Need suggestions for pizza-baking party

A 1/2" diameter cutting board would be too small :-) Even if you
were making bite size pizzas. Besides, you may be able to get the
pizza off of it and into the oven but what about removing it
when it is cooked?

Before I bought my wooden pizza peel, I used a cookie
sheet with a lip on only one side. Now that I have both,
I usually add sauce, cheese, and toppings to a second pizza
and use the cookie sheet to take the hot one from the oven.
It isn't necessary to have two things but it helps speed up
the process of making multiple pizzas.

The problem you face is how to get a very floppy thing (pizza)
onto a 475+ degree stone and then off again when done. A peel
is recommended. If you don't want to buy a pizza peel you can
make your pizza in/on a baking sheet and just put it sheet and
all in the oven. However, that defeats the purpose of having the
baking stone in the first place.

Steve

--
Dr. Steven Hammond * ^ /\/\ * /\
Scientific Computing Division /\*\ \ \/\ \_][
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO \

Thanks to everyone for the great pizza suggestions and the wedding best
wishes. I'm getting a little bit worried because people keep mentioning the
importance of the peel and my stone didn't come with one (guess we should
have registered for that, too!). Can I get by with a cornmeal dusted wooden
cutting board (1/2" diameter)? Somehow, I have the feeling the answer is
no.

Valerie

Don't be discouraged (but be prepared) when you have problems getting
the pizza off of the peel. I mangled about 10 pizzas trying to get them
off of the peel before I got the hang of it. (i.e. you may want to
practice before you have the party or have lots of ingredients handy in
case a couple pizzas end up on the oven floor). Make sure you generously
apply cornmeal to the peel.

My favorite toppings (at least lately) have been what Donato's (a pizza
chain) calls Hawaiian Pizza. It includes ham, pineapple, almonds and
cinammon. It is DELICIOUS.

Good luck and congratulations on your marriage.

Maggie

These are the instructions that came with my "pizza gourmet" baking stone:

Pizza dough (makes 1 14"x15" thick pizza)

1 pckg dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 F to 115F)
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups high gluten flour (all purpose or bread flour can be used)
3 Tbs olive oil

In a bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt and 2 cups flour to make a thick
batter. Blend for 30 seconds. Add olive oil and continue beating for an additional
half minute to blend in the oil. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a soft
dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it does not (too sticky), add
some sprinkles of flour. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and
knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion until smooth and elastic. Add sprinkles
of flour if too sticky. Knead about 10 minutes (don't skimp on kneading!)

Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic rap and set aside to rise for
1 1/2 hours.

Uncover bowl and punch down the risen dough. Knead briefly to flatten. Recover
and let rise again for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475F or more.

After dough has risen, place on lightly floured work surface. With hands flatten
the dough and push into a rectangle. Let the dough rest for a few minutes so that
it will not draw back. Roll into a rectangle slightly larger that the size of
the stone (it will shrink). All the dough to relax before lifting and placing
on the peel which has *already* been generously sprinkled with cornmeal.
^
|
important! or you will never get your pizza
off the piel and onto the stone.

Brush dough olive oil with olive oil. Add your favorite toppings.

With pizza on peel reach to the back of the stone and place the edge of the
peel at an upward angle and with a quick, short, back and forth jerking motion
withdraw the peel from underneath the pizza.

Bake pizza for at least 15 minutes or until done to your liking.

Remove pizza by sliding peel underneath and place on wire rack to cool before
cutting. Brush all exposed edges of dough with olive oil and sprinkle parmesan
grated cheese on top.

Finally, invite Lisa and Steve over for dinner!




Here's a collection I got from the net posted by Jane...

Subject: Pizza dough recipes
Date: 9 Jan 92 03:25:31 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park

Okay, due to the overwhelming number of requests, I'm sitting
and typing in the recipes for you. But then, they'r worth
it, too. Yum. 8-))

The book is called PIZZA PIZZAZZ, by Richard Erickson.
It is a small paperback book, written in 4 sections:
Crusts, Sauces, Toppings and Putting It All Together.
Save these recipes, because the Putting Together part
mentions the various recipes and which ones work
together well. I'll post them in groups, as I find time
to type them in.
You can get more information on the series of cookbooks by
sending a SASE (#10) to
The American Cooking Guild
6-F East Cedar Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Enjoy!

Basic Pizza Dough
1 cup warm water
1 packet granulated active dry yeast
2 1/2-3 cups unbleached flour
1 Tablespoons olive oil, plus oil for greasing the bowl
and pizza pan(s)
1/2 teaspoon salt
cornmeal for dusting the pizza pan or stone

Place the water (about 110-115 F) in a 2 quart mixing bowl, an
sprinkle the yeast over the top. Mix gently until fully dissolved.
Stir in half the flour, 2 Tbl oil and the salt. Using a woodem
spoon, combine well, then gradually add the rest of the flour.

