Pizza: How Important Is the Outer Crust?

[KD in CA]

19 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

What the hell is HARVEST pizza ? ?. 

Pizza that cost $24 and has lettuce.

 

Right up your alley!

[The Dean]

53 minutes ago, mead107 said:

Pizza crust - Wish they would stuff it with pineapple 

 

Don't even joke about pineapple on (or in) a pizza. 

[Gugny]

12 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

What the hell is HARVEST pizza ? ?. 

 

 

Just look at that outer crust.  MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm

 

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89dfd029fb076689%3A0x40909c69554e043!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNXp4cxG2mddj8VWJLhZYWnnSb70QH0ujtWbQIf%3Dw213-h160-k-no!5sharvest pizza queensbury - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipNXp4cxG2mddj8VWJLhZYWnnSb70QH0ujtWbQIf&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSpvOs6rPqAhX8hHIEHZLtBq0QoiowEnoECBUQBg&cshid=1593873868474361

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

The crust on the bottom is equally as important as the outer crust.  If the bottom crust is not crisp and chewy, the pizza is *****. I don’t care how good the sauce/cheese/outer crust is.  Everybody knows that.  Get it together people.  I’m guessing most of us grew up in the northeast and not in Arkansas where Dominos is 5*.

 

Common!

[PromoTheRobot]

4 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

The crust on the bottom is equally as important as the outer crust.  If the bottom crust is not crisp and chewy, the pizza is *****. I don’t care how good the sauce/cheese/outer crust is.  Everybody knows that.  Get it together people.  I’m guessing most of us grew up in the northeast and not in Arkansas where Dominos is 5*.

 

Common!

 

#AllCrustMatters 

 

They go hand in hand. A great outer crust usually means the inner crust is also good.  And we all know crust makes the pizza.

[The Dean]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

#AllCrustMatters 

 

They go hand in hand. A great outer crust usually means the inner crust is also good.  And we all know crust makes the pizza.

 

 

While the outer and bottom crust are made from the same dough, I've had plenty of pies where the outer crust if very good, but the bottom crust is soggy in the middle. This isn't due to the dough, but rather the oven temperature, I think. Maybe a few other factors, too. But to really cook a pizza properly it helps to have a REALLY hot oven. Many places don't have ovens that reach a high enough temperature to keep up when they are busy. Opening them up to put in, take out pizza and rearrange pizzas cools down the oven. If the oven isn't seriously hot to begin with, you end up with the bottom crust being soggy, especially toward the center of the pie.

 

And every ingredient is important. You have a great crust but horrible sauce, or fake cheese or crappy pepperoni and you don't have a good pizza, IMO.

Edited July 5, 2020 by The Dean

[Mike in Horseheads]

13 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

 

Just look at that outer crust.  MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm

 

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89dfd029fb076689%3A0x40909c69554e043!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNXp4cxG2mddj8VWJLhZYWnnSb70QH0ujtWbQIf%3Dw213-h160-k-no!5sharvest pizza queensbury - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipNXp4cxG2mddj8VWJLhZYWnnSb70QH0ujtWbQIf&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSpvOs6rPqAhX8hHIEHZLtBq0QoiowEnoECBUQBg&cshid=1593873868474361

 

looks burnt to me

[Gugny]

29 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

looks burnt to me

 

It's heavenly.

[PetermansRedemption]

I never even eat the crust, so it doesn’t matter much to me. I just found out today, through this poll, that I’m in the extreme minority. Has to be cheese stuffed crust for me to eat it. Sidebar, does anyone know if any local pizzerias do a stuffed crust? Just Pizza used to, but they stopped years ago. 

Edited July 5, 2020 by PetermansRedemption

[BringBackFergy]

38 minutes ago, PetermansRedemption said:

I never even eat the crust, so it doesn’t matter much to me.....

This might be the most un-American post ever written on TBD. 
 

 

 

 

?

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, PetermansRedemption said:

I never even eat the crust, so it doesn’t matter much to me. I just found out today, through this poll, that I’m in the extreme minority. Has to be cheese stuffed crust for me to eat it. Sidebar, does anyone know if any local pizzerias do a stuffed crust? Just Pizza used to, but they stopped years ago. 

