1487 replies to this topic

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

I have been watching this guy with a heavy Italian accent on youtube and he is funny.

 

"Pizza is serious business, I repeat"

 

Going to start simple with the margarita and try to get half decent at that. I will probably get bored of the taste but I need some consistency to see what I am doing right and wrong. Fresh quality ingredients appear to be half the battle

[rockyfungus]

Honestly my pies with all that mush is too much.

All you need is canned tomato's, salt, pecorino or romano, and a good mozz. Basil is just the icing on the cake.

I do like 90% margarita and some smoked meat when I find it. Been adding some of Juthro's smoked peppers and it's perfect.

My buddy just tried a piece from every pie and loved it. Me and the lady were shaking our heads, saying just wait.

[Juthro]

I've never had much success with home made pizza, though I do make, and like piroshki's filled with a seasoned tomato sauce with some cheese, sausage, or pepperoni blend.  Kinda like a home made pizza pocket.

 

I'm a big fan of the smoked peppers on top of pizza as well, they complement most tomato based sauces very well, IMO.   Makes me wonder if I shouldn't try dehydrating some tomato's in the smoker some time..... 

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

So many type of pizza styles to make too, this is like the traditional, or whatever you want to call it pizza style. Hard to beat a nice greasy pan fried crust most days though

 

[Direct Link]

 

The first one I made looked nice but was pretty much inedible due to the thickness of the dough, mushy, blah. I ate part of the crust and the toppings.

 

 

Second one I thinned it out much better and was pretty close to the thickness I was looking for. Tasted way better but does not look as pretty, the basil was getting a little old and I used all the mozza on the first one.  The poolish was a couple days old now and I used that  honey I got from turkey in it. Swear I could it smell fermenting, like a boozy wildflower sort of smell. I got high and decided to add some truffle gouda on the left hand side. It was nice but I decided a full pizza of it would be too much.

 

 

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[rockyfungus]

Looking good! The first pie looks deceiving. 
The stone is worth the investment will change your pizza immediately. I'd stick to a dough and just try and figure out the proper time to stretch. That's the hardest part is getting the dough relaxed enough you can evenly stretch without putting fingers through it.

Here's an old recipe of mine (Ken Forkish). Let me know if you need clarification

[Direct Link]

Edited by rockyfungus, 12 January 2022 - 08:26 PM.

[rockyfungus]

Woke up really hungry so went for a mid morning snack. Don't put plastic in ovens...

I never reheat pizza, teach me a lesson! Time to clean up before the lady wakes up, thought I get a quick snack and pass out.

Edited by rockyfungus, 13 January 2022 - 09:40 AM.

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

I almost had a meltdown a couple days ago warming some takeout in Styrofoam containers. Broke protocol and warmed the oven with the merchandise inside.  "I will remember to turn it off before it gets too hot, no problem, no need to take them out" Famous last words

 

Forgot to mention that when I built the pizza on top of the baking sheet the pizza got too big and there was no way I was able to slide it off onto the cast iron in the oven without making a mess. So I shoved the baking sheet in for a minute or two, watched it pop and bend, hoping it wasn't too hot, and then the dough had solidified enough to easily slide directly onto the cast iron. Pure fluke hahaha

 

I was trying to get away with my cast iron griddle but it might be giving  a little too much burn. Eating the leftovers today is a good sign

 

The toaster oven is king of the pizza reheat. It is almost worth it to own one for that purpose alone. Right on the rack, warm and nice and crispy. Some pizza is even better reheated in it. It takes some viewing though, can't let the cheese melt too much or it can be messy

Edited by FLASHINGROOSTER, 13 January 2022 - 06:41 PM.

[rockyfungus]

You parbaked that pizza.

Ramen and air fried lions mane. Which is chicken and which is lions mane

 

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

I have been dreaming about making some chili since Juthro was kind enough to send me some smoked peppers. Today is the day. Curios if you guys have any chili tricks or personal favorite ingredients.

 

Going with a fairly bean heavy mix, hamburger and a bit of hot sausage crumbled. Got some fresh oregano. onion, garlic, Tomatoes, celery, corn and green pepper, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Spices. Don't usually use corn due to the sweetness it adds but I think it might go nice with the smoke

 

Used to add steak and chunks of sausage but I realized its nice if you try to make all your ingredients similar size so the bites have more even flavour in them. While a nice chunk of steak is tasty it feels out of place in some ways.

