First Pizza on the KK

[TraderRick]

I used the heat deflector set in the SS linner on the upper rack to cook 4 pies. The cooker was preaheated for at least an hour and the temp was 650 when the first pizza went on. A wood peel was used to load and a metal peel to remove so I could cycle the pizzas one after the other.

First pizza a simple pepperoni was cooked to perfection in 6 mins. It was my best result in many years of pizza making!

Sausage and Black Olive

BBQ Chicken

Sausage and Mushroom

As each successive pizza went on, the stone temperature droped and by the last pizza the top was cooked well before the bottom. Hopefully the new KK baking stone will preform better, I'll find out next weekend.

[johnnyboy]

Great Job!!

Looks tasty!!!

[Conodo12]

Dang!!!!! Why go to a pizzeria?!?!?!?!!!?!

Good job on those pies!

[Loquitur]

Awesome looking pizzas, TraderRick!!! Care to share your crust recipe? The slow, cold rise is intriguing!

Susan

[TraderRick]

Tom Lehmann's New York Style Pizza Crust

From pizzamaking.com, go there and use Lehmann's dough calculator to get the volumes for the size and number of pies you will be making. I made 13" pizzas at 58% hydration. Start low on the hydration so you can easily handle the dough and as you gain experience up the hydration.

This formula produces a somewhat thin crust with a tough, chewy texture.

How to Prepare:

Standard Dough Making Procedure: Put water into the mixing bowl, add the salt and sugar, then add the flour and the yeast. Mix at low speed for about 2 minutes, then mix at medium speed until all of the flour has been picked up into the dough. Now add the oil and mix in for 2 minutes at low speed, then mix the dough at medium speed until it develops a smooth, satiny appearance (generally about 8 to 10 minutes using a planetary mixer).

The dough temperature should be between 80 and 85F. Immediately divide the dough into desired weight pieces and round into balls. Wipe the dough balls with salad oil, and place into plastic dough boxes. Make sure that the dough balls are spaced about 2 inches apart. Cross stack the uncovered dough boxes in the cooler for 2 hours as this will allow the dough balls to cool down thoroughly, and uniformly. The dough boxes can then be nested, with the top box being covered. This will prevent excessive drying of the dough balls.

The dough balls will be ready to use after about 12 hours of refrigeration. They can be used after up to 72 hours of refrigeration with good results. To use the dough balls, remove a quantity from the cooler and allow them to warm at room temperature for approximately 2-3 hours. The dough can then be shaped into skins, or shaped into pans for proofing. Unused dough can remain at room temperature (covered to prevent drying) for up to 6 hours after removal from the cooler.

Note: If using ACTIVE DRY YEAST (ADY) only half the amo0unt as compressed yeast. Then suspend the ADY in a small quantity of warm water (105 – 110F) and allow it to stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Add this to the water in the mixing bowl, but do not add the salt and sugar to the water, instead, add the salt and sugar to the flour, then begin mixing as directed.

If using INSTANT DRY YEAST (IDY) us only 1/3 the amount as compressed yeast. Add the IDY to the flour along with the salt and sugar, and begin mixing as directed.

[Syzygies]

Those pictures are STUNNING.

[Loquitur]

Thanks, TraderRick. I've spent some time on the pizzamaking.com site and those Lehmann threads go on forever. I agree with the general sentiment that the main posters on that group are the Graduate School of pizza.

Susan