Detroit Style Pizza

08 12 2017

Back in the 80’s sometime a friend took the wife and me to a place called Buddy’s in Detroit for pizza. He said the best pizza you will eat and it was. I have wanted one every since. I found this site Serious Eats that has great pizza recipes and they had one for Detroit Style.

I did one of their Grandma style that turned out delicious so wanted to try their Detroit style. I got an anodized aluminum pan to use and had a granite square pan too. I did one with pepperoni in the large pan and used the granite pan for one with just cheese for the veggie DIL.

I meant to take more pics of building it but got distracted and only got one of before and after baking. I had a can of San Marzano tomatoes to use for the sauce and then followed the recipe pretty close.

The son and wife came for supper and everyone loved the pizza. The grandson stopped in later and ate some. The only thing I need now is to learn how to remove from the pan! I had a devil of a time with the edge where it gets real crispy. I had plenty of olive oil but it still stuck.

Click Here for link to recipe

Grandma's Style Pizza

Jul 27 2017

I don’t make my own pizzas often since I can get them from Sandman’s carry out. The best in town and ready in 20 minutes, just 2 minutes away! When I came across this recipe at Serious Eats I had to give it a try.

It’s made on a sheet pan and one thing different was he used 6 oz. of riced potato to make a thinner crust. When I re-read the instructions I had missed that if you mixed the dough by hand you were supposed to let it rise overnight.

I did get it mixed and let it rise for 3 hours to try and get it done for supper. My toppings were the sauce, Parmesan, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. I used San Marzano tomatoes for the sauce and they really make a difference.

I let the dough on the sheet pan for 2 hours then spread out, added a little of the sauce and Parmesan and par-baked in a 550 deg. oven for 5 minutes.

I then added sliced mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil leaves and most of the sauce. I baked it at 550 deg. and it was done in 10 minutes. I let set about 5 minutes then sliced for the wife and me. Our son had stopped in so I gave him some to take home.

I didn’t get many pics of the process but below is the link to the recipe. It has a lot of good reading and photos. Pizza was delicious.

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/01/the-pizza-lab-no-roll-no-stretch-sicilian-style-square-pizza-at-home.html

Ingredients except for Parmesan

Par-baked ready for final bake

Resting

Sliced ready to eat!

A Pizza Fiasco!

July 28 2016

Six months or so back I wanted a new food processor and bought a Ninja since it came with a bread dough blade. Me and dough just do not get along; I used a bread machine for several years and had good luck with it. I did make some pizza dough with it. I think my best bread was done with the No Knead Artisan Bread in 5 cook book.

I was just getting some tomatoes ripe in my garden and I wanted to try the bread dough blade in the Ninja; pizza was the perfect choice. I found a recipe for two 12 inch pizzas and I would do a Margarita style pizza with my tomatoes and I had fresh basil too.

Yesterday I got my recipe and ingredients ready and the Ninja set up with the bread dough blade. It came with a 5 cup maximum top and one about double that. I looked at the recipe and it called for 4 ½ to 5 cups flour so I tried to use the larger container but the bread dough blade did not fit it. Should I go ahead with the recipe? Heck yes it’s a tough Ninja!

I proofed my yeast and added it and two cups of flour to the Ninja and started using the dough setting. I then added the flour a cup at a time. I had 4 cups in and it was not coming to a ball; Ninja was groaning a little! Then I heard some noise and looked over and Ninja had come to life and was trying to jump off the counter! I shut it off and it looked like one sticky mess.

I got it scraped out into a bowl the best I could. It wanted to stick to everything until I got enough flour added to make into a ball. I let it rise for an hour then cut in half and placed into bowls covered and in the fridge for overnight. I am not going to describe the mess I had to clean up!

My recipe called for par cooking the crust for 10 minutes on a pizza stone that had been heated to 500 deg. for a half hour. I did mine on my Weber Spirit and a Lodge cast iron griddle. I checked the first one after 6 minutes and the bottom was pretty brown so I pulled it and did the second crust for 5 minutes.

They also looked more like thick crust instead of the thin crust I wanted. I decided I would finish them under the broiler inside.

I made a sauce from a can of diced tomatoes pureed and added some tomato paste and oregano. I made up the first with my sauce; diced peppers, onions and some Mexican blend shredded cheese topped with some Margherita Brand Pepperoni. The second one was my sauce, shredded mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.

I did them under the broiler but had the shelf too high so we ended up nuking them in the microwave to finish. It was just not my best pizza day!!!  I think the next time I want pizza I will just order from Sandman’s carry out and pick it up 20 minutes later!