[Juthro]

IMHO smoke flavoring goes well with corn, though I generally don't put it my chili.  I do often use home canned smoked corn in an enchilada pie I sometimes make.  I make a lot of chili here, as I can mix it up fast with my home canned hamburger in tomato sauce, and home canned beans out of the pantry, but I am by no means  a chili master.  I wish I knew some tricks as well.

 

I like to add a bunch of ground peppers, cumin, garlic, and onion.  I also like to add beef bouillon as my source of salt, as it adds some good flavor (my home canned burger/tomato sauce, and my beans are canned with no salt).   If I want to cheat I'll use part of a packet of Ms. Dash low salt chili seasoning (I got a case of it at a going out of business sale, and it keeps forever in the pantry).   A full packet tends to be overkill when added to the spices I've already used, but a little seems to add some flavors that I like.

 

You all are very welcome for the peppers BTW,  just let me know if you need more.  I'm sitting on some fat sacks, and I am more then willing to share with friends.

Edited by Juthro, 15 January 2022 - 09:08 PM.

[rockyfungus]

vinegar (fat acid salt?)

Edited by rockyfungus, 15 January 2022 - 03:47 PM.

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

I like making slow and quick versions. It is nice to have canned stuff that you can throw together.  Today it felt like a solid hour of frying and slicing to get it all together.

 

Funny you should mention that rocky that is what my initial taste test said to me. Needs and acid,  went for a splash of red wine vinegar. This is the first time I have used fresh oregano and it really seems to stand out.

[Juthro]

Fresh herbs are the bomb, they generally have so much more flavor then dried. We grow some inside year round.  We keep the flower box in front of a south facing window.  Even with the low light we get during the winter they do great, and just require a little water now and again.   

 

Rosemary, thyme, and oregano are all super easy to grow and can be planted side by side in the same box.  Plus, if they get out of control you just give them a hair cut, and make your own dried herbs.  They are likely to still be much fresher, and better tasting then anything you are going to get from the local store.

 

Basil also does well indoors for us, but does better with more hours of light, so we don't usually grow it in the winter.  Fresh basil right off the plant is pretty amazing, I think you pizza lovers would really enjoy it.

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

Something I have been telling myself I should do for a while now. Every time I walk by one of those little florescent grow kits at the hardware store it sparks the idea. I suppose I always said to myself I don't really know what to do with them. Hmmm a quick search and it looks like they are mostly LED now. Not sure I have good sunlight window for it so that might be the ticket for me. I wonder how they might fare in a grow room. I tried some cherry tomatoes last year but they did not produce much fruit down there

 

Might be overkill but hey

 

https://www.amazon.c...aps,170&sr=8-13

Edited by FLASHINGROOSTER, 16 January 2022 - 09:53 AM.

[rockyfungus]

I've been wanting to design a little kitchen nook with an led light and the essential herbs. I used to grow basil, oregano, thyme, and dill. Now all I get is rhubarb and green onion.
I see amazing herb/medicinal gardens around. Just been spending my time sweetening my soil. 

[Juthro]

I haven't got a lot of experience with LED grow lights, but when we went to a Nursery in Eagle River last week I saw that they are using a lots, and lots of them.  Come closer to spring we will start up our grow room.  We have to start all our plants early so they are ready for our short grow season.  I used to use a 400w metal halide system, but it was overkill for starting seedlings,  Now I just use T8 fluorescents, and for veg growth they work fine.   The don't supply the energy that is needed for fruiting, but plenty enough for veg growth.  The herbs, and seedlings thrive under them. 

[rockyfungus]

Nailed it! Dough is back to where it was if not better. Changed up my cooking procedure on last pie and it became almost a perfect NY style. Needs a bit of timing work.

Smoked peppers and smoked chilies in the sauce makes it top notch. This brought my sauce to an interesting place next pies I'll try some oregano, thyme, and parsley?

Here's the progression over the night. Last pie being the best and done all at once instead of in stages, also opened real mozz as you can tell by the actual melt...

[ElPirana]

Nailed it! Dough is back to where it was if not better. Changed up my cooking procedure on last pie and it became almost a perfect NY style. Needs a bit of timing work.
Smoked peppers and smoked chilies in the sauce makes it top notch. This brought my sauce to an interesting place next pies I'll try some oregano, thyme, and parsley?
Here's the progression over the night. Last pie being the best and done all at once instead of in stages, also opened real mozz as you can tell by the actual melt...

Let me know if you need any help eating those!

[Juthro]

I'm standing in line with ElP, those look wonderful Rocky :)....

[rockyfungus]

anytime you guys want pizza give me 72-96 hours.