
    	1 1/4 cups cornmeal
    	l T olive oil
    	3/4 lb. lean grnd. beef
    	1/4 lb. Italian sausage, casing removed
    	1 med. onion, chopped
    	1 cup chunky salsa
    	1 T chili powder
    	l t grnd. cumin
    	1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
    	l can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
    	1 t oregano, crushed
    
    Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9 or 10 inch springform pan. In
    medium saucepan, combine broth, cornmeal and oil. Bring to a boil over
    medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer until
    very thick, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into
    prepared pan.  With back of a spoon, press mixture up sides of pan to
    form a 1 inch rim, set aside.
    
    Brown grnd. beef, sausage and onion over medium heat; drain.  Add 1/2
    cup salsa, chili powder and cumin.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes,
    stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat stir in 1 cup of cheese. 
    Spoon evenly into prepared crust.  Top with olives, remaining 1/2 cup
    cheese and remaining 1/2 cup salsa.  Sprinkle with oregano.  Bake 30 to
    35 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand 10 minutes before
    serving. Unmold. Makes 8 servings.
    
    Note:  If desired 1/4 lb.of grnd beef can be substituted for the
    sausage.
    
    
    Enjoy!   Flo
     

    Anyone have a recipe for making White Pizza I had it the other
    night it was really good!!
    
    Thanks
    Debbie
    

	Rep .43


	>>> White Pizza

	If you're asking about a white clam pizza here's how I make them,


	For a large <12"> pizza,

	2 Cans minced clams
	3 Tblsp minced onion
	3-8 cloves crushed garlic <I like heavy garlic>
	3 Tblsp minced roasted red peppers
	8 oz shredded cheese

	Saute the onions and garlic in a small sauce pan until the onion is 
	clear. Add the liquid from the clams, the red peppers, and half of
	one can of clams. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch dissolved in some
	dry white wine. You want the sauce fairly thick. You can also add
	some mixed herbs <Italian, herbs de provence> if you like and some
	hot red pepper flakes if desired.

	I have been using the boboli bread shells for my pizzas lately but
	use whatever you like for a shell. Spread the sauce over the dough
	sprinkle with the cheese and then the remaining clams. I also drizzle
	some olive oil over the finished pizza before baking. The baking time
	will depend on the shell used and the how hot the oven is so you're 
	on your own.

	-mike


	  	

	
	It depends on what you want to put on it.  Uno's white pizza
	is sausage with garlic and lots of cheese.  What was on the one
	you had?

	Karen

    This pizza was from Bartuchi's and it looked like ricotta cheese,
    no tomato sauce and cheese, it was great!
    
    Debbie
    
    

	The way I was taught to make "Pizza Bianco" is very simple.

	Pizza Dough
	Olive oil
	Crushed Garlic
	Romano/Parmesean Cheese
	Rosemary
	Butch Black Pepper
	Crushed Red Pepper (if you're daring)

	These are all to taste. I make it 2-3 times a month. The pastor "PAT"
at Holy Rosary in Fitchburg is my best fan...    

						Robert

    BERTUCCI'S

    I first had the white pizza at "Elios" in North Conway N.H.  what a
    heavenly concoction.  I am going to try the previous recipe because it
    looks similar to it.
    
    

I think Bertucci's lists the types of cheese that it uses on their pizzas.
Check the menu out.

Karen

                                 
    New Haven White Clam Pizza
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    
    Dough:  	1 pkg dry yeast
		1 teaspoon sugar
    		1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)    		
                2.5 - 2.75 cups all-purpose flour
    		2 teaspoons salt
     		  Cornmeal
    
    Topping:	2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
    		3 Tablespoons olive oil
    		12 littleneck clams, shucked and minced (or 6 oz. canned
     		   minced clams)
    		1 teaspoon dried oregano
    		1.5 Tablespoons grated parmesean cheese
    
    1. Make dough:  Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup water to proof.
    Meanwhile, combine remaining water, flour and salt.  When yeast bubbles
    and foams, add to mixture.  Stir together and turn out on floured
    board. Let rest 5 minutes.
    
    2. Knead dough vigorously for 15 minutes, adding flour as needed for a
    soft, silky consistency.  Transfer dough to oiled bowl, turn to coat
    dough with oil, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in
    volume.
    