 

1 hour ago, BringBackFergy said:

This might be the most un-American post ever written on TBD. 
 

 

 

 

?

 

Fergs, he's the kind of guy who asks for his steak well done, then dips it in ketchup.

[snafu]

9 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

looks burnt to me

 

Me too. Looks like burnt oil from a deep dish pan, which can be tasty, but that’s not actually pizza crust.

And if burnt oil is the best part of a Harvest Pizza slice, then the remainder must be pretty sub-par.

 

 

 

[The Dean]

10 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

looks burnt to me

 

47 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

Me too. Looks like burnt oil from a deep dish pan, which can be tasty, but that’s not actually pizza crust.

And if burnt oil is the best part of a Harvest Pizza slice, then the remainder must be pretty sub-par.

 

 

 

 

 

It might be baked or fried in a pan, but it is definately not overcooked or burnt. Most USA pizzerias seriously under cook their pies.  There should be some char on the crust (outer and bottom) in a "properly cooked" pizza. That's why I typically order my pizza "very well done and crispy".

 

Just google napoli italy pizza and take a look at the images. You will see how dark most of the pizzas are around the edges. 

 

With that said, the Harvest pizza doesn't look like it was baked traditionally (coal fired or wood burning, very high temperature oven). But it looks nice and crispy. Of course the half with all that crap on it (pineapple again? ? ) is an abomination. 

 

 

[snafu]

30 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

 

 

It might be baked or fried in a pan, but it is definately not overcooked or burnt. Most USA pizzerias seriously under cook their pies.  There should be some char on the crust (outer and bottom) in a "properly cooked" pizza. That's why I typically order my pizza "very well done and crispy".

 

Just google napoli italy pizza and take a look at the images. You will see how dark most of the pizzas are around the edges. 

 

With that said, the Harvest pizza doesn't look like it was baked traditionally (coal fired or wood burning, very high temperature oven). But it looks nice and crispy. Of course the half with all that crap on it (pineapple again? ? ) is an abomination. 

 

 

 

I agree that a crust must be well done. Most pizzas that get delivered to my house could use a few more minutes in the oven.

 

The only thing well done in that photo, however, was blackened oil or burnt cheese. Not crust. 

 

[KD in CA]

On 7/4/2020 at 7:45 AM, Gugny said:

 

 

Just look at that outer crust.  MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm

 

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89dfd029fb076689%3A0x40909c69554e043!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNXp4cxG2mddj8VWJLhZYWnnSb70QH0ujtWbQIf%3Dw213-h160-k-no!5sharvest pizza queensbury - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipNXp4cxG2mddj8VWJLhZYWnnSb70QH0ujtWbQIf&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSpvOs6rPqAhX8hHIEHZLtBq0QoiowEnoECBUQBg&cshid=1593873868474361

 

 

Uh....what crust?   Looks like they cut off the crust then put it back in the oven.   Or else they got it from Dominos or somewhere.

 

When we say 'sauce/topping to the edge', people who are not insane mean 'to the edge of where the crust starts', as in this photo of a pizza with an actual crust.

 

 

[BringBackFergy]

4 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

 

Fergs, he's the kind of guy who asks for his steak well done, then dips it in ketchup.

Maybe his Mommy eats the crust for him. 

[The Dean]

1 hour ago, KD in CA said:

 

Uh....what crust?   Looks like they cut off the crust then put it back in the oven.   Or else they got it from Dominos or somewhere.

 

When we say 'sauce/topping to the edge', people who are not insane mean 'to the edge of where the crust starts', as in this photo of a pizza with an actual crust.

 

 

 

 

That looks like a really well made (and baked) pie. I'll bet the outer crust could be eaten just like delicious warm airy bread. On pizza like that, I love the naked outer crust. Sometimes I wait and eat the outer crust with a little dish of good olive oil.

 

Unfortunately too many pizzas have dry cardboard outer crusts. On those, I'd prefer they just sauce the entire top. I'd say "just avoid those sub-par pizzas" but that's hard to do  where I live. 