 Tomatoes for the pizza

One pizza crust made

One baked crust

Ready for the broiler

Ready to cut and serve

My supper

Italian Pizza W/Bread in 5 dough

Mar 02 2014

Yet another winter storm went through last night. We were spared some of the worst and only had 2 inches of snow. They were saying 2 to 7 inches but it settled more south of us here in NW Ohio. It looks like we will be in the freezer another week at least before spring!

After having a heavy supper last night, steak and potatoes, it would be lighter tonight. I had just enough bread in 5 dough left for a couple of small pizzas. I told the daughter in law to come down and I would do a veggie one for her.

I made her one up with sauce, some sliced marinated artichoke hearts and cheese topping. I didn’t get hers thin enough and it was more like pizza bread but she liked it. The grandson said he was not hungry and didn’t want to eat. I did better with the wife and my crust. The dough is just not the right consistency for pizza crust; at least I have trouble with it. I can’t work it and let it stretch it’s self out and when I roll it I get it out to about 10 inches and right away it’s back to 8 inches! Next time I will try working some flour in and roll it out.

The pizza was a layer of Classico sauce, some chopped onions, a layer of thin sopressatta , some Italian blend shredded cheese, shredded mozzarella, sliced up capicola, green peppers, prosciutto, a little dried oregano and basil. I baked it at 500 deg. for about 14 minutes turning half way.

We both had salads with shaved parmesan and Italian dressing. I added some black olives, marinated artichoke hearts, dried garlic flakes and pepper to mine. My wife was glued to the TV watching the Oscars so I served her on a TV tray.

At about 8:00 the grandson said he was hungry, giving him the options from the fridge all he wanted was a bowl of some leftover spaghetti just heated up plain. Then I sliced up a couple of turnips and we ate some with salt on.

The veggie pizza

Making up the layers

Baked

My Salad

My Pizza

Italian-Mex Pizza from bread dough

Feb 18 2014

I thought I was doing well enough with my Artisan no kneed bread in 5 that I was ready to try a pizza with the dough. In the past I was doing well with some store bought pizza dough. I could form a pretty good round pizza by going around the dough and letting it stretch and using my knuckles to stretch it. Then the grocery quit selling the dough.

With this dough I never could get a good start and ended up just placing it on a stainless pizza pan and spreading it out with my palms. After putting my toppings on I could not get it picked up with the peel so just put the pan and all in on top of the griddle.

For my sauce I used Classico, the best store bought I have found. I then put a generous amount of Mexican 4 cheese blend on. I topped it with some Italian sausage, peppers and onions I had browned up and finally some chopped fresh basil.

I had the oven and griddle preheated to 500 deg. It was about 12 minutes when I took it out, thought it was done. Some of the crust in the middle was not done enough but it was edible and did taste good. I served a side of some coleslaw I made up. My wife and I both thought the crust, what was done well was extra good. I will use the dough again for pizza but think I will just form and bake on the pizza pan.

I will save the peel and cast iron griddle for bread.

Sausage, peppers and onions browning

Pizza's done, well almost!

My supper

Flat Bread Pizza on Grill Grates

July 18, 2013

I had made some melted onion and tomato pizza sauce I wanted to try. I also just got my Grill Grates to try pizza on for the first cook. I used two savory garlic and herb flatbreads I thawed out. They were partially baked.

This afternoon I seasoned the Grill Grated sprayed with olive oil while cooking a ham to make ham salad.

My toppings were Italian sausage, red and green peppers, onions and mushrooms with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

I put the Grill Grates on my Traeger with the bottom, flat side up, and set to 350 deg. I let it heat up for a half hour. The flat breads were on for 15 minutes and looked done. Using the bottom of the grill grates is like cooking on a flat frill.

I liked the pizza sauce and the crust was a nice even brown color. My wife thought the sauce needed a more tomato taste. I may add some tomato paste to what is left and freeze for later.

I really need to make my own pizza crust and try just a pepperoni and cheese pizza to get a feel for how the sauce tastes. I also need to have my son and his wife try it; they are my official tasters.

Pizza ingredients

Sauce added

A layer of cheese, then the veggies

Some Italian sausage added then some more cheese

On the grill grates

My Salad

The crust

My Plate

Applewood Smoked Popper Pizza & Apple Tart

Yesterday May 30th, was the true Memorial Day, and my son’s 40th birthday. We celebrated them both last Sunday. For last night’s supper we had pizza.

I was done with the bourbon pellets from BBQ Select; those pellets were growing on me.
I opened the bag of applewood pellets Adam had sent me to try. They are a mix of applewood & oak. I emptied the hopper down to the auger tube and loaded it with the applewood.

I have wanted to try a popper pizza since I seen it on a fellow blogger's site. Bacon wrapped poppers sliced & used on a pizza. For dessert I did an apple tart with cheddar cheese.

