Did everyone else already know this about homemade pizza? I've found the holy grail!

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

I've made homemade pizza for years, and struggled with pizza stone, hot baking trays, prevailing the bases etc to get a half decent authentic taste, no soggy bits, crisp bottom baking in the oven.

Today I followed the tips on a bbc pizza dough recipe and ended up with the most amazing crisp outside, deliciously soft inside base and perfectly cooked topping.

I stretched the dough by hand (previously I've always rolled it for ease but apparently this knocks all the air bubbles out that you've laboriously kneaded in), then put the base on its own into a hot dry frying pan. Left it to cook for a few mins until the bottom was browned and the dough rising with nice air pockets. Then turned it out onto a floured baking tray with the cooked side facing upwards, spread with thin layer of sauce and cheese, the slid back into the pan (uncooked side down). Left for long enough that bottom was browned, then popped under the grill to melt the cheese nicely.

Wow - it's a bit of a faff but so worth it! My dc are generally not impressed with my homemade pizza offerings but they all cleared their plates and had seconds. I will never make another way now. Revelation!!!

Yh i saw jamie Oliver make pizza in a pan... except he literally put the stretched dough in the dry pan.. while it cooked for few mins he chucked the veg n cheese on top then put the pan under grill go finish.. so no turning or anything

I just use a frying pan. Put the grill on and get it as hot as possible. Do the base as the OP describes and as it is cooking, put on the toppings (use pre grated pizza cheese which is a mix of cheddar and mozerella and isnt wet). Then after a couple of minutes, put it under the grill to heat/melt the toppings. A lot quicker and I have never had a bad pizza made this way.

I agree that stretching the dough (having made it 24 hours before and leaving it to rest in the fridge, that is the faffiest bit) makes a big difference rather than rolling it.

Ooh, I shall try this not turning it out business next time

These pizza bases are excellent
doughityourselfonline.co.uk
DH does the cooking here and uses the frying pan method

@oobedobe

I've been make homemade pizza for years in my oven and they are perfect every time and better than any restaurant and pretty simple...

No knead pizza dough (get it ready the night before)
cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

Oven at 450 F degrees (230 C)

Thin round metal baking tray with holes in

Roll out dough or use hands to stretch till v thin, Cook for 10 mins

Sauce is: tin of plum toms (best you can get), garlic, small amount of oregano, pinch of sugar, pinch of salt - blend and simmer until thick

Use decent quality ball of pizza mozzarella

Add favourite toppings

Do you cook the base for 10 mins before adding the sauce and toppings?

@utterflapdoodle

I get great results with a pizza steel. It's a heavy sheet steel plate that you bung in the oven at maximum temperature for half an hour or so.

It holds a huge amount of heat, much more than a pizza stone, and transfers it straight into the pizza. Cooking time is typically six to seven minutes. You get really professional results from a bog standard oven.

It also helps to use Italian pizza flour to make the dough and let it prove overnight. Bellissima!

Which pizza steel do you have? I keep swithering on one.

We have a Clementi pizza oven (lockdown purchase!) it’s great and the kids love it. I’ve given up trying to make sourdough pizza bases so I buy frozen pizza pucks from Pipers Farm. Easy peasy! I would love to be able to make my own pizza dough though, if anyone has a recommendation for a fool proof recipe?!

Also team ooni here! We have pizzas a couple of times a week 🙄

marking place - sourdough does help the dough to be stretchy - I use it as a base for making naan.

We use the Sainsburys recipe which is 5 star form 40,000 reviews! And sound less faffy.

www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/bread/quick-pizza-dough

Thanks so much! I’m going to try it

DH uses a beer dough recipe that works every time.

Hijack Could anyone point me in the direction of a 'pizza hut' deep pan dough style recipe?

Cast iron frying pan fan here.

Make dough. All things pastry or dough related are my culinary blind spot - think I'm too heavy handed - so I use the bread maker dough function.

Hand stretch into very lightly oiled cast iron pan. Whack it on gas ring full blast whilst prepping the toppings (slow cooked tomato sauce, chopped up veg, mixture of grated or sliced cheeses ie mozzarella plus whatever wants using up).

Spread slightly meanly with the tomato sauce. Add all the other toppings. Transfer to preheated oven at full whack.

Remember to have an oven glove handy & a heat proof mat - the pan & contents come out sizzling!

I've got a bread/pizza oven in my garden (expat so rented villa). Working myself up to give it a go; I thought it was wood fired but it turns out to have sinister, corroded looking gas pipes & knobs so think it runs off calor. Keep meaning to get our baowab (caretaker) to talk me through its mysteries 😁.

All that kneading sounds exhausting.

We mix equal parts natural yoghurt with self raising flour roll out and bash some toppings on and throw into the hottest setting in the oven.

Cracking

I am an oonie fancier.

Worried about the size though, please can we have photos from those who live theirs?

I only kneaded the dough for 5 mins, it was very easy.

I keep meaning to do this. Now I will!

Yes you need an Ooni !

@Plump82
no 10 mins total for completely assembled pizza, once it comes out I put it on a baking rack to cool slightly, while I get the next pizza in the oven.

Cannot be arsed kneading and waiting for hours for a pizza which is effectively classed as Fast Food.