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ckreef

My Pizza Journey

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For around the last year I've made homemade pizza once a week. Usually either Sunday or Monday night. I started out cooking them on a kamado but eventually bought a Blackstone outdoor pizza oven (propane fired). The Blackstone is able to cook from 350*-900* and only takes a few minutes to heat up.

Anyway during this time I've formulated 4 different pizza recipes of my own.

Neo-Neapolitan.

Cracker crust.

Chicago deep dish.

Sicilian pan.

Over the next few weeks I'll revisit each of these dough types. Last night I made pizzas using the Cracker crust.

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Great looking pies (super quality on the pics, too, dude! I can see tiny bubbles of fat on the pepperoni - killer!!)

 

How do you change your dough recipes for each type? Love super thin & crispy, so I'm very interested in that one! I see that you cook the crusts first, then put the toppings on and then back to the oven to finish. 

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Great looking pies (super quality on the pics, too, dude! I can see tiny bubbles of fat on the pepperoni - killer!!)

How do you change your dough recipes for each type? Love super thin & crispy, so I'm very interested in that one! I see that you cook the crusts first, then put the toppings on and then back to the oven to finish.

Doing a lot of research I carefully experimented making different doughs. For instance this dough is a unleavened dough with no yeast and a lot of oil and milk. It cooks at around 400*. If you attempted to cook this in the 800* range for Neo-Neapolitan it would end up a burnt mess in seconds.

Once I've gone through all 4 dough styles I'll post the recipe with cooking instructions. Although I do them in the Blackstone pizza oven they could all be done on a kamado.

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Doing a lot of research I carefully experimented making different doughs. For instance this dough is a unleavened dough with no yeast and a lot of oil and milk. It cooks at around 400*. If you attempted to cook this in the 800* range for Neo-Neapolitan it would end up a burnt mess in seconds.

Once I've gone through all 4 dough styles I'll post the recipe with cooking instructions. Although I do them in the Blackstone pizza oven they could all be done on a kamado.

 

Waiting with bated breath!

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ckreef - your pizza pies are certainly ruining my diet. I see these and I spend the rest of the day drooling until I get a slice or two or three or four of pizza! Beautiful cook! :notworthy::occasion5:

TY cc, it's been a long pizza journey to come up with 4 dough styles I'm happy with. This journey is coming to a conclusion so I can fully immerse myself in the KK journey.

I actually made one final tweak to this Cracker crust dough recipe. Turned out to be the best version I've done to date. I wish I would have had some more exotic toppings but I used what I had in the fridge.

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ckreef, love those pizzas, they look so fresh and delicious :iconbiggrin::yeah::yeah:

The Cracker crust idea came from eating a lobster pizza appetizer at Red Lobster. I just had to make my own. Took me a bunch of tries to get it right but I think I've finally nailed it.

I've done it as a lobster pizza in the past - now that is to die for.

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Ckreef excellent as always.

I enjoy making pizza too. I'm in the neapolitan camp. I make mine thin and cook em fast. I believe you know I have a type metal wood fired pizza oven.

Yes I really like your pizza oven. Already informed Mrs skreef that eventually I want one.

My Neo-Neapolitan dough is a hand stretch, thin and crispy dough. Cook it in the 800* range for a 60-90 second pizza. It's a dough I'm sure you will appreciate. Will probably do a thicker crust pizza next week but the Neo-Neapolitan cook is coming soon.

I like most all dough types, here is how I usually use them.

Neo-Neapolitan - thin, crispy and fast. Limited toppings and usually use fancier toppings.

Cracker crust - thin and crispy tastes almost like a cracker. Usually use this for an appetizer or desert pizza.

Chicago deep dish - a round, pan pizza, built upside down. Usually make this as a meat lovers pizza.

Sicilian pan - a square pan pizza with thick, extra light crust. Usually make this as a supreme/junk pie. Whatever you got, put it on and pile it high.

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Ever do a "Detroit style"? Pan pizza, but with no lip on the crust. You pile lots of extra cheese around the edge of the pan to form the lip. The cheese becomes like a Frico. Crazy good!

I'm definitely willing to try that idea.

Do you Still build it upside down??

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No, it's not like a Chicago style, more like your Sicilian. Crust in first - flat, no lip; cheese around the outside edge, sauce, toppings, more cheese!

 

Got turned onto to it at a local joint. My fixation is so bad that every time I go in there, "Small, Detroit, Mambo/Combo, no green peppers" jumps out of my mouth before I can even think about it, even if I went in wanting a extra thin, NY style beforehand.

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Meat Lovers Delight - A Chicago style deep dish.

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Dough, double layer of sliced mozzarella, sweet Italian sausage and Italian seasoned ground beef.

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A generous layer of sauce with a little shaker cheese.

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In the Blackstone pizza oven for 20 minutes then pull.

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Add some shredded mozzarella cheese, diced ham and pepperoni.

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Back in the Blackstone for a few more minutes. Crank up the heat in the end to get the top just right. Pull when ready.

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Crust is just perfect.

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A slice is served. Enjoy your pizza.

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Great looking pizzas! I’m really looking forward to seeing your dough recipes.

 

I’m a Chicago native, and love Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I’m not the greatest at dealing with dough, and this may be considered heresy, but Bisquick makes a pretty decent deep dish pizza dough. It’s relatively light, it holds up well to the weight of the cheese and sausage, and it browns nicely in the pan.

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ckreef - that kinda reminds me of having great deep dish in Chicago, but yours is so much better looking! Perfectamundo! Wonderful pics and a killer money shot! Touch 'em all and take a well deserved bow 'cause you knocked this one outt da park!

TY cc.

This is really so much more than pizza. It's really a dinner dish you eat with your hands. Sloppy and good so have plenty of napkins on hand.

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