Actually what I can get is a decent Bar Pie. Those tend to to be sauced  completely and cooked to crispy.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=pizza+bar+pie&sxsrf=ALeKk03JBirm61pmG12brujNQSnNRh91GQ:1593969255138&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi7yfCZzrbqAhVsm-AKHVUVDDAQ_AUoAXoECDcQAw&biw=1600&bih=757

 

I wonder if J&J's Southside is still open in Huntington Station (on Long Island)?  They had a killer bar pie.

[BringBackFergy]

2 hours ago, KD in CA said:

 

Uh....what crust?   Looks like they cut off the crust then put it back in the oven.   Or else they got it from Dominos or somewhere.

 

When we say 'sauce/topping to the edge', people who are not insane mean 'to the edge of where the crust starts', as in this photo of a pizza with an actual crust.

 

 

That’s not even pizza. It’s focaccia. If I wanted to eat a side loaf of fresh baked bread I’d order one of those. The Harvest pizza (noted above) has a perfect balance of sweet crust, sauce, caramelized cheese baked to perfection. Try again.  

[Gugny]

23 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

That’s not even pizza. It’s focaccia. If I wanted to eat a side loaf of fresh baked bread I’d order one of those. The Harvest pizza (noted above) has a perfect balance of sweet crust, sauce, caramelized cheese baked to perfection. Try again.  

 

[KD in CA]

3 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

That’s not even pizza. It’s focaccia. If I wanted to eat a side loaf of fresh baked bread I’d order one of those. The Harvest pizza (noted above) has a perfect balance of sweet crust, sauce, caramelized cheese baked to perfection. Try again.  

 

Try again to educate you about pizza?  Naah....you seem happy with your Papa Johns.

 

Enjoy!

 

3 hours ago, The Dean said:

That looks like a really well made (and baked) pie. I'll bet the outer crust could be eaten just like delicious warm airy bread. On pizza like that, I love the naked outer crust. Sometimes I wait and eat the outer crust with a little dish of good olive oil.

 

Unfortunately too many pizzas have dry cardboard outer crusts. On those, I'd prefer they just sauce the entire top. I'd say "just avoid those sub-par pizzas" but that's hard to do  where I live. 

Actually what I can get is a decent Bar Pie. Those tend to to be sauced  completely and cooked to crispy.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=pizza+bar+pie&sxsrf=ALeKk03JBirm61pmG12brujNQSnNRh91GQ:1593969255138&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi7yfCZzrbqAhVsm-AKHVUVDDAQ_AUoAXoECDcQAw&biw=1600&bih=757

 

I wonder if J&J's Southside is still open in Huntington Station (on Long Island)?  They had a killer bar pie.

 

It took me a little while to find the proper Italians when I came out to CA, but have been pretty happy with the pizza selection since then.

[Gugny]

1 hour ago, KD in CA said:

 

Try again to educate you about pizza?  Naah....you seem happy with your Papa Johns.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

It took me a little while to find the proper Italians when I came out to CA, but have been pretty happy with the pizza selection since then.

 

Papa John's?   The Harvest has been a local legend for almost 50 years.

[The Dean]

20 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

Papa John's?   The Harvest has been a local legend for almost 50 years.

 

La Nova is a Buffalo local legend. Been there  since the 50's I think.  It still sucks.

 

BTW, IMO the Harvest pizza didn't look too bad (at least the plain cheese half). But it also doesn't look like authentic Italian style  pizza.

Edited July 5, 2020 by The Dean

[Johnny Hammersticks]

3 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

La Nova is a Buffalo local legend. Been there  since the 50's I think.  It still sucks.

 

BTW, IMO the Harvest pizza didn't look too bad (at least the plain cheese half). But it also doesn't look like authentic Italian style  pizza.

 

What is “authentic Italian style?”  You referring to New York style?  Neapolitan?

[The Dean]

10 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

What is “authentic Italian style?”  You referring to New York style?  Neapolitan?

 

 

I'm referring to pizzas made in the style of those made in Napoli, Italy (Naples).   The picture provided by KD is a good example of that style.

