Another perpetual experiment is pizza. Specifically, Neapolitan Pizza (true, simple Italian pizza). This pizza is prepared with specific ingredients and in a specific way. Time is a key factor as is selection of the right flour and yeast to make the right dough. I also use a pizza steel and depending on my mood will use the kitchen oven or for “closer to authenticity” the Kamado Joe with Do-Joe pizza oven add-on.
Tonight was an inside job. (No other reason, than I was making one pizza tonight and felt a little lazy). Dough was prepared yesterday. My go-to recipe book for dough is Ken Forkish’s Elements of Pizza. I have others but this one balances authenticity with convenience to a level that works for me.
Dough is a big part of this – especially for the real Italian style of pizza, but so is selecting (or making) the right sauce and using the correct Mozzarella. In this case, a brand I’ve found to be quite obtainable in the USA, which tastes good, and at least looks Italian on the outside… The salami was an acceptable compromise from “proper”.
The Baking Steel was preheated in the oven for an hour at 500F. Pizza was protected by parchment paper and put in, then after 8 minutes the broiler (we say “grill”) was turned on for a further three minutes. (Probably left in for a half minute too long but caught it just in time !).
Tonight with just me as judge, I’d say this advanced the Perfect Pizza cause a little further…
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