Whatcha Cooking today?

[JRinPA]

I haven't seen clearance prices like that in ages.

I never tried long term pizza dough. Sometimes it might be 5-6 hours if something interrupts, or it gets thrown in the fridge for the next day. But rarely planned.

Honestly I never thought it could get much better by waiting. Maybe? I crush a few cloves of garlic into each batch. I mix it in a breadmaker, so it is just a few minutes to load the pan, a 14 minute mix cycle, a couple minutes extra kneading, 1 hour rise, punch and knead, another 1 hour rise. Then stretch it the cast iron skillet for cooking.

Did I make some today, you ask? Of course I made some today. Always a good chance on a day that ends in a -y. I made a pizza first, and then a pair of stromobolis. I use the dough recipe for 2 pizzas or 4 stromboli.

I usually put ricotta and sweet peppers, sometimes onions in stromboli, but today was just meats and cheeses. The kid at the deli managed to cut the hard salami super thin, he did a great job. A slice just about melts on the tongue.

These are leftovers from early afternoon. They only have a few minutes left in this world...

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[Uncle_Feist]

Give the fermented dough a try @JRinPA . You won't be disappointed!

My pizza sauce is simple, as should be. Maters, fresh garlic, (never powder) oregano and basil. Fresh oregano and basil in season. It's also a rare occasion that there's no onion or peppers on my pizzas.

[Sue_CT]

I don't make my own pizza much in the winter, mostly with fresh ingredients in the summer, and I just pick one up on the way home occasionally in the winter. I don't have them often but I like Calzones even more than Stromboli and I think they are even easier to make. I never see people here mention making those.

[JRinPA]

Pizza marathon, just saw that. I have run my share of those week long marathons...usually they occur in February. Reverse hibernation I call it. I just have to put those pounds back on. Me and the dogs, lots of walking Sept-Jan and then we laze around for the short month.

I think I am down to about 8 quarts of pizza sauce. It will be cutting it close to make it to August. My last pizza sauce year was 2020. Mine is not so simple, but worth the effort. Need to make pizza sauce, chili sauce, probably some soup this year. Last year was salsa and then just straight tomato sauce and paste. If I run out it would have to be simple sauce from that.

So what is the trick to fermenting pizza dough? Into a container in the fridge for so many days? I stretch this pizza dough, never roll it unless I have to, to keep it as airy as possible. I would think it would be "out of gas" if too long in the fridge. Probably what you mean by less "oven spring". I want that loft. The crust on the edge is about 1-1/2" thick and very fluffy.

The first pizza takes 15 minutes with a cold pan. The second is 13 minutes in the same pan, now hot. That is with a convection oven, maxed out to 450 on the dial, but really only gets a little over 350. Been a long time, but I used to make pizzas in the real oven on stones...with a half hour preheat and an honest near 500F - but this easier, safer, and a better result. And no smoke detector interruptions.

[karstopography]

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Aarti Sequeira’s Massaged Kale Salad, slivered almonds substituted for pumpkin seeds and strawberries replaced the mango. Otherwise, faithful to the recipe. Great way to use up some of the black, tuscan, dinosaur, lacinato kale. Bone in Choice Rib-eye steaks were way on sale.

[JRinPA]

In college I ate a lot of calzones. I've been thinking about making eggplant and ricotta calzones but still haven't tried it. I need to think a long while on these matters...I'm told I'm too much of a perfectionist. I want it to be right the first time, lol!

Sue, what do consider a calzone versus a stromboli?
I've looked up a few internet definitions over the years. They often contradict each other. Web pages just mean the person can code. I've asked at some pizza shops and been told, "same thing, but one has sauce." About the worse thing I ever had at a pizza shop, they called a "stromboli" but it was just a pizza crust loaded on one side only with "everything" and folded over and baked.

[Sue_CT]

Oh, around here a stromboli is kind of rolled with the filling in it, long and about 3-4" wide. A Calzone is more like you took a round pizza dough, put a lot of filling on one side and then folded it over and sealed it around the edges. It is a half circle shape. JRinPA , you posted a picture of a stromboli, and here is a Calzone:

https://thecozyapron.com/calzones/

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This explains it perfectly: https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/cookin ... e%20rolled.

[Sue_CT]

I prefer a Calzone because they usually have more cheese and filling, more ooey goey, lol. Plus Calzones are usually served with a side of sauce for dipping it into, and that just takes it over the top.

[Uncle_Feist]

Pizza marathon, just saw that. I have run my share of those week long marathons...usually they occur in February. Reverse hibernation I call it. I just have to put those pounds back on. Me and the dogs, lots of walking Sept-Jan and then we laze around for the short month.

I think I am down to about 8 quarts of pizza sauce. It will be cutting it close to make it to August. My last pizza sauce year was 2020. Mine is not so simple, but worth the effort. Need to make pizza sauce, chili sauce, probably some soup this year. Last year was salsa and then just straight tomato sauce and paste. If I run out it would have to be simple sauce from that.

