QUESTION: Why are some pizzas baked right on the oven deck while others are first baked on a screen and then finished on the deck? ANSWER: Many pizza makers prep the pizza skin on a screen, bake it in the oven for a couple of minutes on the … More
Creating healthier pies and distinctive sauces
Question: Many of our customers want to see healthier pizzas on our menu. What do you suggest? Answer: More and more pizza lovers want healthier options these days, and many pizza restaurants have responded, changing their recipes for some pizzas to accommodate the growing demand. Some pizzerias even distinguish these … More
Tips for using a hot press
QUESTION: We use a hot press with a heated top and bottom to form our crusts/pizza skins. What are the best top and bottom temperatures for pressing our dough? ANSWER: The heat from the top and bottom press plates helps to relax the dough for improved pressing characteristics with … More
Tips for a faster slice
QUESTION: We have an opportunity to open a pizza shop in a mall food court. The store will be small, and we would like to sell pizza by the slice. In your opinion, what is the best way to ensure the fastest turnaround on orders when dealing with slices? ANSWER: … More
How to Freeze Pizza Dough for Later Use
Q: Can I freeze my pizza dough? Yes, pizza dough can definitely be frozen, but it cannot be frozen indefinitely. There are three very different dough freezing methods. Mechanical blast freezing employs temperatures between -20°F and -35°F, combined with an airflow of 600 to 800 linear feet per minute. Another … More
Neapolitan Pizza Dough
PMQ’s test kitchen is now open and ready for business. In addition to a recent visit from Las Vegas-based Metro Pizza’s John Arena, PMQ’s resident pizzaiolo Brian Hernandez gets things started this month with a special instructional video on making and stretching authentic Neapolitan pizza dough. Watch the video at … More
Creating a Pretzel Pizza Crust
QUESTION: What’s the secret to a good pretzel pizza crust? ANSWER: Lately, everyone’s talking about pretzel this and pretzel that. Pretzel buns for hamburgers and hot dogs are all the rage. I was recently asked how to make pretzel breadsticks, too. Since pizza dough is so similar to pretzel dough, … More
The Perils of Mexican Flour
QUESTION: I recently experimented with some flour that was imported from Mexico, but I soon realized something was dreadfully wrong. When we brought the dough out of the cooler after only 18 hours, it was very wet and almost soupy. Assuming we’d made a scaling error, we tried again, but … More
Extending Mozzarella's Shelf Life
QUESTION: Can you offer any suggestions for prolonging the shelf life of fresh mozzarella cheese? ANSWER: In an earlier column, we explored several different options for storing fresh mozzarella, but there are some tricks for making it last longer, too. For starters, you should not reach into the liquid packing … More
Creating a Crispy Cracker Crust
QUESTION: I read somewhere that you developed a thin Chicago-style cracker crust that maintains a crispy texture throughout the entire bottom of the pizza, not just the corners of slices. What is the best way to achieve that level of crispiness? ANSWER: We developed this method a good number of … More
Adding a Take-and-Bake Option
QUESTION: We want to offer a take-and-bake pizza option. What changes will we need to make to our dough formula and procedure? ANSWER: You can make a pretty decent take-and-bake pizza using your existing formula with the following changes: Reduce the dough absorption by 2% compared to what you use for your … More
Making the Most of Mozzarella
QUESTION: What’s the best way to store mozzarella, and how long will it last before it goes bad? ANSWER: Fresh mozzarella comes in a variety of ball- and loaf-shape sizes and is typically packaged in brine, whey or water/liquid packing solution, which helps retain its shape, moisture and soft, creamy, … More