Pizza setup

[Fetzervalve]

What advantage does using the accessory grill have?

The theory is the higher in the dome the better browning you get on the top. I have only used the upper grill, so I can't give you any feedback on the difference between it and the main grill.

[johnnyboy]

I haven't mastered Pizza yet (pizza is too much effort for me to do it often), but sounds like I'm on the right track.

What I wanted to add is, I like thin crust like you get in Italy. I too use the upper grill with heat deflector on lower bracker, and pizza stone on top grill. But my temps are typically closer to 600 F. temp. What I've found is a toss of "Corn Meal" on the hot stone just before the pizza goes on works pretty well to keep from sticking. But, I like the little burnt spots on my crust. Do you get that using parchment or the screen?

I've also found the best dough for thin pizza is the "wet" dough. Can't remember where I got the recipie, some website, but thinking it must be like what Sizygies makes. Italian recipe.

[Sanny]

Johnnyboy, do you cook the "wet dough" a little first, before putting the toppings on? Or do you put the pizza, toppings and all, on the hot stone?

[johnnyboy]

Toppings and all Sanny. But, I'm a one or two topping guy, that's it. Not much.

No don't pre-cook the dough.

[Jackie from Jersey]

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[bobvoeh]

What advantage does using the accessory grill have?

I sits on top of the main grill which will put your pizza about 6 inches higher in the cooker. It puts it closer to the dome which when heat soaked will give the top of your pizza a good browning.

[johnnyboy]

Very interesting Jackie. Thanks. I've never heard of pre cooking the crust. That's a new one to me.

Why is your pizza stone getting hotter with successive cooks? Isn't the pre-heat maximizing it's temp? I don't think mine gets hotter, but you know, I don't have the IR temp deely either, to really know.... hehe-he...

[Fetzervalve]

I wonder if using that combo has a different effect than using the kooker's deflector over the flame & just a stone on the main grill.

I would say yes, your stone is probably getting really hot being direct. I have always used the heat deflector on the lump basket. I think someone else has posted about going direct with the stone, but that doesn't allow much margin for error (besides I don't have the flame guard for my Fibrament)

[Jackie from Jersey]

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[Syzygies]

We make a dough by starting with a sponge:

1/4 cup water 70-90F
1/4 cup rye flour
2 tsp SAF instant yeast

then later add

300g winter red & soft wheat berries (1:1), freshly ground, bran sieved out
1 TB milk
2 TB olive oil (dough varies as one varies this)
1/2 tsp salt
5/8 cup water 70-90F

adding white flour as kneaded, roll onto parchment paper for 2nd rise

Meanwhile, we save our tomato crop by skinning, lightly salting, partially dehydrating till "gooshy", vacuum-packing and freezing; this gets us through the year. The cooks I admire such as Tom Colicchio all have precious versions of such a tomato conserve (my wife calls Thomas Keller my "zombie master") but this is far easier, and works 20 lbs at a time.

We make a sauce from

1/2 cup "gooshy" tomatoes, minced
3 TB olive oil
1 TB rinsed salt-preserved capers (Aeolian or Pantelleria)
minced olives, anchovies
marjoram

and smear this on the uncooked pizza dough before modestly dressing with cheese and an ingredient such as zucchini from the garden. The cheese is usually either stracchino, crescenza, teleme, or some local California variant, and grated pecorino romano.

We'd consider partly baking the crust first, but with a light topping I can't imagine it mattering, and the complexity would interfere with our wine drinking. I like to bring out both pies, ready to bake, and relax.

The pizza of my dreams is from Sicilian islands, but the above is how our ingredients and equipment work best together.