Gravy's Cooking Thread

Maester Chuk_sl said:

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Turning a frozen pizza into a stromboli,

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While these two things you posted look delicious, I hope you aren't soloing those bad boys. But it hasn't been too many years passed that I would have.

I have a much, much harder time with pie dough. It has to be thinner, more precise, and I struggle with it while I find pizza dough easy as Gravy's mom. Slightly harder than chaos'.

Gravy_sl said:

While these two things you posted look delicious, I hope you aren't soloing those bad boys. But it hasn't been too many years passed that I would have.

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of course i tried to solo both, but i had to setle for half of each when i made them. baking the deep dish, i think ill be lucky to finish 3 slices before i stick it in the fridge for leftovers. lurkingdirk, i couldnt make a round shape without butchering it if my life depended on it. its not easy like the movies.

It's practice. I can roll out a pizza dough round every time to fit my pizza stone. It might be because we've made pizza at least once a week for the last five years, and each time we make it, we make 4 or 5. Practice.

Also, I ordered pizza tonight because I'm feeling lazy. Parent of the year.

DDP has been achieved. phat loot pics to come. so far its damned good.
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Turning a frozen pizza into a deep dish pizza. Simple ingredients. Pick whatever toppings you prefer.

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Step one, thaw pizza for a few hours then place into a pan. Pre heat oven to 425 while you do this. make sure you oil up the pan.

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Step 2 add toppings. I just used pepperoni and a lot of it. This is a deep dish pizza after all

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Step 3 add mozzarella. I used 8 ounces. Should be enough

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Step 4
add your gravy/sauce. Get a nice thick layer on top.

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Step 5 place pan pizza into oven and cook for around 30 minutes. Check on it after 15 minutes as times may vary

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Step 6 take out of oven. Took me 30 minutes
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Step 7 let sit for a minute or two. Then take out of pan. Be careful, pan is very very hot. Got a nice burn for my troubles. I added parmesan and some garlic powder.
enjoy

Many people enjoy deep dish pizza.

Dirk does not enjoy deep dish pizza.

Sorry, man. That just looks terrible to me. But, that's just me. Hope you eat that like it's your forbidden mistress, and it squirts its satisfaction in your mouth.

its the first time i ever ate a deep dish pizza, im from jersey, no self respecting mom n pop pizzeria would make one. its why i decided to make one myself. dunno if i got it right. im sure i fucked up by not adding sausage and peppers.

Chiming in on the dough thing:

Depending on how much yeast you use; how long you let it rest; the power of your mixer (yes, this makes a difference) you can have wildly different experiences with how your dough comes out. Did you wipe oil on it to keep it from rising too much prior to refrigerating? Did you add in the proper amounts of sugar/salt/garlic powder (going off an old recipe here, your mileage my vary) during the right point during the mixing process? How are you tossing/flattening it? Do you use a pizza roller to aerate the dough before applying sauce/toppings?

It isn't rocket science, to be sure. But it has some nuances that if you don't get that shit right, at the right time? You end up with a very sub-par experience.

Note: I dislike baking on principle, as someone who has cooked professionally for over a decade in various forms. It has so much more to do with environment than any other discipline, and if you have the wrong environment (too humid; too dry; too highly elevated; too far below sea level, etc) it can be ruined regardless how well you executed your recipe. Sauteing, grilling, carmige... all the rest of the shit? Outside pastry work you rarely have to deal with the extra level of bullshit that is baking.

Just saying, it is totally normal for someone to go "yeah, pass" to the baking portion in standard low-skill home cooking.

Doughs have a range of difficulties. Basic pizza dough is pretty easy though. Pie dough can be quite difficult.

My mother's pie crusts are amazing, and I just can't duplicate them. She insists that using lard makes a big difference, so I try that, I still screw it up somehow. I'ma keep trying, though, because pie is one of very few desserts I really enjoy. And it's apple harvest season, people. Apple. Fucking. Pie.
(with homemade vanilla ice cream)

Deathwing_sl said:

I've never thought pie crusts were hard. I've used the food processor method. I've cut the fat with multiple tools, include forks, fingers, and a dough cutter. I've used the standard recipe(fat, flour, salt, water), and weird recipes(my wife's favorite includes egg and vinegar). They've all come out fine.

BUT, maybe my opinion of "fine" is affecting that. I hate pie crust. As a holder of delicious pie filling, I think it's a huge waste of calories. Graham cracker crusts? Great. Crumbles or crisps that just say fuck it to a crust? Great. I just can't stand how bland a pie crust tastes compared to how many calories it costs. Maybe someone can recommend some flavorful pie crusts. Yes, I get that texture is half the point of pie crust. I've never had a problem with flaky pie crust. I'd still rather eat a crisp.

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I'm the same way. Fuck pie crust, it's a waste of space. When I was a kid and my mom would bake a pie, she'd make extra filling and put it in some ceramic ramekins and bake the filling by itself for me, so I wouldn't have to deal with any shitty crust. WTG mom.

Yeah, I love me a good pie crust, too.

And not just for dessert pies. A good crust can totally change a meat pie.