The Pizza Therapy Forum and Pasta Therapy Forum

[Buffy]

I am looking for the perfect pizza dough recipe that reminds me of the pies that I grew up on in South Jersey. I have all the right equiptment, (pizza stone, peels, KA mixer and new oven that will bake at 555 degrees.) Many of the recipes that I have used call for a high gluten flour which I have not been able to find so I have been using a supplement called 'Vital Wheat Gluten Flour.' My question is "can I use bread flour instead?" I would also like to know if anyone has a dough recipe that resembles New York style pizza when baked. Thanks for your help.

[dfandreatta]

I use gluten and have added it to bread flour. It works well for me. There is alot of talk about people being allergic to gluten - don't know what that is all about.
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"Papa Don"
Apollo Beach, Florida

[Buffy]

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply. I see you on the web sight a lot.
I also use the gluten with the bread flour and it has worked for me too but there is still something missing in my dough. I thought it was the elasticity but I may be wrong. As I write this I am getting ready to prepare a "cold" pizza dough from Peter Reinhart. All the ingredients are chilled, it goes in the fridge over night and uses only bread flour. It's a different technique than I have ever used and I'm anxious to see my results.

Buffy
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I am passionate about pizza and always looking to modify my dough recipe for the perfect pizza.

[pizza]

Hmmm... the perfect pizza dough recipe? I'm still searching for that one...

I think the best tip I got from Peter Reinhart was to make my dough ahead of time and to let it proof overnight in the fridge. I really think that makes a difference in taste.

I have used high gluten flour and I liked the results, but I do not think it is necessary to use high gluten flour to make great pizza.

In my conversations with the Legends of Pizza,
(http://legendsofpizza.com/), both Reinhart and Brian Spangler did not use high gluten flour. They both contend you do not need to over knead your dough to get good results. As a matter of fact, Spangler uses an artisan flour made by Gold Medal.

I really like Sir Lancelot (from King Arthur), which is their high gluten pizza flour. They recommend using a mixer to knead the dough. I mixed it by hand anyway and got good results.

Most of my pizzas though are made with a mixture of bread flour and all purpose. I think it works for me.

Again my personal rule of thumb is: whatever tastes best to you.

By the way, Peter Reinhart's Ameican Pie,
http://www.pizzatherapy.com/ameripie.htm, has a great New York style pizza recipe in it.
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"Pizza on Earth...Good Will to All!"
Visit: http://pizzatherapy.com
http://pizzatherapy.blogspot.com/
http://legendsofpizza.com/blog

[Buffy]

Great information........thanks

My "cold" dough was probably the best crust I've made to date. We had our friends from NY over and they gave it a thumbs up which is huge. I have not been able to fine the high gluten flour by King Arthur. All I can find is their bread flour which I'm using. For some reason they do not carry it in our local stores (Texas)

I may try going on the internet.

Thanks again!
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I am passionate about pizza and always looking to modify my dough recipe for the perfect pizza.

[dfandreatta]

You mentioned that your dough needed "something."

What do you think that something is? There area quite a few variables when it comes to dough - honey, tubinado or white sugar? Or sugar at all? How much yeast? Breadmaker, mixer, or by hand? Rolling pin or toss? Thick or thin? Stuffed crust? Red sauce or white? On and on - nothing is wrong, it's a matter of preference. You keep experimenting and tweaking it, one day - there it is!

I have started substituting 1/4 C of red wine, or a dry white, for 1/4 C of water in my recipe, which calls for 1 C of water.

I only do pizza on a charcoal grill. I have abandoned the oven. Nothing wrong with it, I just prefer the grill (maybe it's the challenge!).

Rule of thumb: Try something. If it doesn't work, try something else. You can always go back to what didn't work in the first place.
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"Papa Don"
Apollo Beach, Florida