Pizza

I was wrong, had risen by the time i got in from work. Completely sold on the Pizza Pilgrim pan pizzas. Bases were awesome. I need to improve the quality of my cheese & toms though. Smart price mozza and napolina toms just not cutting it.

^So I was probably going to use Napolina only because I thought that wouldbe the best quality the local Asda would stock. If not that, what should I go for?

They weren't bad, but there is definitely better out there.

You need to cook your toms sauce down 'till sweet. I use passata or (thinned, then reduced) puree.

Cheese news...

Garofalo mozzarella is very tasty and good quality cheese. It's a Campangna buffalo cheese sold in a tub but great value (£2.35 so half the price of Cantile). You can buy it at Ocado or Waitrose. Recommended.

My bases last night were my best yet but unfornunately the topping pooled a bit so I need to shape the dough a bit more in the pan. This pizza making is compelling!

I agree, Im getting obsessed and I've never even made dough in my life.

Tried the pan method last night. omg. converted.

I can't believe I've actually contributed something of worth to this forum.

re: sauce, I prefer mine uncooked, just blitzed tinned tomatoes and the freshest basil possible. With a generous squeeze of puree if I feel like it needs more oomph

And garlic.

I tried the pan method, never doing it another way again. Brilliant :D

Pics or it didn't happen! winky face thing

Obviously all variations are good if they are good but garlic doesn't feature in the best sauces I've tasted. They are really simple – made from scratch with the skins sieved out or from blitzed tinned toms or quicker versions made with pasata or puree. One nice tip was to use a bouquet garni style bunch of herbs whilst cooking (then lift that out) or basil leaves (added late). Never both. Quite a lot of salt seems to feature but not pepper.

It happened, but with two kids and trying to feed them and us, there were no time for pics. But be re-assured the base had the right black spots and the crust had a great snap. Need to adjust my dough, but really happy with first pan pizza...

what pans are you guys using? need to purchase a new one as ours is warped and this might help influence the decision.

I've just discovered Yard Sale Pizza in Hackney/Clapton
Best in the area I've found

Made l;ast night with campagna buffalo mozza and san marzono tinned toms, which were blitzed and some salt and basil added, beautiful. Also experimented with some other toppings, Walnut, Blue Cheese & Apple and Prosciuttio, Hazelnut & Fig both being very sucessful. Need to take some pics next time, but generally i just wann eat.

I used the cheapest, heaviest skillet IKEA had to offer. I bought it ages ago for no reason really, I don't use it for anything.
Now its found its purpose, like it knew all along, just sitting there patiently in a cupboard.

"soon..."

Does 00 flour exist under another name? It seems hard to find.

Waitrose and Asda do it, waitrose suprisingly being significantly cheaper than Asda

@miro_o yep, "strong" flour is pretty much the same I think... but dont mess about, get the best proper "00" flour you can...

Nearest Tesco Asda and Sainburys might stock Mc Dougalls 00 flour, else any Italian deli usually has it I get mine from Gennaro's in Lewisham

Deli is cheaper than the supermarkets too.

Cheltenham's only Italian grocery shop has an email. Thanks all.

I find that the pilgrims recipe gives me a real sloppy base due to the tomatoes not being reduced. Second time I used bottled passata and reduced it a bit before use and for a much better result but it was quite sweet. Any tips?

Ohhhh I never used their sauce recipe... I used 2 tins of these and cooked em down for 30 mins (after blending and sieving them).
http://www.nifeislife.com/marzano-tomatoes-400g-p-3130.html

Oh and also, if anyone who is struggling to find decent flour I have a spare bag of this in Ec2

http://www.nifeislife.com/caputo-wheat-flour-p-669.html