Pizza prep surface

[james]

What surface do you use to make your pizza? If you making your pizzas on a smooth, stone surface, the way pizzerias do -- where you slide your placing peel under the prepared pizza, you want something in granite, marble or travertine.

As we used slate (rough) for our outdoor counters, I went looking for something we could use for pizza prep, and I found a great remnant. This is a 24"d x 36"w marble offcut, with a pre-finished bullnose on two sides (I'll grind it down on the third side). It weighs a ton, and I think I will just leave it in place. Because it was a remnant, it was only $80. Cool. I think this will work well -- more to come on that.
James

[asudavew]

Sweet find~
!!


I usually just use the formica counters in my kitchen.

But I have yet to complete my backyard counters...

Spring/summer project

Your outdoor kitchen looks awesome James.

Oh.. and get the chef.
with that many people...

Then maybe you can help the guests create their pizzas while the chef cooks and, of course, socialize.

[Frances]

Nice piece of marble there! That'll fit in really nicely with all the rest (how many materials is it now? )

I make my pizzas right on the wooden table top.

[CanuckJim]

James,

A lot the pictures in the Bread e-book show that I use a piece of white Corian that was discarded from a job. It's heavy but portable, so in good weather I can move it outside to shape bread or pizza. I like the Corian because it seems to be naturally no-stick, and if it gets scratched badly or banged up, it can be sanded smooth with wet/dry paper. Four hundred grit, wet, works well on a palm sander.

Jim

[RTflorida]

Good find. I use my granite kitchen countertops so I never have given it much thought.
My suggestion on these remants - check your local craigs list, I've seen several granite installers selling granite and marble cutoffs and a lot of sink cutouts (they usually don't want more than about $25 for them).
Also check the local tile/granite/marble supply houses; the place I got my kitchen and bath granite from also sells remnants and sink cutouts (prices vary on the specific granite or marble involved), but I know you can pick up even the most expensive for under $100. I would think a double kitchen sink cutout would work well...something 18" x 28" or 20" x 30" (I'm guessing at what a kitchen sink measures).

RT

[Richard]

Have garnite counter tops on both indoor and outdoor kitchens. Easy clean up, smooth surface

[james]

Originally Posted by RTflorida

...

My suggestion on these remants - check your local craigs list, I've seen several granite installers selling granite and marble cutoffs and a lot of sink cutouts (they usually don't want more than about $25 for them).
Also check the local tile/granite/marble supply houses; the place I got my kitchen and bath granite from also sells remnants and sink cutouts (prices vary on the specific granite or marble involved), but I know you can pick up even the most expensive for under $100. I would think a double kitchen sink cutout would work well...something 18" x 28" or 20" x 30" (I'm guessing at what a kitchen sink measures).

RT

Nice idea.

I wanted 36" wide so that two people can work at the same time.
James

[gjbingham]

I've got a black granite table, 1 meter square that cracked in half in the San Diego sun. I keep thinking I can incorporate the pieces into the BBQ portion of my project. Indoors, I've got a 20 inch sq. piece of granite that I use for part of the dough prep work on - the pizza dough ball twist. Otherwise, just plain old laminated countertops and flour for most of my dough work.

[Xabia Jim]

A flat surface works well and it's best when parallel to the ground

James, my experience with marble is that it has a tendency to stain and is also susceptible to erosion from some liquids (citrus?, wine?)

so I tend to prefer the granite type surfaces.

[Thirties]

Granite counter top for initial rolling out (yes, I use a rolling pin).

Then I lift and transfer to a semolina-sprinkled kitchen parchment paper, where I let it rest after a bit of rolling to get it back to where it was.

Final rolling out on the parchment, then add toppings. I use a flat cookie sheet as a peel lifting paper & pizza into and out of the oven.

When done, I lay the [now] brown paper with pizza onto a large cutting board for final stages -- cut, serve, and eat.