    3. Punch down dough.  Divide in two and shape each half into an 11 inch
    circle.  Sprinkle two 12 inch pizza pans lightly with cornmeal.  Place
    dough on pans, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
    
    4. Meanwhile, steep garlic in olive oil.  After dough has rested, brush
    it with the garlic/oil mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Spread
    clams over pizza with a dash of their own juice.  Sprinkle with oregano
    and cheese.
    
    5. Bake in a preheated 450F oven until crust is lightly browned (about
    15 minutes).
    
    			(makes 2 11" pizzas) 
    		

    I make white pizza by doing the following:

    Roll out yeast dough

    cover with:

    Layer of thick white sauce (season with freshly grated nutmeg)
    Layer of part Swiss and part mild Cheddar
    Layer of sliced courgettes (zucchini)
    Layer of sliced onion (brush both courgettes and onion with melted
    butter)
    Seasonings (salt, pepper and another grating of nutmeg)

    Cook in a VERY hot oven until bottom is crisp and onions are a nice
    golden brown.
    
    gailann

    There are several recipes for pizza dough in this note, but none in the
    Calzone note (970.)  Can the doughs here be used to make calzone with
    no modification (that is, make as if a normal pizza, except fold it
    over before cooking)?  
    
    What is the difference between bread dough
    (frozen *or* homemade) and pizza dough?  Normal bread dough must be
    kneaded a *lot* and generally goes through at least two rising periods. 
    I notice that pizza dough recipes here, though, only go through one
    rising period - why is that?
    
    I like my pizza dough *thick* and *chewy*, not the thin crisp kind...is
    that a function of how the dough is made, or how thin it is rolled?
    
    Finally, I want to make *one* pizza (or calzone)...most of the dough
    recipes are for 3.   Can I halve or third the recipe, or will that
    change the kneading/rising times?
    
    Thanks,
    Diana

>    What is the difference between bread dough
>    (frozen *or* homemade) and pizza dough?

 The olive oil. It makes a heavier dough.

>    I notice that pizza dough recipes here, though, only go through one
>    rising period - why is that?

 Pizza dough doesn't have to be as "airy."

>    I like my pizza dough *thick* and *chewy*, not the thin crisp kind...is
>    that a function of how the dough is made, or how thin it is rolled?

 If you make a standard pizza dough, it will turn out thick and chewy
unless you twirl it until it's really thin. It seems that most of the
pizza dough recipes give you enough dough to make a rather thick crust.

>    Finally, I want to make *one* pizza (or calzone)...most of the dough
>    recipes are for 3.   Can I halve or third the recipe, or will that
>    change the kneading/rising times?

 No problem. It works out just fine.

�    Finally, I want to make *one* pizza (or calzone)...most of the dough
�    recipes are for 3.   Can I halve or third the recipe, or will that
�    change the kneading/rising times?
    
    No problem.  Make the full recipe and freeze the other � or 2/3 for
    another time.

    Easy for you to say.  I bet you don't live in an apartment with a 1
    cubic foot freezer.
    
    D!

    I have just used a pizza stone that I got as a gift and I have a
    question.  How do you clean it?  In baking the pizzas some of the
    toppings fell off and were burnt on the stone.  I have a round one made
    by Pizza Gourmet.  Can you scrub it with Brillo or do you need to be
    careful like with Silverstone?
    
    Mark
    

    I use to work in a Pizza shop that had stone ovens.... We would clean
    the stone with a fine wire brush, while the stone was still VERY HOT.
    No soaps of any kind were ever used.... Sometimes, a bit of water would
    be used along with the brush....
    
    The spills would always be blackened powder before brushing... So, the
    stone would have vertually cleaned itself, we just brushed away the
    blackened residue....
    
    I don't really know if this works the same on home stones, but it might
    be work a try, before using the soaps......
    
    Hope this is helpful...!
    
    Bob G.
    

 Do NOT use any soap on your stone unless you find soap to be tasty!

 If you make a mess on your stone, leave it in the oven at ~450� for
15 minutes or so after you have finished cooking your pizza. This should
make whatever you've spilled black and crusty. When you get the stone out 
of the oven after it has cooled a bit, you can scrape this residue off
with a metal spatula. If you still have stuff left on the stone, you can
clean it with hot water and a dobie pad or something similar (make sure there
is no soap left in the dobie pad [a plastic scrubby covered sponge]).

 Your stone will have stains and perhaps some oily residue. This is normal
and won't be a problem.

    1) Pizza stones should be cleaned HOT using carbonated tap water.
    2) What flour do you recommend for dough?? Regular flour tastes
       like wallpaper paste (I know,it is...)
    3) Would anybody like a recipe for 'stuffed' pizza?
    