 

I typically avoid the term NYC Style pizza, unless it's a basic discussion about the thickness (or thinness) of the crust. I actually think most of the pizzerias in NYC kinda suck. But there are some really good ones, too. John's on Bleecker St is one a lot of people have probably been to, as it is right there in the heart of Greenwich Village. John's isn't 100% authentic, but it's pretty close. Maybe not as good as it used to be, but still very good. (Full disclosure, I'm going on the last time I had it back 3 years or so ago.)

 

If it's possible, I'll get a coal fired pizza every time. Coal gets the ovens extremely hot (close to 1,000 degrees it is said).  But coal is dirty and there aren't many of those ovens left. A good wood fired brick over will suffice.

 

https://www.edinformatics.com/travel/best-coal-fired-oven-pizzas-in-nyc.html
 

https://slice.seriouseats.com/2008/08/johns-pizzeria-of-bleecker-street-greenwich-village-manhattan-nyc.html

 

Also on Bleecker St. is a place called Fiore's. Not really traditional Italian, but not an abomination at all. Reminds me a lot of La Hacienda in Niagara Falls (not related to the La Hacienda in Buffalo or Tonawanda). Tony's Slice House in San Francisco kind of reminded me of that, too.

[The Dean]

Read this from Angelo's Pizza (coal fired, I believe) in midtown Manhattan:

 

http://www.angelospizzany.com/about.html

[Gugny]

7 minutes ago, The Dean said:

 

 

I'm referring to pizzas made in the style of those made in Napoli, Italy (Naples).   The picture provided by KD is a good example of that style.

 

I typically avoid the term NYC Style pizza, unless it's a basic discussion about the thickness (or thinness) of the crust. I actually think most of the pizzerias in NYC kinda suck. But there are some really good ones, too. John's on Bleecker St is one a lot of people have probably been to, as it is right there in the heart of Greenwich Village. John's isn't 100% authentic, but it's pretty close. Maybe not as good as it used to be, but still very good. (Full disclosure, I'm going on the last time I had it back 3 years or so ago.)

 

If it's possible, I'll get a coal fired pizza every time. Coal gets the ovens extremely hot (close to 1,000 degrees it is said).  But coal is dirty and there aren't many of those ovens left. A good wood fired brick over will suffice.

 

https://www.edinformatics.com/travel/best-coal-fired-oven-pizzas-in-nyc.html
 

https://slice.seriouseats.com/2008/08/johns-pizzeria-of-bleecker-street-greenwich-village-manhattan-nyc.html

 

Also on Bleecker St. is a place called Fiore's. Not really traditional Italian, but not an abomination at all. Reminds me a lot of La Hacienda in Niagara Falls (not related to the La Hacienda in Buffalo or Tonawanda). Tony's Slice House in San Francisco kind of reminded me of that, too.

 

The pizza at John's looks fantastic.  The other ... too much/too big outer crust for my liking.

 

 

4 minutes ago, The Dean said:

Read this from Angelo's Pizza (coal fired, I believe) in midtown Manhattan:

 

http://www.angelospizzany.com/about.html

 

We've always enjoyed Claudio's in Hell's Kitchen.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=claudio's+pizza+hell's+kitchen&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEmvX7oLfqAhXPl3IEHancAUkQ_AUoA3oECBkQBQ&biw=1366&bih=625

 

[The Dean]

7 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

The pizza at John's looks fantastic.  The other ... too much/too big outer crust for my liking.

 

 

 

We've always enjoyed Claudio's in Hell's Kitchen.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=claudio's+pizza+hell's+kitchen&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEmvX7oLfqAhXPl3IEHancAUkQ_AUoA3oECBkQBQ&biw=1366&bih=625

 

 

 

I don't think I've ever been to Claudio's even though I used to walk that block a lot at one time. I'll have to check it out the next time I get to NYC.  Thanks for the rec!

 

And now, of course, I'm hungry for pizza. Don't think I can get a decent one at this time on Sunday though.

Edited July 5, 2020 by The Dean

[Johnny Hammersticks]

3 hours ago, The Dean said:

 

 

I'm referring to pizzas made in the style of those made in Napoli, Italy (Naples).   The picture provided by KD is a good example of that style.

