Homemade Neapolitan pizza - more bubbles?

[Hyperion]

Last time I posted a question about my homemade neapolitan pizza's edge being too tough and dry.

This time I increased hydration in the pizza dough and also decreased the size from 13in to 12in, resulting in a moist, tender and still charred pizza edge, tasting much better:

But I'm still complaining.

Look at an authentic neapolitan pizza here:

Do you see how the edge is so bubbly, bubbles connecting to bubbles and I bet the edge tastes very soft and airy, and I'm trying to achieve that affect in a home oven.

While I acknowledge the commercial pizza oven being 800F floor level and 1000F at dome, I'm not sure if the bubbly effect is caused by high temperature alone? Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[justplainbill]

Increased hydration was a good idea. Try going back to 13 or 14" diameter. Hope you're storing your dough in the fridge or (Neopolitan ice box ) at least overnight and that you are thoroughly preheating (minimum 1 hour) your pizza stone. Adding milk to your dough mix can help add to the chewiness of a still crisp crust. Painting the exposed crust with olive oil can retard darkening and drying.

 

[Aunt Bea]

That is a nice pie!

Maybe if after you make the pizza you give it 20 minutes before you pop it in the oven it might start to rise and start a few bubbles.

I would be happy to eat your mistakes if you want to keep trying, send em over!

 

[Hyperion]

Increased hydration was a good idea. Try going back to 13 or 14" diameter. Hope you're storing your dough in the fridge or (Neopolitan ice box ) at least overnight and that you are thoroughly preheating (minimum 1 hour) your pizza stone. Adding milk to your dough mix can help add to the chewiness of a still crisp crust. Painting the exposed crust with olive oil can retard darkening and drying.

I should try going back to 13' (problem is, after stretching to that size, the center tends to become too thin), add milk, and preheating the stone longer.
I have doubts about painting olive oil on dough though, because in the past I have experienced that the oil makes the surface of the dough too crispy BEFORE it has time to rise, resulting in a toothing cookie consistency.

That is a nice pie!

Maybe if after you make the pizza you give it 20 minutes before you pop it in the oven it might start to rise and start a few bubbles.

I would be happy to eat your mistakes if you want to keep trying, send em over!

I agree, I should let it rest/rise after shaping and before applying topping. this also gives time to the stone to get hotter.

 

[Aunt Bea]

If you brush it with water instead of oil that might slow browning but, it will get crisp. Also I would set the pie up and let the whole thing rest. If you let just the crust rest you may get a thicker bready crust overall and not just on the edges.

 

[Hyperion]

If you brush it with water instead of oil that might slow browning but, it will get crisp. Also I would set the pie up and let the whole thing rest. If you let just the crust rest you may get a thicker bready crust overall and not just on the edges.

My sauce is very watery and I'm afraid if I let the whole thing rest it'll stick to the board permanently
Oh why is my sauce watery... because it's made from whole fresh tomato minus skin and seeds (just the "shell") and olive oil.
Actually I might prefer a thicker overall dough because the center is way too thin after I stretch out the pizza

 

[justplainbill]

I agree that making a good pie is quite a challenge. What's most mystifying is that sometimes one can go to a local parlor, that makes the kind of pie you like, watch them assemble and bake the pie; but still be unable to repeat the results at home. The answer would seem to be either / and they are using a different dough or their ovens are a lot hotter. With respect to the hotness of the oven issue, it seems to me the average bake time in many parlors is about 15 minutes. This leads me to conclude they are not baking at much over 500F (unless their dough is a lot colder than room temp).

 

[Hyperion]

I agree that making a good pie is quite a challenge. What's most mystifying is that sometimes one can go to a local parlor, that makes the kind of pie you like, watch them assemble and bake the pie; but still be unable to repeat the results at home. The answer would seem to be either / and they are using a different dough or their ovens are a lot hotter. With respect to the hotness of the oven issue, it seems to me the average bake time in many parlors is about 15 minutes. This leads me to conclude they are not baking at much over 500F (unless their dough is a lot colder than room temp).

15 minutes will turn any of my pizzas into cracker at 500 lol

 

[Selkie]

I think I said before... 7-9 minutes at 500 degrees.

 

[Hyperion]

I think I said before... 7-9 minutes at 500 degrees.

depends on how thick it is though. mine takes 5 minutes to cook. any longer the dough will dry

 

[justplainbill]

I think I said before... 7-9 minutes at 500 degrees.

Fresh tomatoes will still be quite watery after 7 - 9 minutes.

 

[Selkie]

Fresh tomatoes will still be quite watery after 7 - 9 minutes.

Not if they are thinly sliced. I adjust cooking time for a. The cheese to brown, and b. the Crust edge to bubble and toast. Everything else is on its own.

 

[Hyperion]

Not if they are thinly sliced. I adjust cooking time for a. The cheese to brown, and b. the Crust edge to bubble and toast. Everything else is on its own.

in fact I crush my tomato rather than slicing them. also I don't think the cheese on a pizza margherita is supposed to brown.

 

[Zhizara]

I'm sorry, Hyperion, but those two pies look practically identical to me.

 

[Hyperion]

I'm sorry, Hyperion, but those two pies look practically identical to me.

that's the highest praise lol. thanks

 

[Aunt Bea]

One last thought on the heat in your home oven.

Play with the location of your stone. If you use a gas oven the stone could rest on the floor of the oven, also heat rises so you could try the top of the oven. The bubbles you are after are the result of high heat creating steam in the crust.

Also we could all be over thinking this. The guys in my local pizza shop just make pizza, no big deal. Bubbles ? Whatta ya talkin bout bubbles?

 

[roadfix]

Wow, your pizza is looking good!

I wish I can find 00 flour in bulk around here so I can bake them at very high temps. I can only get them in 1 kilo bags which are quite expensive.

 

[Hyperion]

One last thought on the heat in your home oven.

Play with the location of your stone. If you use a gas oven the stone could rest on the floor of the oven, also heat rises so you could try the top of the oven. The bubbles you are after are the result of high heat creating steam in the crust.

Also we could all be over thinking this. The guys in my local pizza shop just make pizza, no big deal. Bubbles ? Whatta ya talkin bout bubbles?

lol yea I know... most americans see pizza as pies with smooth, uniform edge like on a pizza hut commercial.

 

[Aunt Bea]

lol yea I know... most americans see pizza as pies with smooth, uniform edge like on a pizza hut commercial.

Todd English says never trust a round pizza