    
    						Jeff

Yes please, I'm going to a pizza party in 2 weeks. Your recipe would come 
in handy.

regards,
joyce

    	Stuffed pizza disclaimer- Keep the following important tips in
    mind...first, use a THICK, high-walled metal pan. I cannot sing enough
    praise about 'Pizza Hut' deep dish pans. The medium pan will make a
    stuffed big enough for three starving lunatics. This pizza needs a lot
    of olive oil, patience, and cheese. Every person I cooked this for says
    that this was the best pizza they ever had (And most of them are from
    Buffalo, where people know how to make _pizza_). Lastly, read the 
    recipe at least three times.....it's easy to botch this one and it 
    costs too much to ruin.
    
    Ingredients:
    
    1.5 to 2 pounds Mozzarella- More if your doctor let's you indulge 
    
    	I suggest using shrinkwrapped blocks...water-packed is bad, because
    	the water gets drawn out and bleeds all over the place. Most 
    	brands are acceptable, such as Sorrento, but avoid Polly-O because
    	it has more sodium than a salt lick.
    
    1 small can tomato paste (no 'flavored' or spiced variants)
    1 small can tomato sauce (again, unseasoned)
    At least four cloves garlic
    Parmesan cheese
    Black pepper
    Oregano
    Sugar (or, if you're from the UK, sucrose :-)
    1 pound frozen bread dough (14 inch pie)- but thaw it out first
    Whatever toppings you want
    Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
    
    1) Oil the pan, including the sides.
    
    2) Roll out about half the dough onto a flat surface. Take the sticky,
       unfrozen, room-temperature dough and stick it into a canister of 
       flour. Completely coat it, then roll it out into a circle. Roll
       it until it's wide enough to completely cover the pan, including
       the sidewalls.
    
    3) Put the dough into the pan and get some lackey to grate the
       mozzarella. Get a roommate or, better still, a significant other.  
       They will be so impressed that you chose them that they will 
       probably offer to do the dishes.
     
    4) NOW, you can pre-heat the oven to 425F (or 220C, if you're from 
       Canada, eh?)
    
    5) Take the mozzarella and put into the pie, much the same was as you'd
       put apples into an apple pie. Make sure the edges of the dough stay
       up on the sidewalls. Sprinkle the cheese with some oregano.
     
    6) Take whatever toppings you wish to use and put then on top of the
       cheese. Give serious though to pre-cooking water-stuff such as 
       onions or green peppers because the water will make the pizza suck.
       Pre-cooking pepperoni in a microwave can get rid of some grease.
    
    7) Now the fun begins. Roll out the remaining dough, enough so that
       it is the width of the pan. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then
       roll it further so that it won't pull in. After that, put the dough
       on top of the pie and pinch the top and bottom together, so that
       you have made a large mozzarella-based ravioli food product.
    
    8) Paint the dough with more oil. Be generous...this is all that stands
       between dinner and a burnt, $9 pizza.
    
    9) Poke the dough (only the top) with a fork. This will release the
       dread water-steam that can give your top crust a soggy texture.
    
    A) (I count in hexadecimal) Put the pizza in the oven on the bottom
       rack. Cook it there for 15 minutes. Move it to the middle or
       middle-top (but NEVER THE TOP RACK) and give it 15 more minutes.
       The top dough will brown quickly...you might want to brush it
       with some oil once in a while. Don't be shy about taking it out
       and looking at the bottom, etc. This pizza takes slightly longer
       to make than a Cray Central Processor, so try to get a feel for
       what you're doing. Experiment with the oven positions- my mother's
       Jenn-Air convection needs different positions than the one at my
       apartment.
    
    B) While you're busily checking the pie, make the sauce. Mix the two
       cans of tomato together until uniform. Add in the garlic and
       mix some more. Add black pepper, oregano, a pinch of sugar, and
       some more olive oil, so that the sauce is about the thickness of
       a good hot fudge sauce. Mix heartily. 
    
    SIDE NOTE: In my 7 years of making/working pizza, I've come across some
               odd things to put in sauce. I suggest some experimentation
               is in order here. One place near where I grew up had the 
               best pizza in the WORLD (I _REALLY_ mean it) and they used
               Accent Meat Tenderizer in the sauce (MSG-based, I think).
               