The dough should now be a large sticky mass and might appear to
be a hopless mess. Don't despair! When it begins to stick together and
come away from the sides of the bowls, turn it out on a floured
surface and begin to knead.

Knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the ball of dough
in a 2-3 quart bowl which has been lightly oiled, rolling the ball
around until the surface is coated with oil. Cover the top of the
bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about
1 1/2-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Uncover the bowl and punch down the risen dough. The dough is now
ready to be used. (For a finer textured crust allow the dough to
rise a sexond or even a third time. The susequent risings will take
much less time.)

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and cut it in
half. Starting in the middle and working outwards, roll each half
into a circle slightly larger than your backing pan. Allow the
dough to 'relax' for a minute or two before transferring it to a
pizza pan. If using a pan, oil it and sprinkle lightly with the
cornmeal. If using a screen, brush lightly with oil.
Yield: two 12-inch pizzas.



Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (note: this is my favorite)

Here is a crust for those who prefer whole wheat. Never use only
whole wheat flour as the flavor overwhelms the other ingredients
and it does not produce a good crust. For variety, try substituting
rye, soy, rice, or any other flour for the whole wheat in the
recipe. (note: I used oat flour, and it was great!)

1 cup warm wather
1 packet active dry yeast
1 cup whole wheat bread flour
1 1/2 cups (approximately) unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Sift together the flours and the salt, then follow the directions in
the Basic Pizza Dough recipe. (above)



Spinach Crust (I haven't tried this one yet)

Here is a crust to mark your pizzas uniquely yours, It requires no
rising time, and it can be made in less time than it takes to defrost
the spinach.

1 package (10 ounces) frozen, thawed chopped spinach
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Drain the spinach in a colander and squeeze in a towel or with
hands to remove all moister.

In a small pan melt butter, stir in spinach and cook over low
heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in milk and egg.

In a large bowl combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour with the baking
powkder and salt, mix well and add the spinach mixture. Reserve
1/2 cup of the flour to make a firmer dough, if needed.

Grease a 12-inch pizza pan or a 10 by 14-inch cookie sheet. Place
dough on pan and cover with wax paper. Roll out to an even layer
pushing up around the edges to form a border.

Bake crust in a preheated 450 degree oven for approximately 15-20
minutes, then add toppings and bake until done.
Yield: 1 12-inch pizza



Egg Crust

This is a rich and delicious crust, made with whole eggs, that is
similar to a brioche in texure. It is particularly suited to a
deep-dish or double crusted pizza.

4 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt
4 ounces or 1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 cup milk, warmed to 110 degreesF
4 large whole eggs

In a large bowl combine the flour, the sugar, and salt. Add the
softened butter and blend until it resembles coarse meal.

Mix the yeast in the milk and let dissolve.

Beat the eggs and add to the flour mixture. Now add the yeast and
combine to form a very stuff dough.

Turn out on a lightly floured work surface and knead for at least 10
minutes. Then put in a well-oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until
doubled in size. Punch down and use as you would basic pizza dough.
Do not bake over 400 degreesF or it will burn.
Yield: two thick crusted 12-inch pizzas.

(Note: I've mad this several times, and it's WONDERFUL. Very rich
and crispy crust. It also works well for calzone-type things. I
wrapped hotdogs in it and baked them, too. Yum.
However, do not attempt to mix this in a bread machine. The dough
is too stiff, and I almost burned out the motor on ours.!)



Basic Pastry Crust

Although more commonly used for desserts and pastry this crust is also
marvelous as a pizza crust. It works especially well for mini pizzas as
hors d'oeuvres. Being a non-yeast crust, i tis easier to handle and takes
only minutes to prepare.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, chilled
8 Tablespoons ice water
2 egg yolks

Preheat oven at 375 F.

Combine the flour and salt in the container of a food processor. Cut
the butter into small pieces and add, processing in short bursts.
Continuing the pulse motion, add the egg yolks and ice water blending
just until the pastry pulls away from the sides of the bowls.

If a food processor is not used, place flour, salt and butter in a
mixing bowl. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender until it has the
texture of coarse oatmeal. Rapidly beat in the egg yolks and water
with a fork.

Gather the dough together in a flat round, wrap in wax paper, and
chill for at least one hour before using. (This dough freezes
beautifully, so make a double batch and have some on hand for later use.)

Roll out the dough or press it into a tart pan, to a thickness of
1/8-inch. Fill and bake.
Yield: 1 8 or 9-inch tarts.

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My favorite pizza toppings are Kosher dill pickles and long crisp slices
of bacon (ala Godfathers).