 

I typically avoid the term NYC Style pizza, unless it's a basic discussion about the thickness (or thinness) of the crust. I actually think most of the pizzerias in NYC kinda suck. But there are some really good ones, too. John's on Bleecker St is one a lot of people have probably been to, as it is right there in the heart of Greenwich Village. John's isn't 100% authentic, but it's pretty close. Maybe not as good as it used to be, but still very good. (Full disclosure, I'm going on the last time I had it back 3 years or so ago.)

 

If it's possible, I'll get a coal fired pizza every time. Coal gets the ovens extremely hot (close to 1,000 degrees it is said).  But coal is dirty and there aren't many of those ovens left. A good wood fired brick over will suffice.

 

https://www.edinformatics.com/travel/best-coal-fired-oven-pizzas-in-nyc.html
 

https://slice.seriouseats.com/2008/08/johns-pizzeria-of-bleecker-street-greenwich-village-manhattan-nyc.html

 

Also on Bleecker St. is a place called Fiore's. Not really traditional Italian, but not an abomination at all. Reminds me a lot of La Hacienda in Niagara Falls (not related to the La Hacienda in Buffalo or Tonawanda). Tony's Slice House in San Francisco kind of reminded me of that, too.

 

Yeah, like I said.  Neapolitan pizza.  Typically simple ingredients such as crushed tomatoes, basil, mozz w drizzle of good olive oil.  Key is heat of oven (coal or wood) and uniformity of crust “doneness.”  Crust should be charred slightly, yet chewy.  That’s my understanding of “Italian Style” pizza.

[Jauronimo]

11 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Yeah, like I said.  Neapolitan pizza.  Typically simple ingredients such as crushed tomatoes, basil, mozz w drizzle of good olive oil.  Key is heat of oven (coal or wood) and uniformity of crust “doneness.”  Crust should be charred slightly, yet chewy.  That’s my understanding of “Italian Style” pizza.

There are other differences between a Neapolitan pizza and most pizzas we eat in the U.S. True Neapolitan is cooked in a wood fired oven, uses only fresh buffalo mozzarella or fior de latte, uncooked tomatoes for sauce, and has to be cooked in 90 seconds or less.  It should have a thin crispy shell but the crust should be light and pillowy underneath.  A slice of this pizza will not support itself under its own weight.  Then you have thick crust sicilian style pizzas.  These are cooked in steel pans and the crust essentially fries in a generous amount of olive oil coating the pan.  Its essentially a focaccia bread topped with tomatoes and cheese.  Both of these are true "Italian style" and they couldn't be more different. 

 

Your NY style pizza, in contrast, can cook in a gas or coal oven (which actually gets much hotter than a wood fired oven), can be topped with raw seasoned tomatoes or a cooked sauce, is defined by using low-moisture whole milk mozzarella rather than the fresh stuff, and is boundless in terms of toppings.  The crust is crunchier and should be able to support its own weight with a slight fold.  Usually cooking in about 4 minutes.  Your best NYC slice is not a true "Italian style" pizza by definition.

 

Pizza was invented by Italians but in my opinion it was perfected by Italian-Americans.  People like to wax poetically about what is and what isn't a true "Italian style" pizza but most of the time its pure nostalgia based on whatever they grew up with.  Now that we've established that pretty much none of the pizza we eat in this country it true Italian style, why not embrace other styles of pizza like Buffalo NY style, or Chicago style, or Detroit style? 

[Gugny]

7 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

There are other differences between a Neapolitan pizza and most pizzas we eat in the U.S. True Neapolitan is cooked in a wood fired oven, uses only fresh buffalo mozzarella or fior de latte, uncooked tomatoes for sauce, and has to be cooked in 90 seconds or less.  It should have a thin crispy shell but the crust should be light and pillowy underneath.  A slice of this pizza will not support itself under its own weight.  Then you have thick crust sicilian style pizzas.  These are cooked in steel pans and the crust essentially fries in a generous amount of olive oil coating the pan.  Its essentially a focaccia bread topped with tomatoes and cheese.  Both of these are true "Italian style" and they couldn't be more different. 