    C) When the pizza has about 5 minutes left to cook, take it out and
       put the sauce on the top crust. BE GENEROUS- there's a lot of 
       stuff (intentional pun) to eat and your body needs a lot of sauce
       to effectively render the pizza into pure body fat. Put it back in
       and let it cook for the remaining 5 minutes. Take out the pizza
       and turn off the oven. Recycle the packaging materials.
    
    D) When done cooking, take the pie out and sprinkle (or bury) it with
       Parmesan cheese. Wrestle it out of the pan and cut it up into
       smaller parts. Eat them. Digest them...well, you get the idea.
    
    FINAL NOTE: Some have had stuffed with spinach and cheese. This is 
                another variant (both from Chicago, initially) but
                I don't have the recipe and I hate cooked spinach anyway.
    
    RESTAURANTS: When in Buffalo, New York- Try Syracuse's Pizza Plant
                 When in Chicago and suburbs- Try Carmen's Pizza.
                                                                     
    
    
    	Please take my warnings seriously, this is not for the faint at
    heart. I wasted about three pies before getting it right.
    
    
    						Good Luck,
    						  Jeff

    	I forgot to say that you should mince the garlic.
    
    
    						Jeff

 re: .62

 If it's as good to eat as that was amusing to read, it should be great. :-)

    	Incidentally, the stuffed pizza is a good 'date-dinner' food.
    After all, it's nice to get stuffed with your date ;-)
    
    							

Hi Jeff,

just two questions before I have my first go this weekend:

You're sure now, that it's bread dough;  no pizza dough?

Also, step 11, hex B, bin 1011, Sauce. Does this undergo any cooking before
it hits the pizza and gets 5 minutes in the oven?  I was wondering if all
that garlic was going to taste a tad raw after only 5 mins.

Not that I'm suggesting you might've left out a step mind, I just wanna
be sure here.

Also, would u mind telling me what u did wrong with your 3 initial attempts
so that I don't do the same?

thanks
joyce

    	Good day and welcome to the "Things I left out of the recipe
    because I was trying to be funny" note.....
    
    0001) Use bread dough; after making pizza as long as I have, I find
          it difficult to determine a difference.
    
    0010) Do not cook the sauce. The garlic's intense flavor is
    intentional. Nobody has ever said I made subtle sauce ;-)
    
    0011) I screwed up the three pies (on three separate occasions) for
          the following:
    
          01) Burned the bottom and the top but not the middle
          10) Distracted by a fellow 'stuffee'
          11) Top dough pulled away from bottom, leaving a crunchy
              medallion of thermally overprocessed bread-product
              clinging to my expensive mozzarella.
    
    0100) I think that's everything. Just be sure to use a good pan.
          May the force be with you.
    
    
    					Get Stuffed,
    					   Jeff

    The mind boggles at the concept and the artaries are having spasms, but
    in the world in action special with Keith Floyd was mentioned 'Deep fried
    pizza'. I've heard this term before and the weary grey cell seems to
    recall an Italian recipe calling for the frying of a calazone type
    pizza, however the use of deep fried pizza, in the programmes, seems to
    suggest a pizza (i.e. pizza dough, tomatoe, loadsa cheese, the odd
    topping like ham, pepperoni, etc) cooked in a considerable depth of oil
    (maybe animal fat) at the chippie. Is this right?
    
    On a different topic, a little trick I've just experienced. Sometimes I
    like ham on my pizza, and I generally put it on top of the cheese. Up
    till two weeks ago I tended to put slices of ham on the pizza.
    The slices range from say 2"x1" (50mmx25mm) through to 4"x4"
    (100mmx100mm) when I'm feeling lazy. The problem is, when cooking the
    pizza the underlying cheese gets unevenly melted/cooked and in some
    places doesn't melt at all. Recently I've been tearing the ham slices
    into small pieces, say 3/4"x1" or 1/2"x1", and covering the top of the
    cheese with these small pieces of ham. When I cook the pizza in the fan
    oven, the little pieces of ham curl up and shrink exposing the cheese
    beneath. The cheese is melted and cooked to perfection.
    
    The one problem with this method overcooking the ham. They shrink up
    something fierce and when overcooked become very chewy.
    
    Angus

    Why not put the ham under the cheese - then the cheese will melt and
    the ham will only get warmnot cook further...
    
    D!

    	The deep fried pizza thing reminds me of these 'pizza finger'
    things they sell back in Buffalo...basically a deep fried eggroll
    with the requisite toppings. Yet another healthy snack food from
    Buffalo, New York. I wonder what's next...deep-fried sour cream
    balls???
    
