Neapolitan Pizzas in the Blackstone pizza oven with Firebricks

I put the firebricks back onto the platter.  I was curious as how the firebricks would bake Neapolitan pizzas.  The bakes went generally okay, but the dough was highly extensible.  It was also very sticky.  There were two launching errors, (because the pizzas stuck to the peel a little), and the third pizza also had a sticking issue on the peel.  The pizzas tasted good though.  It took a little less than ½ hr. for the firebricks to get up to 756 degrees F.  The first bake was done at that temperature.  The second bake was done at little over 800 degrees F.  I thought that was a little too hot so the last bake was done a little under 800 degrees F.  

When the first pizza was sliced it flipped and half fell on the ground.  The ants quickly found it.  

In my opinion the last NP pizza was the best in terms of taste.  I really liked the Buffalo milk mozzarella mixed with the grated Manchego cheese.  The taste was really buttery.  The Chorizo was also good.  There was some fresh oregano from the garden applied after the bake.

I need some more practice making NP doughs and pizzas.  Dang it was hot out and especially being so close to the BS.

A video of the BS heating up.  When the bottom stone was about 730-740's the top stone was about 870 degrees F.  I couldn't keep my hand close enough to get more temperatures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Ro_peNqlc

Norma

Blackstone Pizza Bake with Firebricks Neapolitan pizza

A couple of things got in the way of using the Ischia Neapolitan dough balls. I think the Ischia starter dough balls got a little bit overfermented, but that was okay. If anyone is interested this is where I brought the Ischia starter out of hibernation for these dough balls and final pizzas. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=32181.msg318421#msg318421

For the first bake on the firebricks I used a temperature of a little over 800 degrees F. When I saw the bottom crust did not burn around the edges, or on the bottom, I decided to use a higher temperature for the second bake. In fact the first pizza bottom was a little too light. At first I was going to try about 830 degrees F, but then decided to try 850 degrees F. As can be seen there were no char rings around the diameter of bottom crust of the second pizza. There is no deflector on my BS right now. I am not sure but think the BS could go up more in temperature and not burn the bottom crust around the edges, using firebricks on the platter, instead of the regular stone that came with the BS.

The second bake was very fast and there was no need to rotate either pizza.

I think I am loving the firebricks on the Blackstone platter. :)

If anyone is interested, the video below shows the bearing mod on my BS and how easily the platter rotates from the bearing mod. There is no noise from the platter turning on the bearing mod, but the high flame roar can be heard.

http://youtu.be/4fIZhCZfHkY

Norma

Neapolitan Pizza Made in the Blackstone Oven Unit

I mixed two Neapolitan doughs using the GM Neapolitan flour and also using Omid's method of being hand-inoculated with fresh yeast like Omid posted at Reply 448 http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14506.msg152087.html#msg152087 I used two grams of fresh yeast though.

Since the batch for the two dough balls were mixed in the Kitchen Aid mixer it was not enough dough to use the spiral hook so I mixed with the flat beater. The dough was rested in-between mixes. I also wanted to try something out on the second mix with the flat beater and that was to mix at high speeds. The dough was then mixed at high speeds for 3 minutes. I wanted to see if that would make a tougher crust or foul it up somehow. The bulk dough was then stretched and folded two times (with 20 mintues in-between rests) before cutting and balling.

I purchased a cheese grater at the Dollar General Store today for 2.50 and went to town on pounding the plastic edges that were all around the cheese grater to make a chau-deflector the best I could.

It can be seen what temperature I loaded the two Neapolitan pizzas. The red valve was then turned up the whole way for both pizzas. I must not have had the defector positioned right on the first bake. On the second bake it was a little bit better but I need to work on that some more.

What I thought was interesting was the crumb was not at all tough from all of the mixing at high speeds with the flat beater.

The Neapolitan pies sure were not perfect but they tasted good to me. It has been awhile since I ate any Neapolitan pies. I would have tried out other dressings but I was not sure how these pizzas would try out.

Thanks Omid, your hand-inoculated method worked well!

Norma