Pizza

I went for grey as I felt the green may be a bit too lairy in the flesh.

Chris, that frying pan method... Do you put the topping on the dough before it goes in the pan or before you grill it? I need to try that.

@Well_is_it I have got my frying pan pizza down now, Pizza Pilgrims method is tried and tested: http://pizzapilgrims.co.uk/frying-pan-pizza-recipe/#.VvAKwOKLQ-U

-Get your cast iron pan screaming hot on the stove and your grill hot as you can.
-Whack the dough in the pan on the stove and top it, it will rise up and bubble at the edges, you can lift it up at the edge to ensure it's cooked nicely underneath but the edges puffing up is a giveaway.
-Put the pan under the grill and finishing cooking, might need to turn the pizza in the pan to get even cooking.

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cheese and fish - Wrong.

Electric hob work with that, or need to be gas?

I've only ever used a gas hob, it depends how well the heat conducts to the cast iron pan I suppose, the pan needs to be really really hot, almost smoking. Electric hobs are a bit shit normally.. @duncs

Do you follow the dough recipe as well? I have always used a recipe with a well proofed biga which creates good flavour. I've never proofed full dough that long. Just curious.

As @Cazakstan said. The key is to get everything crazy hot. What you are trying to do is create a crisp outer layer as so which seals in the air bubbles. I chuck my bass in my pan and by the time it's topped it's ready to go under the grill. Get it as close to the grill as humanly possible. Dough wise I have my own recipe but it's based on @metrocammell s and pizza pilgrims. As little yeast as possible and leaving it to prove over night are winners. I usually knock mine back at least once during proving to get more air pockets trapped inside.

I've brought home some sourdough balls from the bakery to have a crack at that frying pan method - looks great, much rep.

I'm thinking about buying one of these for the garden, I can get a bit of a discount on it, the list price is £380. It's on wheels so I can park it out of the way when not in use. It's a La Hacienda 'Milano'

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@Aroogah I've used the dough recipe but I used one packet of dried yeast, still came out great and I proved for 8 hours.

I need to get some fresh yeast and use less yeast and a longer prove to experiment though.

I'm not sure why I said hob, I meant grill. Have got a gas hob as the electric ones I dont like

Isn't 8 hours in over-proving territory for packet yeast? Would have thought just a couple would do.

@duncs Well you're fine then, I have an electric grill, works perfectly, enjoy!

@Well_is_it I have never had an issue, my dough has turned out perfect, it would be much better to use fresh yeast though.

OK. I use the Ciril Hitz recipe and create a biga/poolish that ferments overnight (12-16 hours) and then make the rest of the dough from that. Standard 1-2 hours rise, then a second 1 hour rise - both in the fridge.

The nice thing about his recipe is that you can freeze it after the first rise. Take it out and defrost in fridge all day and then you come home to ready to go pizza dough. I normally use a pizza stone, I will have to try the pan method to see how it works with my recipe.

Interesting, I'll have a go next time I make dough.

I have frozen my version of the pizza pilgrims recipe dough balls straight after making the dough. Taken from the freezer I left them to defrost/rise for 8 hours then made pizza from there, I haven't had any issues and the resulting pizzas have been great. I am not a chef haha.

Frozen dough FTW.

I Did the frying pan / grill combo last night, it worked well. The bakery gave me 2 types of dough they were trying out - the first much more lively than the other, and a second which held its shape and handled well. The second type cooked through better, the first type did bubble up but was a bit raw at the bottom of the crust.

Ceps, chestnut mushrooms, spring onions, parmesan and ricotta

Mozarella, serrano ham, rocket

Bresaola, goat's cheese, parsley, balsamic

Staying round my wife's friends for the night with the kids and was told we are having pizza, got very excited when the friend says it's time to make the dough after spending the last few weeks looking at everyone's pizza in here. All the other pizza's just went in t'oven (a nice big aga) but I asked if I could fuck about with the grill and a pan. The difference is amazing, proper nice crust and thin, crispy base compared to pretty flat, standard oven jobs. There is dough left for later and we'll be doing more pan pizza.

Nduja. Yum

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Why did it take me so long to realise that my oven will roast a head of garlic in the time it takes to reach optimal pizza baking temperature?

Bloody good crust.
One of the locals down my (BMX) trails bought a pizza oven this weekend. We now have a wood fired pizza oven next to the jumps in our private woods.
CAN IT GET ANY BETTER?

/ends

Anyone up for 25% off a Roccbox oven?
Back to the Roccbox oven that Hatbeard got me on to above, they are doing a deal where if I get three others sold (linked to my sale) then they will refund my order. I would happily split that four ways to get you 25% off an oven if you want?

I already have one order linked to mine, just need two more - anyone interested?

Linky;

https://www.roccbox.com/

What would it work out at price wise, delivered to the uk?

I'm quite tempted.