    	Pizza is one of the few things I can eat anytime....but for
    the most part, it's pretty unhealthy. I can't imagine eating
    a deep fried counterpart, but I'm sure it'll be tasty.
    
    	As for the leathery ham problem, this trick works with
    onions. No reason I can think of that it shouldn't work 
    for ham, too.
    
    
    1) Cut up the ham into the small pieces
    2) Freeze the ham
    3) Put it on the pizza
    4) Bake the pizza
    
    	Let me know if this works...I don't subscribe to the heresy
    of putting ham on my beloved pizza, because it's not greasy/salty 
    enough.
    
    	The master hath spoken....
    
    						Jeff	

    Re .69 putting ham under cheese: Tried that don't like it, purely
    personal preference you understand. Something about the little burnt
    edges of the ham appeals.
    
    Re .70 I might give the freezing trick a try. However, laziness is my
    forte.
    
    More snippets of this deep fried pizza are surfacing since I wrote the
    reply. Deep fried pizzas appear to be a speciality of the north of the
    UK, in particular Scotland; perhaps someone can confirm this. Scotland 
    also has the worst incidence of heart disease in the UK.
    
    Angus

    	Haggis is also considered a delicacy in Scotland....I wonder how 
    it is on pizza...???
    
    	I am partial to burnt edges on meat myself. If you pre-cook
    pepperoni in a microwave to draw off most of the grease, the 
    edges burn up quite nicely...
    
    						Jeff

    RE: .70

>>    	Pizza is one of the few things I can eat anytime....but for
>>  the most part, it's pretty unhealthy. I can't imagine eating

    I think how unhealthy it is depends on what toppings/cheeses you put on
    it.  We put fresh vegetables on ours, and part skim cheese.  If you don't
    make extra-cheesy pizzas, I don't think it's any worse for you than any
    meat meal...

    Cara

    
    
    We made an excellant pizza the other night.  It was very quick and
    easy - perfect for those hot nights when you don't want to be in the
    kitchen.  
    
    We used a bobolli pizza crust put a small amount of sauce on it.  Then
    added fresh broccoli florets and chopped spinach.  Sprinkled a little
    garlic powder and topped it off with some mozz. cheese.  Bake it for
    10 min. on 450 and thats it!  
    
    It was so good I made it again last night.  
    
    Kirsten
    

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] 
(Michael Johnston -- Michael's Music Service) writes:
As promised, the story of early pizza:

It has been argued that the Italians did not "invent" pizza. Perhaps this is 
technically true, but there can be no denying that Italy was most certainly the 
seedbed out of which the concept would flourish to the fullest. In one form or 
another, pizza has been a basic part of the Italian diet since the Stone Age, 
and Italians have devised more ways of interpreting the dish than anyone else.

Italy's culinary heritage is a unique melange of contributions from other 
cultures and her own intrinsic, fiercely regional tastes. Pizza, more than any 
other preparation common to all parts of the country, exemplifies how outside 
influences were assimilated and absorbed into Italian cuisine.

Italian pizza evolved from the basic concepts initiated by two different 
cultures: the Etruscans in the north and the Greeks in the south. The older 
style of the two was brought to northern Italy by the Etruscans, from the 
Levant area of Asia Minor. This first form of pizza was a crude bread that was 
baked beneath the stones of the fire. Once cooked, it was seasoned with a 
variety of different toppings and used instead of plates and utensils to sop up 
broth or gravies. This notion of a flavored bread as a side dish evolved into 
what is now know as focaccia in Italy. Several hundred years later, when the 
Greeks colonized the southern part of Italy, the second concept was introduced. 
The Greeks took the idea of bread as an edible serving dish one step further 
than the Etruscans. They didn't flavor or top the bread after it cooked: They 
baked the topping directly on the bread itself, and the topped bread took the 
place of the main course. This idea paved the way for the pizza as a meal.

In the end, the Romans embraced both the Etruscan and the Greek concepts, and 
they went on to create an entire repertoire of dishes based on these early 
prototypes. As a result, all over Italy today there are literally hundreds of 
styles and variations of pizza, which vary from region to region and town to 
town. And as far as most people are concerned, pizza was "invented" by the 
Italians.

-----------------------------------------

The earliest pizza prototypes originated when Neolithic tribes first gathered 
wild grains, made them into a crude batter, and cooked them on the hot stones 
of their campfires. The "bread" was filled and eaten (just like a Mexican 
tortilla, which also originated in this era). It was not until about 1000 BC, 
when the Etruscans arrived in the northern and central parts of Italy from Asia 
Minor, that there was any improvement or change in this method.

