Caputo flour pizza on the BGE

[Cigarbque]

I understand Bakers Percents but not your math. But my question is about your dough (Poolish). How was the handle-ability of it when you went to press it out the next day? Did you knead it at much? What was the dough weight of the mixture and how much yeast did you use? Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions.

Hi Tom, the only thing worse than my math skills is my spelling. I will try to break down the steps:

Friday night I made the poolish. one cup of water and one cup of flour and a 1/4tsp of yeast. Mix it up and it's like a pancake batter. Let it sit overnight on the counter covered in plastic. Next morning it's a bubbly foamy sponge.

Saturday I made the dough. Flour, water, salt, poolish and yeast. Mix and then let rest for a half hour before needing. The dough is very wet and very soft. Let it rise for a few hour until almost double in bulk. Cut into 13 oz sections and formed into balls. Placed each one in a covered plastic container and put in the fridge overnight. The cold rise will give them more flavor as it builds lactic acid.

This was the breakdown for four pies:
Water - 550 grams
Flour - 850 grams
Salt - 30 grams
Poolish - 60 grams
Yeast - 2.50 grams

Sunday I took the containers out of the fridge and let them sit on the counter for eight hours. They were about doubled again. The dough was very, very soft and supple. It is wet to the touch and needs a good coating of flour. Because you formed the balls the day before they are very rested and extensible (think I have that word right).

Google the name Jeff Varasano and you will find a wealth of info. The guy has devoted a lifetime to making perfect pizza. Hope this helps.

 

[leanza]

Brian, I appreciate your dedication to good dough, it is my passion. Excellent break down you gave. People just love good pizza.

BTW, I notice no sugar?

 

[Rick's Tropical Delight]

It is the BGE brand pizza stone. The egg is a medium so I am guessing 14" to 16".

the medium bge baking stone is 12" diameter, the large baking stone is 14". you will continue to toast gaskets with a larger diameter stone in the medium because the stone is directing the hot gasses and flames directly at the gasket. either get that large stone higher in the dome or go gasketless or get the right size stone or lower your baking temp.

 

[Cigarbque]

the medium bge baking stone is 12" diameter, the large baking stone is 14". you will continue to toast gaskets with a larger diameter stone in the medium because the stone is directing the hot gasses and flames directly at the gasket. either get that large stone higher in the dome or go gasketless or get the right size stone or lower your baking temp.

Rick, thanks for the tip. I saw a pic of a pizza stone sitting on a cake pan on top of the plate setter. Couldn't figure out what that was all about. Now i get it. I will need to try a new gasket and then raise the stone. Again thanks.

 

[Cigarbque]

Brian, I appreciate your dedication to good dough, it is my passion. Excellent break down you gave. People just love good pizza.

BTW, I notice no sugar?

Sugar? Yikes!

 

[Rick's Tropical Delight]

consider the gasketless option. tattoo, my mini has been having a blast without a gasket :becky:

 

[BBQchef33]

whats a gasket??...

my xl egg/pizza oven hasnt had a gasket for over a year. Then again, it only sees steaks and pizzas.

 

[leanza]

Sugar? Yikes!

I understand sugar will feed my little yeast buddies and...in correct per-portions add one flavor element... But am I missing something with regard to yikeing?

 

[Jersey Joe]

I'm in N.E. New Jersey and I'm pretty sure that on the next pizza making occasion, I could make it across the state in 35-45 minutes.
(just sayin')

Nice work.

 

[Cigarbque]

I understand sugar will feed my little yeast buddies and...in correct per-portions add one flavor element... But am I missing something with regard to yikeing?

The whole "Proofing" yeast in water with sugar to feed it is a myth. You don't need that step. Just add the yeast to the flour mix. The yeast will hydrate and feed off the flour just fine. I bake allot of artisan bread in the winter time and learned you just didn't need to do that. Plus I don't want a sweet dough.

I would highly recommend a book "Artisan Baking" by Maggie Glezer. It goes into great depth from the growing regions and types of wheat to the yeasts, preferments, brick ovens etc. Very cool book.

Also check out the VPN. Verace Pizza Napoletana Society. They are the governing body of pure Neapolitan pizza making. Very strict about what goes into making a proper pizza from the dough to the size of the pie. Maggie's book has a section on it as well.

The best quote I ever read on pizza: "Italians put toppings on their pizza as a compliment to the dough. Americans use the pizza dough as a vehicle for the toppings". I am paraphrasing but that kind of spells it out very well.

 

[SmokinOkie]

I would comment on the HOT water and yeast.

Do not use water over 115 degrees or you can kill the yeast.

Here's my trick for yeast, I think that's the idea of the water/sugar above, but here is an explanation of why.

Yeast can also go bad and be old. I've made a lot of bread (and own the Artisan Baking book too) but I've found that instead of ruining the whole recipe, I add the yeast to a little water (check the temp) and want to see bubbles forming. I have found bad yeast, even with a good expiration date. It's easy to throw out that bowl instead of a whole recipe.

Russ