 Re: First Pizza
I've been using wild yeast for a while, but I think this advice is still valid. The biggest AHA! moment for me with pizza (and my current bread dough) was to really let it get busy with the bulk fermentation - give it time to really double. I think I was afraid to let it over rise - but in the bulk fermentation I have never seen that with either wild or commercial yeast. Once it has risen, you can shape dough balls and retard in the fridge. When you shape dough balls, do it like Jim in the boule video - develop surface tension and turn it in on itself enough to align the gluten. Then let it retard at least 24 hours, 2-3 days may be better. From there, you can take it directly from the fridge to shape it. As far as shaping, look on youtube for the pazza pizzaiolo video - that flipping technique works great - avoids thin spots. I use regular flour and it does fine.
I'm not sure whether the uneven browning is due to an overhot floor or an underheated oven. Because you are finishing curing I would suspect underhot oven (oven has not fully moderated). Are you seeing the carbon burn off fully from the dome? My usual problem is an overhot floor - after the roaring fire I have to let it die down about 15 minutes to even the temperatures. During that moderation time the coals are on the side - the pizza area is exposed.
Keep having fun.  |