New Year’s Eve Pizza – 2015
We have a tradition of doing pizza for New Year’s Eve. We also have a tradition of making resolutions too. This year, Lucy’s resolution was to dedicate herself to AI programming so that she could help mankind transition from biological beings to machine ones eventually ….. so that we would have a fighting chance to defend ourselves against future robots that humans will create will eventually turn on us and want to kill us. Isn’t that precious?
The combo starter bubbling away.
This year’s total AP flour crust had a 4 hour combo starter of 17% pre-fermented AP flour (75g) using 5 g each of Witch Yeast and cooked potato starters at 100% hydration. The total dough weight was 750 g making (3) 12” pizzas of 250g each. Total hydration was 70%. We incorporated the fresh rosemary, rehydrated sundried tomatoes and fresh minced garlic into the dough during the first set of stretch and folds after our usual 3 sets of 30 slap and folds on 20 minute intervals.
This was an 11 hour start to finish crust so no retard was utilized – but it would have made the crust even better I’m guessing. The AP flour made this crust wonderfully extensible and easy to roll out 1/16” thick. We love thin, crispy crust – no thick, floppy, foldable NY style crust allowed - even if piled high with toppings
Super thin.
We had the usual battery of toppings – homemade sauce, mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, shaved parmesan, fresh Thai basil, hot Italian sausage, pepperoni, red peppers, caramelized onions, caramelized crimini mushrooms, red onions and scallions.
Very crisp
The girls said this was the best crust ever and that Lucy is no longer allowed to experiment with new crust formulas. I find this notion to be totally anti libertarian and unacceptable on so many levels so…… we will ignore them even though we both nodded our heads in agreement to keep the peace on the last day of the year. The crust was a very good one indeed and the pizzas were fine but still….. 2016 is a new year and who knows what it holds for even better crust
On the peel heading for the 500 F heat.
We wish you all a great 2016 and hope you too will find your bread making liberating, rewarding and tasty.
Comments
Mmmm, pizza, what a wonderful tradition. Favorite toppings on a crust loaded with great flavors. Love the shot of the rolled dough! Happy New Year to you and yours!
Cathy
Fantastic looking pizza you and Lucy came up with. I was just thinking I wish I had made some pizza dough to bake this weekend. Now the cold has finally arrived...no more 70 degree days for us :(. I'm off to Vegas for the CES show and our big sales meeting on Monday. Looks like Vegas is getting your weather as it is only supposed to get into the 50s and be 30-40 at night.
Anyway, Max, Lexi and the rest of the gang wish you and Lucy and family a happy, healthy and creative baking New Year!
Ian
but a great tradition to keep alive if you overlook the waiste effects:-)Love the rosemary, garlic and sun dried tomato dough! It makes for fine flavor adn the dough makes killer bread and focaccia too!
Happy new year Cathy
will have to let Lucy know about the latest robots and trans-humanist paraphernalia. I had to cover the garden for 7 days straight as it froze here every night It will be in the 40's this week. - yea!
You have that great grill attachment to make the perfect pie too! It is the wrong time of year to making pizza outside though.- at least it should be without 70 degree days!
Lucy sends her best to her East Coast Furry friends and
Happy baking in 2016 Ian
That looks soooooooo good :-) Though alas, I suspect you can't throw a slice this far... :-(
We adhere to the Belgian tradition of waffles on New Year's Day here chez Casa Witty. As for resolutions, I've no idea what the girls have in mind, they haven't told me, but by the way Lexi has been eyeing up the squirrels attempting to climb the (greased) pole of the bird feeder, I kind of have an idea LOL
Me, well my two resolutions are to get back to baking bread - and baking better bread, and finding the time to write more. I have a Babylon 5 fanfic that I've been working on for a fair while, but this last year I've hardly touched it (if writing 3 chapters of around 6000 words each can be counted as that) and I really ought to try and get it finished...
Best wishes to you and to Lucy from me and the girls xxx
makes up for all the horrible Star Trek drek:-) Been watching Expanse on the SciFi channel lately - Nicely entertaining. Hope the new year turns out well for baking and writing Reynard and for the girls of Chez Witty in Dear Old Blighty.
Can't even remember the last time we made waffles around here. My daughter remembers them so it has to be less than 20 years ago. No telling where the Waffle Iron is......