Your Pizza Dough Recipe Stinks...

Here's the story: I make pizza. I love to make pizza. I love teaching people how to make pizza.

If you want a copy of my pizza dough recipe, you can get it here.

I don't pretend it is the best pizza dough recipe. But I am quite sure it is not the worst pizza dough recipe.

Or that's what I thought, until I got the following email from Toby.

Toby writes:

I just. tried your "dough" recipe and wish I hadn't wasted the time or effort.

The crust came out with the consistency of one of those southern biscuits like you'd get from Hardee's or Bojangles.

The kind that crumble all over you when you bite into it. Dry and crumbly. And I had even left a half cup of flour out and added an extra 1/4 cup water.

I spent most of my life living in Massachusetts. We had pizza parlors on every corner. Italian and Greek. I know good pizza. I used to make my own but the dough (crust) never came out the same. Sometimes great. Sometimes not so good.

But never as bad as what I turned out today.

Your recipe stinks.

Just wanted to share that with you.

My response:

Thanks for writing Toby.

I'm sorry you were disappointed.

To be honest with you, every time I make my pizza dough, it comes out well. Adding an extra 1/2 cup of water would certainly change the consistency of the dough.

All that I can think is that you did not cook your pizza in a pre-heated oven. You really need to crank up the oven to 500+ degrees F.

It needs to be pre-heated for at least 45 minutes to an hour or longer if you are using a pizza stone.. All pizza recipes are basically the same: flour, water, yeast and salt.

I like to use olive oil but that is optional. Try a different recipe and you may get very different results. Also using a different type of flour amy give you a very differnet pizza. For example: try Caputo or some other high gluen flour for more of a cruch.

All purpose flour will work, but I like to mix all purpose with bread flour 50/50%.

There are lots of great pizza recipes out there. you may find one that you like at this page:
Pizza Books

I really appreciate you taking the time to write.

If you find a recipe you like, please share it. I am always open to new things.

Again, I appreciate your feedback. I wish you well in all of your pizza adventures.

pizza on earth, and in your kitchen,

Sincerely,

albert grande

And for more pizza secrets, go here to Peter Reinhart's Book,

American Pie