The Etruscans were reputed consumers of a thick gruel known as "puls" or 
"pulmentum." This is the same mush that later sustained the Roman army through 
its many campaigns and that became the basis of several northern Italian 
staples, including polenta and pasta. The Etruscans baked this mush on stones 
beneath the ashes of the fire, and the resulting cakes were seasoned with oil 
and herbs and eaten with broth or meat. The Romans quickly adopted this 
Etruscan ashcake and called it "focaccia" (from the Latin _panus focus_ meaning 
fireplace floor bread).

The Romans introduced focaccia to all of the lands they conquered; such 
flatbreads as the fougasse or fouace of France and even the hearthcakes of 
Scotland are related to it. They spread focaccia all over Italy as well, making 
it the oldest and most universal of all styles of pizza.

--------------------------

Italians may have made pizza famous, but they certainly did not invent the 
concept of the dish. Here, the debt is clearly owed to the Greeks.

The Greeks, who occupied the southernmost regions of Italy for over 600 years 
(from about 730 BC to 130 BC), were the greatest bakers of ancient times. They 
had learned their craft from the Egyptians (the first great bakers) so well 
that they far excelled their teachers. Their methods for refining different 
flours and their baking technology, which included the use of ovens and special 
molds for breads, were the most advanced in the ancient world. Greek breads, 
flavored with seeds, oils, herbs, spices, wine, honey, and eggs, came in all 
shapes and sizes, and some were even leavened, by means of a primitive 
sourdough starter method discovered by the Egyptians. The Greeks also 
instituted the idea of using bread as an edible plate for a meal. Flat, round 
breads were baked with an assortment of "relishes" (in ancient Greek, a relish 
meant anything spread or baked on bread), such as oils, onions, garlic, herbs, 
olives, vegetables, and cheese, on top. A rim of crust was left around the 
bread to serve as a kind of handle.

One of the best accounts of ancient Greek "pizza" -- what it was like and how 
it was eaten -- comes down to us in this passage from Plato's _Republic_:
    
         They will provide meal from their barley and flour from
         their wheat and kneading and cooking these [". . . they
         (the cakes) will also have relishes -- salt . . . and of
         olives and cheese; and onions and greens . . . ."] they
         will serve noble cakes and loaves on some arrangement 
         of reeds and clean leaves, and reclined on rustic beds
         strewn with bryony and myrtyle, they will feast with
         their children, drinking of their wine thereto, garlanded
         and singing hymns to the gods in pleasant fellowship."
         
The seeds planted in Naples and the surrounding southern Italian regions by the 
Greeks, however, only served as the impetus for the progression of pizza
dishes that was to follow.

----------------------------------

The Neapolitans, who have historically been impoverished, were also most 
ingenious at living well, eating well, and making the most out of very little. 
(The earliest Greek ancestor of Neapolitan pizza was called "plakuntos," which 
means flat, baked bread. When the Romans adopted this dish, it became known as 
"placenta" in Latin. In antiquity, placenta was a dish of much renown. It was a 
pie made of the finest flours, a topping of cheese mixed with honey, and a 
seasoning of bay leaves and oil. Placenta was baked on the floor of the hearth 
alongside the burning wood. The name pizza comes from a southern corruption of 
the Latin adjective "picea" (peechia), which described the black tar-like 
coating underneath the placenta as a result of the burning ashes.) Neapolitan 
pizza made the most of the cheese, herbs, vegetables, fish, and poor meat 
supply that was available. The one new element the Neapolitans introduced to 
pizza in the eighteenth century, and which would forever change the face of 
this venerable dish, was, of course, the tomato.

It took nearly two centuries for the Italians to build up enough nerve to eat 
the "pomidoro" (golden apple). The original variety, brought back from the New 
World in the mid-sixteenth century from Peru and Mexico by way of Spain, was 
thought to be poisonous and was grown in gardens as an ornamental fruit (the 
early tomato varieties were actually yellow) growing abundantly in their 
gardens tasted as good as it looked. After the first bite of the forbidden 
fruit, Italy fell head over heels in love with the tomato, and tomato-based 
varieties of pizza began to make their debut in the Neapolitan repertoire. The 
tomato swiftly took over as the main component for pizza filling.

