How can I make lovely thin crisp pizza?

[tiokiko]

I use Delia's basic pizza dough recipe which seems pretty standard, but I am always really disappointed in my pizzas.

I like them really thin so they go all nice and bubbly. When I make a thin one for DH and me the dough tastes tough; when I use the same recipe to make a deeper one for DD it works OK.

I pre-heat the oven so it's as hot as possible and use a preheated baking sheet.

What's the route to success? Am I doomed to failure because I don't have a wood-fired oven? Do I need a different recipe, pizza stone, something else?

Actually, thinking about it a little more (not that I'm obsessed), I think that 'crisp' is definitely the wrong word - was just trying to differentiate from deep pan type pizza.

I want to get that lovely chewy feel with crisp bits on the edge - hope someone knows what I mean.

Know what you mean - am watchig with interest because mine never quite come out right either, they also seem tough.

i have an ace recipe, makes a very crispy base.

i'll just dig out the book, hold on.

makes 2x10in bases.

350g strong white bread flour
7g sachet easy blend yeast
1tsp sugar
1tsp salt
200ml warm water
2 tbs olive oil

1. mix flour in a large bowl with yeast, sugar and salt. pour in warm water and add olive oil.

2. draw mixture into a dough and knead well. return dough to a clean bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rest for 15mins

3. turn dough out and knead again. divide into two and roll each bit into a round, place on baking sheet, prick with fork and rest for 10 mins.

4. part-bake in a preheated oven(220c) for 5 mins. cool and add toppings.

Thanks bamboo, that's interesting - it's basically the same recipe as mine but with 2x the flour. I wonder if the flour:yeast ratio is what makes it chewy?

I don't think I really want a full-on crispy base, didn't word my thread title v well - I want that lovely chewiness you get with a real pizza.

Will give yours a try though - need to get it cracked!

it needs bread flour too, delias recipe seems to be normal flour that you would make cakes with.

I'm intrigued by the part-baking then cooling; am going to give that a try this week

Oh yes, I see what you mean - I always use strong white bread flour though so that can't be it!

it's not shatteringly crispy, the edges are crispier but it's still a bit bready inside.

I make (though I say so myself) very good pizzas!

My recipe is 12 oz strong white bread flour, half a sachet of yeast, pinch salt, tbl olive oil, tbl sugar dissolved into half a pint of warm water.

Mix together the flour, yeast, salt. Add the olive oil and then add the liquid slowly. You may not need the whole amount. Knead until it's a good stretchy dough, then leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

When it's all risen, knock down the dough and roll into thin pizzas. This quantity of dough should make at least 3 12inch pizzas, possibly four if you are economical.

I cook them in a very hot oven (250 preheated for at least half an hour) and use a pizza stone, but they also come out just fine on a metal tin. If you use a pizza stone you get that authentic bubbly base like in a wood fired oven.

Top SPARINGLY with tomato and cheese. If they're flabby and soggy it's usually because it's been overloaded with lots of wet toppings. If you are using veg (like peppers, onions or mushrooms) then be sparing - they will leach a lot of moisture and while a real pizza oven can cope with that, a home oven can't evaporate the water away fast enough and the pizza will be too wet. Too much mozzerella can have the same effect.

Good luck!

I've just read Delia's recipe - I agree with the polenta (it's used in wood ovens to stop the pizza sticking and works v well on a pizza stone, though it's not essential) but disagree with the plain flour.

Plain flour doesn't have enough gluten to get a proper stretch in my opinion, so the dough won't be strong enough. You need strong flour.

If you use a pizza stone you don't need to bother with twice cooking, since the pizza is already 50% cooked before you've even got the topping on. If the stone is properly heated the base should be bubbling and rising before you've even put the tomato on.

I use the following recipe (Makes 3 large pizzas)

10oz Bread flour
1/2 packet of quick yeast
pinch of salt
150ml warm water
25ml olive oil

Mix everything in a large bowl in the order of the listed ingredients until it forms a ball.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until supple.

Divide into 3 balls and put it in an oiled mixing bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for at least an hour.

When you are ready to put the toppings on, roll out each ball using a rolling pin.

I cook mine at gas 8 on the top shelf (or as near as possible as I do 3 at a time) for at least 10 minutes depending on which shelf they're on.

