Uncooked pizza Pizza Discuss Uncooked pizza in the Brick Oven Cooking forums; I just started cooking pizzas today and the bottom of the pizza is a bit "uncoocked" (it is soft rather ...

[masuzzu]

I just started cooking pizzas today and the bottom of the pizza is a bit "uncoocked" (it is soft rather than crispy). Does anyone know why only the bottom needs more cooking time?
1 The oven temperature was about 400 F
2 The outside Temperature was around 40F
3 I used an aluminum tray to cook the pizza

[dmun]

If it's a wood fired oven, I'd start by loosing the aluminum pie pan. Even if it's not, a pizza stone will do a better job than a tray.

400 is really cool for pizza cooking.

Let us know more and we can make more suggestions.

[RTflorida]

Unless you're cooking a Chicago deep dish, 400 degrees is way to cool - even for a conventional oven. There are many variables with the mix of the dough (hydration, type of flour) but unless you are cooking a very thick crust, you should be in the neighborhood of 700 degrees (or more) in a wood fired oven.

RT

[masuzzu]

It is a wood fired oven. If I have the temperature to 700F,do I remove the coal and ashes? Or can I leave the coals (kiln dried hardwood) burning with the door closed ?
In Connecticut the temperature is in the thirties and the oven cools rather quickly.
Thanks!

[dmun]

Yes, absolutely, you want a big fire going while you are cooking pizza. I have a big pile of coals on the side while I'm cooking, and throw some smaller logs or sticks on the fire so there is flame going up the side of the dome, also it helps you to see what you are doing on these dark nights.

You also want your oven well heated before you start cooking. The dome should be almost "white", all carbon burned away before you push the fire to the side.

You want your pizza thin, and thinly dressed, for this style of pizza making. A super thick pizza will char before cooking.

Take a moment to watch James' video:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f41/...izza-5395.html (Wood-Fired Pizza)

[masuzzu]

Can I leave the oven door closed or partially closed? the oven is outside and the temperature is in the thirties.

[dmun]

No need for a door in pizza cooking. It will starve your fire of air, and prevent proper heat circulation unless you have a special draft door, which is useful in getting winter damp wood going hot, by channeling air in the bottom and exhaust up the flue. A draft door is just for getting the fire going, not for pizza cooking.

[nissanneill]

Might I also add that if your hearth bricks are not perfectly flast, then an aluminium pan will only touch the gigh spots of your floor leaving the rest of the pan away from the heat.
Get your dome white push your fire and coals either to the side(s) or the back, give the hearth a good sweep (but NOT with a nylon broom as the bristles will melt at 250˚C), leave your door op[en, put an extra log on your burning coals and cook directly on the hearth bricks.
If you are reluctant cook directly on the bricks (as my wife), then put your pizza on a sheet of aluminium foil which will follow the contours of your hearth and cook evenly right across the bottom of you pizza.

Happy cooking

Neill