But what about cheese? The most famous of all pizza -- the tomato and cheese 
variation -- is really a very recent contribution to the genre. In 1889, 
Raffaele Esposito created a new combination with tomatoes, mozzarella, and 
basil, to commemorate the colors of the Italian flag, for their pizza-loving 
Queen Margherita. The monarch was so pleased with this dish that it is still 
titled in her honor to this day.

                                   -- excerpt from "The Pizza Book"
                                      by Evelyne Slomon
                                      Times Books/Random House, 1984
                                      ISBN 0-8129-1113-X
                                      
---------------------------------

As requested by a few kind souls, here is my version of the Roman pizza,
which I understand (from my reading of other sources in addition to the
above-quoted book) is the last *whole* ancestor of the pizza -- that is,
before going back to the focaccia stage.

EARLY PIZZA  (Michael Johnston)

-----------

Ingredients:
2 package of dry yeast                  1   cup of warm water
1/2 tsp. salt [1]                       2   tsp. (plus extra) olive oil [2]
1/2 to 3 tbl. raw unfiltered honey [3]

2 to 4 cups of whole wheat bread flour, if you find it, 
OR
2-1/2 to 4 cups of white bread flour [4]

Anchovies, canned [5]
OR
Anchovies, fresh from your fishmonger, if you have one.

Cornmeal, optional, if you use a peel or bake on oven stones or other places 
where the ball-bearing action of the cornmeal is needed. If you're outside the 
ashes fulfill this purpose.

Hot oven, 500 - 600 degrees, with a stone or tile baking surface

-------------

Notes:
[1] 1/2 tsp. or less, to your taste. If you like a lot of salt, as the Romans 
did, kick it up to 1-1/2 or 2 tsps.  Ancient food seems to have been very 
salty, and it may not have been a problem for them because they didn't eat as 
much as we do nor as much refined food as we do and they perspired more because 
there was no airconditioning! Me, personally -- I'm more afraid of salt than 
cholesterol. That's just my feeling and doesn't represent any research.

[2] You know which olive oil you like. Virgin or extra virgin is OK, but stuff 
from the third and forth pressings extended by steam is not historical or 
recommended. I use an organic olive oil from Spectrum Naturals, Inc., which 
should be available in your health food store, or from Spectrum Marketing, 133 
Copeland St., Petaluma, CA 94952. It is a product of Spain and the bottle is 
nitrogen-filled to keep it tasting the best of the imports, IMO. Price is about 
the same as other high-quality, extra-virgin, or maybe a bit more. Good olive
oil is very, very important in this.

[3] The Romans used honey in their bread, again far more than we might use 
today. Mostly, I use less than 1 tbs. or none at all. If you use the greater 
salt measurement, the greater honey measurement isn't all that bad. You should 
try to balance the salt and sweet. My understanding is the historical version
would be both salty and sweet to our tastes.

[4] I use Hodgson Mill Graham flour mostly. If you can get your health food 
store to grind the whole wheat for you, it's even better. The humidity is the 
big indicator of the amount of flour to use. If you make this outside, near a 
fire with the stones, you'll see a major difference from when you make it 
inside, especially if you have a dehumidifier and/or airconditioning.

[5] It's real hard to find anchovies without those tough little tin skins! Use 
unsalted canned ones if you can find them. Do not use filets (the Romans would 
not have done something so prissy). If the salted ones are all that's 
available (and that's usually what I can find), take them out of the can,
separate, and soak them in room temperature milk for 1/2 to 1 hour. This 
removes much of the ridiculously-high salt content. This burning saltiness is 
the *major reason* people shy away from anchovies! It isn't the fault of the 
fish! It's the stupid canners. Anchovies are sky-high in Omega 3 fatty acids, 
and we should eat much more of them. Also, chop the anchovies if they are large 
or if you prefer. I don't believe the Romans chopped them at all. 

------------

Method:

Feel free to double this; I *always* do!  Take the water and put it in a warmed 
bowl (if you're outside, this is not necessary). Mix in a little honey to honor 
the yeast. Sprinkle in the yeast and stir gently. Let the yeast proof. You 
should see the foam and smell the yeasty odor rising up. If you don't, toss 
this batch out the door to feed the plants. Five minutes is enough for 
proofing.

Add the salt, rest of the honey, and olive oil and mix. Add the flour until 
you get a good mother. The mother is a very wet dough that is the intermediary 
dough. You may use your hands (again, if you're outside) or a heavy-duty mixer, 
if you like. Work the mother for about two minutes. Remember the amount of 
flour will vary wildly! Probably, 1-1/2 to 2-1/1 cups will give you a good 
moist mother.