Always comes out perfectly thin and crispy and it's DS and DH's favourite meal.

I always put olive oil (drizzle) on the base, or over the topping just before putting it in the oven, and i always sprinkle water along the edges, they are always soft and chewy.

Thanks everyone, all sound good.

Should have made clear in my OP that I don't use plain flour as per Delia - I am obviously crap at reading recipes as I have always used strong bread flour, so don't think that's where the problem lies.

YoungVisiters I agree re: sauce & toppings. I think (v modestly) that I've got the sauce sorted, only use a tiny bit and it's lovely. Generally just use buffalo mozzarella then something like olives/salami so I don't think the toppings are to blame. I use the same temp/timings as you so I reckon it's down to the recipe and/or pizza stone if yours works well - will try both and see what works.

OTT I like the idea of sprinkling water on the edges, that's definitely worth a try. I drizzle olive oil over before baking so don't think that's the culprit either - thanks for the water tip, good idea.

I use ciabatta bread mix, warm water and a bit of olive oil- really thin and crispy

I've always had fabulous results with this Dan Lepard pizza dough recipe:

1/2 tsp fresh yeast (can use half a packet of the dried stuff)
150g of warm water
2 tsp caster sugar
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
150g "00" flour
100g strong white flour
3/4 tsp sea salt

Whisk yeast with water and sugar, then pour on top of flours. Stir together until sticky mess. Cover for 10 min. Lightly knead flour then let rise in warm place for 1 and a half hours

It results in a light, chewy crust. In terms of crispy, the best results I've had is to place my baking stone in the barbeque, let it get super hot, then place my pizzas there.

Bamboo - can your recipe be frozen and if so at what stage, and then how would you use it once frozen?

Takeaway pizzas can be quite expensive and frozen ones from the supermarket always have that soggy base but it is really simple, cheap and quick to make your own.

Ingredients

* FOR THE BASE
* 150g Strong Flour
* ½ tsp Yeast
* ½ tsp Salt
* 1 tbsp Olive Oil
* 100ml Water (warm)
* FOR THE TOPPING
* 100m Pasatta
* 1 Clove Garlic
* 1 tsp Basil
* 125g Grated Mozzarella

Method

* For the base,

  Pour the flour, salt and yeast into a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Now add the water and olive oil to the well. Mix together with a wooden spoon, be sure to push the dough along the sides and bottom of the bowl to pick up all the dough. If the mixture is a bit too dry and a little more water, if it is too wet add a bit more flour.

  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Leave to rest for a further 5 minutes. With a rolling pin roll the dough out into a circle about 2/3 mm tick. Transfer to a pizza stone or large baking tray and add the topping.

  For the topping,

  Crush the clove of garlic with the pasatta and basil, spread across the pizza base using a spoon. Be sure to leave a gap at the edge for the crust.

  Sprinkle the grated mozzarella evenly over the top of the pasatta.

  Cooking,

  Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C for 10 minutes.

Tips

* Great toppings could include roast chicken, prosciutto, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes etc.

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I use Lebanese bread. It's round and thin. And ready made. Not sure if it is widely available in the UK, though.

suacysausage- the recipe says it's suitable for freezing but doesn't say at which stage. i would do it after the second kneading.

def polenta. i sprinkle it on the baking sheet. and leaving to rise 3 times before shaping.

Thanks all for the replies - I already use polenta, think it works well.

Fishie when you say leave it to rise 3 times, how long do you leave it in total? Assume you mean mix/knead it, leave to rise, knock back, rise, knock back, rise, knock back then cook?

i think delia's right - it works better with softer flour because it's easier to roll out thin. i use half and half strong and plain or 00 flour. also make the dough as wet as you can.

if i ever get round to it i am going to try rolling the dough out in my pasta roller.

i see dan lepard is with me so it MUST be right. he is bread god.

Definitely need a bit of salt for taste, as well as olive oil - the oil really makes a difference to the flavour too. It's a great way of getting wee ones to eat veg too - I put mushrooms and peppers into the tomato base then blend it before spreading it on top, the kids have no idea, hee hee. Buy ready grated cheese too for quickness.
This is making me really hungry!