Pizza on a Snowy Afternoon

Waiting for the Snow Made Two Pies. One with Carmelized Onions the Other Castelli Di Napoli Sausage Peppers, and Onions

Good lookin' snow day project!

Ok - have to ask. We just tried to make pizza this past week, and the crafted pizza stuck to the peel as we were attempting to move it to the stone. The finished product tasted great, but it was NOT pretty lol. Is the peel seasoned? Do you use cornmeal under it to get to slide? Any help appreciated! (btw - your's looks GREAT!)

Thanks for the compliment.  Yes, I do use cornmeal on the peel.  I also sprinkle cornmeal on my work surface when I'm pressing the dough out - it seems to help make the dough not stick to the surface.  Some people use flour, I just use the cornmeal.  I think it helps to make the crust a little crispier.  If you are making more than one, scrape out your stone between cooking pies otherwise the cornmeal will start to burn.  Not a problem, just use your dough scraper to scrape it off.  Don't be afraid to put a little extra cornmeal on the peel - once you've made a few pizzas you will know what the amount is that is needed to move it off the peel.  In the beginning - more is better than less until you get the proper feel.

great looking pies Tony.
I saw that snow on the Weather Channel while I was wearing shorts & a tank top

Thanks Bob, We Only Got about 4 in of Powder  here in Upstate NY. Could Have Been Like DC.or Maryland We Got Lucky.

Good looking pies.

Great looking pies Tony ,especially the crusts !
 
Was curious how long and at what temp were they baked at and did you use a baking stone and what kind of an oven ?

They cooked for 12 minutes @ 450 on a Pizza Stone. We have a  Electric GE Wall Oven Nothing Hi Tech. This is the First Time I Tried a Lower Temp. I prefer 475. I Feel the Crust
Gets a Better Char and the Top Still Looks ok. At 475 They Take 9-10 Minutes. The Times are Only a Guide You Will Remove Them When They Have Reached Your Preference. I Like a Little Char and Slight Browning on the Top. The Sausage Pie would be my idea of the look I Want.

Very Nice!!! What kind of sauce?...Russ

I use Nina Brand that I hand Crush. I Spread a thin Layer of the Puree from the Can,and then Place the Crushed all over the Shell. I Also Spread a Little Oregano and Some Garlic Infused Oil on Top. I Am Very Happy With the Taste.

Tony White


Thanks Bob, We Only Got about 4 in of Powder  here in Upstate NY. Could Have Been Like DC.or Maryland We Got Lucky.

Washingtonville, NY

 
 
Growing up in Syracuse, I always get a kick out of people from Orange County referring to their location as "Upstate NY"
 
In our view (an looking geographically) any part of NY that is west of Connecticut, is downstate.
 

Do you make your dough from scratch?

Scoreader My Sister-in -Law
lives in Syracuse and tells us that all the time. The NYC Media Refers to our area as Upstate. It Seems That The Lower Hudson Valley Area Is Also Used Alot.

NYPIZZANUT The Pies in the Photos Were Made With Trader Joes Dough. I do Make My Own When I Plan Ahead to Make Pizza. The TJ Dough is a Fresh Product But We Keep Some in the Freezer to Use When I get the Bug to make Pizza on Short Notice.

Tony White


Scoreader My Sister-in -Law
lives in Syracuse and tells us that all the time. The NYC Media Refers to our area as Upstate. It Seems That The Lower Hudson Valley Area Is Also Used Alot.

NYPIZZANUT The Pies in the Photos Were Made With Trader Joes Dough. I do Make My Own When I Plan Ahead to Make Pizza. The TJ Dough is a Fresh Product But We Keep Some in the Freezer to Use When I get the Bug to make Pizza on Short Notice.

Do you think Trader Joes is the best dough product for making pies at home if you don't make your own?

I like the Trader Joe's dough - it is very easy to work with and is a great value.  It comes in a one pound ball for .99 from which I make 2 - 10" pies.  When I make a grandma pie, I use dough that I purchase from a local Italian bakery.  I have also used TJ's dough to make grilled pizzas (check my old posts for photos) and I was very happy with the results.  In closing, nothing smells like the dough you make yourself - the Trader Joe's is a mass produced product and it does not have the same smell to it that homemade dough has, but IMHO it makes a good pizza.  I also feel that for someone who is just starting out working with this dough will give you confidence because it is easy to stretch out and does not fight back.

trader joe's works in a pinch. I admit I've done it. I also go to the Italian Market in Arlington, VA and pick up their dough, which makes some fo the best pizza in the area. It's the only pizzaria that will sell you their dough - although, I did convince the folks behind the deli counter at Vace's in Cleveland Park, DC (probably the closest thing to NY pizza in all of DC), to sell me some dough - they didn't charge me much, maybe $3, which made two large pies (14"). Since they didn't normally sell just dough, they were winging the price - and they saw my desperation.

Tback to the point, though, the trader joe's dough is heads and shoulders above any free formed crap at a regular grocery store.

We are very fortunate in that we can buy pizza dough which is much better than Trader Joes.  We buy it at our nearest supermarket.   It is from a local place called Nino's Fresh Pizza Dough and just delicious.  The  1.25 lb. dough ball   is a bargain  at  $1.25.  The mark t uses this dough for their  pizzas  bought in store.