Add the flour until the final dough clings to itself and not your fingers, or 
clings to the dough hook (if you're machining it) and not the side of the bowl. 
At this point, let it rest, covered, while you have some wine (in the interest 
of authenticity, of course).

OK, a couple of minutes later, start kneading. You can use the machine to do 
this, but do the final minutes by hand in any case. Knead with the palm of the 
hand and do it until the dough is ready. You will notice a change in the 
texture of the dough when it is ready. Most people warn you not to overknead; I 
find that most beginning bakers don't knead enough. If you go at it for 10 
minutes, it should be done, sooner if you're experienced or just fast. The 
machine can do most of what it can in five minutes.

Take the final dough (it should *fun* to play with) and put it in a bowl coated 
with olive oil, coat the top of the dough with olive oil, and cover the bowl
with a pastry cloth or plastic wrap, if that's all you have. Just keep the 
drafts away. This should be a big bowl, at least 4 times bigger than the dough.
Let it rise in a warm place until it's at least doubled, probably 1 to 1-1/2 
hours. (The wine is still available for all baking personnel.)

Punching is a violent word, so I don't use to describe what you do next. Take 
your fist and press down in the center of the risen dough and remove it 
quickly. The dough will deflate and pull away from the sides of the dough. Take 
it out of the bowl (use only half if you doubled the recipe) and place it on 
your floured workspace. Here we separate the diehards from the rest. You may 
roll the dough into the shape you like using your hands or a rolling pin. You 
may press the dough out with your floured fingers. Don't be rough with the 
dough and don't bang it with the pin. Or, you may start with a 6 to 8 inch 
circle and toss the dough, using your fist as the "catcher." Don't try to make 
it too thin! This is not L.A.-style, remember. The bread is the main thing 
here. Most people don't get it. The bread is the main event! It should be 
something a marching soldier could eat and sustain him over hours, not a flaky 
crunchy crust with trendy ingredients strewn about! So, anyway, you get your 
circle or whatever shape ready. Twist up the edges (remember the handle 
effect?). Brush generously with olive oil. Take the anchovies and put them on 
in the pattern of Caesar (see your old history book).

Then put your pizza on the stone by the fire to bake or on your tiles or pizza
stone in your oven in the house which was already warm at 500 degrees. 600 is
better, but most people's ovens don't do that easily and most people are not
comfortable working at that temperature; it burns faster and worse. But it also 
bakes faster and gives the bottom of the bread that wonderful texture that 
resonates when you thump it. (I hope you all know what that sounds like.) It 
should be done within 5 to 10 minutes, maybe 15, if it's a big one. Hint: start 
out small by making three pies from one recipe of dough. They taste the same; 
they're just not as impressive to look at, but they're easier to handle.

Let it cool and then tear it with your hands (no knives or pizza cutters). Eat 
it with a broth of bitter herbs, greens, carrots, and maybe some meat if you 
want to stay historic. I know they didn't do it as much as we do, but I like it 
with a salad of Romaine lettuce, basil, chicory (endive), carrots, celery, and 
pine nuts. Dressing is not really necessary, but olive oil and vinegar is there 
if you want it.

Let me know if any of you tries it out by a barbeque or outside brick oven. I'd 
be interested in your success and comments.

Cheers!
Michael
-- 
MICHAEL'S MUSIC SERVICE   | CIS: 70731,3403                   | Michael Johnston
4146 Sheridan Drive       | [email protected]          |       and  
Charlotte, NC  28205-5654 | (704) 567-1066   (800) 438-4129   |    John Apple  
** Brother Ambrose, Friars Minor **     ** Guillaume de Pomme, Maitre d'Orgue **
    

    When I was in CA a couple of weeks ago we tried a delicous Pesto Pizza
    very simple pest sauce on crust.  Montys (leominster) has pesto on
    sale, Baboli bread.. talk about simple.  Hmm I have some sun dried
    tomatos, and some part skim mozzarella.
    
    Bob

    We made a pesto pizza recently from just experimenting and it was
    good...
    
    used a boboli
    spread some pesto sauce on it
    spread some leftover (one breast) smoked/BBQ'd chicken breast
    topped with thinly sliced onion and thinly sliced fresh tomato
    topped with mozzerela, gueyre and provolone cheese       
    

    re: 77
    
    and then grill it on your Weber. Very good.
    
    /kate