 

Your NY style pizza, in contrast, can cook in a gas or coal oven (which actually gets much hotter than a wood fired oven), can be topped with raw seasoned tomatoes or a cooked sauce, is defined by using low-moisture whole milk mozzarella rather than the fresh stuff, and is boundless in terms of toppings.  The crust is crunchier and should be able to support its own weight with a slight fold.  Usually cooking in about 4 minutes.  Your best NYC slice is not a true "Italian style" pizza by definition.

 

Pizza was invented by Italians but in my opinion it was perfected by Italian-Americans.  People like to wax poetically about what is and what isn't a true "Italian style" pizza but most of the time its pure nostalgia based on whatever they grew up with.  Now that we've established that pretty much none of the pizza we eat in this country it true Italian style, why not embrace other styles of pizza like Buffalo NY style, or Chicago style, or Detroit style? 

 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

53 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

There are other differences between a Neapolitan pizza and most pizzas we eat in the U.S. True Neapolitan is cooked in a wood fired oven, uses only fresh buffalo mozzarella or fior de latte, uncooked tomatoes for sauce, and has to be cooked in 90 seconds or less.  It should have a thin crispy shell but the crust should be light and pillowy underneath.  A slice of this pizza will not support itself under its own weight.  Then you have thick crust sicilian style pizzas.  These are cooked in steel pans and the crust essentially fries in a generous amount of olive oil coating the pan.  Its essentially a focaccia bread topped with tomatoes and cheese.  Both of these are true "Italian style" and they couldn't be more different. 

 

Your NY style pizza, in contrast, can cook in a gas or coal oven (which actually gets much hotter than a wood fired oven), can be topped with raw seasoned tomatoes or a cooked sauce, is defined by using low-moisture whole milk mozzarella rather than the fresh stuff, and is boundless in terms of toppings.  The crust is crunchier and should be able to support its own weight with a slight fold.  Usually cooking in about 4 minutes.  Your best NYC slice is not a true "Italian style" pizza by definition.

 

Pizza was invented by Italians but in my opinion it was perfected by Italian-Americans.  People like to wax poetically about what is and what isn't a true "Italian style" pizza but most of the time its pure nostalgia based on whatever they grew up with.  Now that we've established that pretty much none of the pizza we eat in this country it true Italian style, why not embrace other styles of pizza like Buffalo NY style, or Chicago style, or Detroit style? 

 

If @Jauronimo was a Care Bear, he’d have a picture of Martin Luther King Jr. eating a slice of pizza on his belly.  His special power would be to succinctly describe the intricate characteristics of many different types of pizza, but then finish with an explanation of why these differences are beautiful and make ALL types of pizza wonderful and delicious regardless of the color and consistency of their crust ? ? ♥️ 

 

[LeviF]

7 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

If @Jauronimo was a Care Bear, he’d have a picture of Martin Luther King Jr. eating a slice of pizza on his belly.  His special power would be to succinctly describe the intricate characteristics of many different types of pizza, but then finish with an explanation of why these differences are beautiful and make ALL types of pizza wonderful and delicious regardless of the color and consistency of their crust ? ? ♥️ 

 

 

@Jauronimo has a dream that his little pizzas will one day be eaten in a nation where they will not be judged by the "authenticity" of their continental Italian heritage, but by the content of their tastes.

[Gugny]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

If @Jauronimo was a Care Bear, he’d have a picture of Martin Luther King Jr. eating a slice of pizza on his belly.  His special power would be to succinctly describe the intricate characteristics of many different types of pizza, but then finish with an explanation of why these differences are beautiful and make ALL types of pizza wonderful and delicious regardless of the color and consistency of their crust ? ? ♥️ 

 

 

57 minutes ago, LeviF91 said:

 

@Jauronimo has a dream that his little pizzas will one day be eaten in a nation where they will not be judged by the "authenticity" of their continental Italian heritage, but by the content of their tastes.

 

@Jauronimo shall overcome.

[snafu]

22 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

That’s not even pizza. It’s focaccia. If I wanted to eat a side loaf of fresh baked bread I’d order one of those. The Harvest pizza (noted above) has a perfect balance of sweet crust, sauce, caramelized cheese baked to perfection. Try again.  

 

Are we expanding the definition of outer crust to include the entire pie?