I first did up the poppers, stuffed with onion & garlic Philly cream cheese and wrapped in applewood smoked bacon. I did them on smoke 175 deg for 30 minutes then went to 325 deg. I did them about 30 more minutes turning half way through. I let them cool then in the fridge until pizza time.

Jalapenos & Cream Cheese

Ready for the Smoker

Poppers are done

After lunch I chopped my apples & cooked for the tart filling. I adapted a recipe from Saveur for the tart to do on the smoker. It called for cheddar cheese mixed in the dough. I used a store bought pie dough & just pressed some shredded cheddar into the dough before adding the filling & topped with a sprinkling of more cheese. I did the tart on smoke for 30 minutes then went to 325 deg to finish. I did it until the crust was starting to brown up 30 to 40 more minutes.

Apples

Crust with cheese

Tart is done

Printable Apple Tart Recipe

About 4:00 we had some shrimp cocktail for an appetizer. At 5:30 we ordered a pizza from Beer & Wine Depot, not all like jalapenos. I sliced up the poppers for the pizza and assembled it. Store bought thin crust, sorry about that, I am lazy. For my sauce I used Philly cream cheese cooking sauce, Santa Fe flavor, a layer of shredded cheddar & mozzarella mix; then topped with the sliced poppers.

I started my smoker about 5:05 then went to high, hoping it would be up to at least 400 deg at 5:30 for the pizza. It was at 440 deg. when I stuck the pizza in. I did it on a stainless cooking sheet for 20 minutes & just peeked quickly to see when it was done. I should have been looking closer, I burnt the crust some. It was edible but I was glad we also had the pizza from Sandman. The apple tart was good with some ice cream & I thought had a mild smokey taste.

The shrimp cocktail

Pizza ready for the smoker

Pizza is done, well a little over done!

My Plate

My dessert

Smokin Don

Bacon & Artichoke Pizza

Last Saturday I was in a Meijers grocery store looking for tamarind paste. I had no luck on the tamarind but while looking at frozen pizzas I spotted some Tiseo’s frozen pizza dough so I bought a ball of it.

Sunday during getting my ribs ready; I sliced two pints of grape tomatoes in half, placed in a sauce pan with olive oil & salt. I simmered them on low, covered with parchment paper, for three hours. I added some granulated garlic & onion, a tsp. of sugar, and Italian herb blend, turned up the heat some & reduced for about 45 minutes. I then pureed with an immersion blender, this would be my pizza sauce. I also sliced up three onions & melted the same as the tomatoes for adding to my pizza.

I had planned on doing the pizza on the smoker but it was just 33 deg today so I opted (chickened) out of that & did in my inside oven. At lunch time I diced & fried up some bacon for the pizza. I watched a video on stretching out the dough on Tiseo’s web site. I had a blend of shredded cheddar & mozzarella and would also add some quartered artichoke hearts. For my half I also added some diced up marinated olives & peppers, and some fresh cracked pepper.

I removed the thawed dough from the fridge & let rest for 10 min at room temp. I preheated the oven to 475 deg. I proceeded to stretch the dough, following the video lesson. It went pretty good even for a novice, The dough worked nice, better that any other dough I have tried. I wanted a thin crust so pulled it as thin as I could. I was using a 13 inch perforated pizza pan & had about an inch of thicker extra dough. I cut it off & laid 4 strips of it on a pan, sprayed with olive oil & sprinkled with garlic salt. Folded the strips over & twisted for some garlic knots.

I first layered the sauce & some of the melted onions. Spread almost 2 cups of the cheese on then topped with the bacon & artichoke hearts. Sliced olives & peppers, and fresh ground pepper on my half.

I popped the pizza & garlic knots in the oven & set the timer for 12 minutes. The directions said to bake in a 400 to 500 deg oven for 12 to 15 minutes. After 2 minutes I turned on my convection fan. Checking at about 9 minutes the bread was about to burn & top of the pizza looked done. I pulled them out & let the pizza cool a couple of minutes before slicing.

The pizza tasted great, the crust was thin like we like it. The bottom could have been a little more brown but that was the cooks fault & when I get the temp & time down should be good. I will go down to 450 deg the next time & not use the fan. I like the Tiseo’s dough & will use it again. The extra worked out great for some garlic knots or twists. Next time I will have some garlic butter for dipping those!

Bacon browning

Tiseo's frozen dough

Pizza fixins, cw in the bowls, my sauce, melted onions, & bacon

My sauce & melted onions added

Cheese & toppings added

Twisted bread knots read to bake

Pizza & bread teady to serve

My Plate, yummy good!

Smokin Don