So what is the trick to fermenting pizza dough? Into a container in the fridge for so many days? I stretch this pizza dough, never roll it unless I have to, to keep it as airy as possible. I would think it would be "out of gas" if too long in the fridge. Probably what you mean by less "oven spring". I want that loft. The crust on the edge is about 1-1/2" thick and very fluffy.

The first pizza takes 15 minutes with a cold pan. The second is 13 minutes in the same pan, now hot. That is with a convection oven, maxed out to 450 on the dial, but really only gets a little over 350. Been a long time, but I used to make pizzas in the real oven on stones...with a half hour preheat and an honest near 500F - but this easier, safer, and a better result. And no smoke detector interruptions.

Yes, just put the freshly worked dough portions in individual oiled containers or bags in the fridge. Let it warm up and come back to life before shaping and topping. The resulting crust will have plenty of POP for several days if it's allowed to come back to proper temp, and used as you normally do.

3 day old fermented dough in this pie. Still plenty of umph in the corona, and the flavor is way more incredible than fresh dough.

[karstopography]

Pizza can be so wonderful and then not so great. However, Pizza at home is math intensive. There’s a whole lot of math involved, sauce, no sauce, how much sauce, what kind of sauce, how thick on the crust, how much cheese, what toppings, on it goes. I want to master pizza, but pizza is a source of strife in our home. I’m in general what is known as a messy cook, my wife is what as generally known is a neat freak. These two things, messy cook and neat freak, don’t play well with each other. My pizza making messes tend to put her into a psychotic episode. Psychotic episodes can be communicable. Psychotics running around chasing each other with large chef’s knives and pizza cutters, well, it’s just better to order delivery.

[worth1]

I prefer the calzone too.
A place called Rounders in Austin but is permanently closed had a fantastic one.
Rounders has moved to another location because of the expense of operating one west 6th street I emagin.

[karstopography]

Every mom and pop in every town in New England had a pizza place. I was often out and about in different towns at lunch and I’d get a slice of pepperoni pizza for lunch, everyone there does hot slices, inexpensive lunch. Many of the pizza places were actually run by Greek Americans. I might get a greek salad in those places. Many of the pizza places also did amazing submarine sandwiches. Great, crusty, toasty bread, real deal deli meats, beautiful cheese, fresh and delicious toppings. I marveled how any of the vast herd of big chain fast food places survived with so many great independent sub and pizza places.

I’ve had a few calzones, but I’m in the pizza over calzone camp. I like that the toppings, cheese and meat on the pizza gets a little toasty in the hot pizza oven on a pizza, Calzones sort of miss that step and just the bread/crust gets the toasted effect.

[worth1]

I'm trying to figure out a way to get the toasted flavor inside the calzone.

[Sue_CT]

We have a new pizza place that opened just over the line in Mass, by someone who owns the pizza place just a few of blocks from my house. They have several new ovens and serve wood fired Pizzas. I am looking forward to trying the pizza when they have been open long enough to be firing on all cylinders so to speak and the staff is fully trained. They are not publishing their menu yet, but I bet a wood fired Calzone would add an extra dimenson of taste to the Calzone. I almost always get Pizza over Calzones, but when I want a change or don't want to order a whole Pizza myself, a Calzone hits the spot.

[worth1]

All this talk of pizza made me get pizza fixens at the store.
Actually the only thing I bought that I don't normally buy and use is pepperoni slices from the deli.
Big slices not wee slices.
The pizza crust will be made with 100% semolina.
It's going to be a stuffed crust pizza so I did get a package of string cheese.
Other ingredients will include >>>>( red onion, mushrooms, Italian sausage and pesto)<<<<<.
I don't always make pizza but when I do.......

[Uncle_Feist]

I'm off of the pizza kick for now. I brined and deep fried the rest of one bag of those marked down leg quarters for dinner today. I served em with some scalloped Kennebec taters from the cellar, Luna broccoli from the freezer and some lunch lady rolls.

The chicken was simply juicy and amazing!

[worth1]

I'm having fried chicken and spaghetti with my sauce I made a few days ago.
Everything is leftovers but the pasta.

[worth1]

I think one of the best pizzas I ever had was at the drive in theater in 29 palms California when I was going to communications school in the Marines.
They actually made pizza from scratch and it was so delicious.
The melted cheese and pepperoni on top.
Little pools of oil simmering on top.
Fatty delicious.
My first one was while watching, 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
That was back in 1978 and I had just gotten over the flu and had smoked a big fatty with my friends.
The next day was finals and I passed.

[karstopography]

I believe a dry climate, relative lack of humidity is important for good pizza. Good soft water might be another requirement. Texas, in general, doesn’t excel in pizza making. The best pizza I’ve had has been in northern or western places. It is what it is, feel free to disagree.

[karstopography]

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A salad, all fresh from the garden. Castelfranco Radicchio, Merlot, and Red Rouge lettuce. Dressing, EVOO, Garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, and minced capers. This to accompany the store bought pizza.