Outer crust with toppings on it like sauce and caramelized cheese is like any other part of the crust, outer, inner, any of it.  If you need the dough to be topped with sauce and cheese then you're not referring to the outer crust -- and you're not tasting the unadulterated crust to make any quality judgment about the most important component of a pizza.

 

 

[The Dean]

9 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

There are other differences between a Neapolitan pizza and most pizzas we eat in the U.S. True Neapolitan is cooked in a wood fired oven, uses only fresh buffalo mozzarella or fior de latte, uncooked tomatoes for sauce, and has to be cooked in 90 seconds or less.  It should have a thin crispy shell but the crust should be light and pillowy underneath.  A slice of this pizza will not support itself under its own weight.  Then you have thick crust sicilian style pizzas.  These are cooked in steel pans and the crust essentially fries in a generous amount of olive oil coating the pan.  Its essentially a focaccia bread topped with tomatoes and cheese.  Both of these are true "Italian style" and they couldn't be more different. 

 

Your NY style pizza, in contrast, can cook in a gas or coal oven (which actually gets much hotter than a wood fired oven), can be topped with raw seasoned tomatoes or a cooked sauce, is defined by using low-moisture whole milk mozzarella rather than the fresh stuff, and is boundless in terms of toppings.  The crust is crunchier and should be able to support its own weight with a slight fold.  Usually cooking in about 4 minutes.  Your best NYC slice is not a true "Italian style" pizza by definition.

 

Pizza was invented by Italians but in my opinion it was perfected by Italian-Americans.  People like to wax poetically about what is and what isn't a true "Italian style" pizza but most of the time its pure nostalgia based on whatever they grew up with.  Now that we've established that pretty much none of the pizza we eat in this country it true Italian style, why not embrace other styles of pizza like Buffalo NY style, or Chicago style, or Detroit style? 

 

 

Yes, let's not be complete pizza snobs. And I don't mean to sound like one. I like some of most every style---as long as they are using quality ingredients, cooking the pie properly, etc. But like almost everything, the vast majority of what is available varies between mediocre to crap. Same with art, music, movies, etc. 

[Mike in Horseheads]

Seeing these ad's for "Marcos Pizza" on the Indy race and they advertise Pizza Bowls. "All the pizza without the crust". Looks Deeeeee licious

[BringBackFergy]

2 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Seeing these ad's for "Marcos Pizza" on the Indy race and they advertise Pizza Bowls. "All the pizza without the crust". Looks Deeeeee licious

Heathen!!!!

[707BillsFan]

No matter how good the crust is, I still always give some to the dogs. They deserve to experience good crust too. 

[Gugny]

Thanks to @Rochesterfan, I have a new development.

 

Cornicione.  Learn it.  Remember it.

 

What is a Pizza Cornicione?

 

Simply put, cornicione means ‘crust’. However, in the States, as well as in Britain, the pizza crust is often a term used to refer to the whole base.

 

Cornicione means a very specific part of this base, namely the outer rim or lip. The Italian origins of the name hint that it is a component of Italian pizzas. This is correct. They are commonly found on Neapolitan style pizzas. 

 

This is for all of you people, namely @Beerball, who contend that "the crust is the same throughout the pizza.  'TAIN'T!!!

 

https://na-pizza.com/pizza-cornicione/

 

And with THAT .... the defense rests.

 

 

 

[Beerball]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

Thanks to @Rochesterfan, I have a new development.

 

Cornicione.  Learn it.  Remember it.

 

What is a Pizza Cornicione?

 

Simply put, cornicione means ‘crust’. However, in the States, as well as in Britain, the pizza crust is often a term used to refer to the whole base.

 

Cornicione means a very specific part of this base, namely the outer rim or lip. The Italian origins of the name hint that it is a component of Italian pizzas. This is correct. They are commonly found on Neapolitan style pizzas. 

 

This is for all of you people, namely @Beerball, who contend that "the crust is the same throughout the pizza.  'TAIN'T!!!

 

https://na-pizza.com/pizza-cornicione/

 

And with THAT .... the defense rests.

 

 

 

Crust is crust. Are the components different? No.  Even someone as crusty as yourself should understand this.