Is there a trick to pizza dough? I've heard some add extra gluten. Don't know why. Will a sourdough biga style yeast innoculate it well enough? I cook in a wood fired oven and have yet to cook pizza and that's a shame. Thanks for any help.

Has anyone been successful in creating a nice, light, neonapolitan pizza using part 00 flour such as Caputo and KAF bread flour; or any other combination?  I have a home oven that only goes to 500 degrees with a pizza stone.  My last attempt with Caputo was dissapointing...probably due to the fact that I don't make pizza often.  I've read that a high heat stoneoven to 800 degrees is needed.  So,  if anyone has a secret they can let me in on for my home oven I would appreciate it....a Napa CA girl.

I am getting stuck at some parts of this process so here are some questions;

-Ingredients

400grams Organic King Aurthur Flour

320grams of cool water (55 to 65 degrees)

1 1/4 teaspoon of Iodine Sea Salt

1/4 teaspoon of SAF dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon organic florida cane sugar

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Let ferment for 18 to 20 hours

After I dump out and cut dough in half I am not sure how to shape into balls because the dough is so sticky?

After I get two shaped balls (with a lot of flour and I don't know what technique) then what?

Should I place in the refridgerator? This time I am letting the two dough balls rise on the counter for 2 hours and then I will refrigerate for a day or days.

When I pull a dough ball out of the refrigerator to make a pizza, should I let it sit for 1 to 2 hour to warm up or should I work it into a pie shape while it is cold?

Where should the placement of the fibrement stone be?  Top, middle, or bottom?  (I like the idea of the top because of less head room)

Thanks for your help!

I'm a novice ciabatta bread baker. I don't understand why sometimes air holes are small and other times they are quite large, and evenly distributed. I prefer the larger holes. I think I'm doing everything the same way, but I keep getting varying results. I do start with a starter, and I mix the dough with the paddle attachment until the dough creeps up the paddle. Then I switch to a dough hook and mix until it clears the sides, which takes about 7 minutes or so. I use bread flour too. The bread, whether the holes are large or small, always tastes delicious, which is the most important thing, I guess. :) 

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. 

so I need help!! I made the ciabatta recipe in the book BREAD the one w a biga. It turned out to have a crispy crust but so chewy it made our jaws hurt.I know it sounds conradictory. It rose well but the holes were not as good as i would have liked. I steam w a cast iron frying pan and spray after 3 times.after 15-20 min. I open the oven door slightly to get the steam out. I used bread flour as called for. Any ideas on why the jaw working chew????

Well, is been a while that I haven't post anything here and yesteday I decided to try a new recipie for a focaccia.  I saw this guy in youtube doing the focaccia this way, so I give it a try.  It came out pretty good, the only thing, the dough is pretty wet and no oil was added to the dough, but when you let it proof, you put oil all around the edge of the dough.  I saw the video like I said in youtube  and here its the link if anybody wants to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KduGUOW1Tk

Made this lovely pizza on brioche dough... yummy!

Pizza Nirvana.

Last nite I felt like playing with a long room temp. rise using sourdough. I made a simple dough using ap flour mixed with a 70% hydration. OK mixed flour water and one teaspoon of active 100% sd.  After a short rest added one t of salt. Mixed totally with a dutch wisk till it came together roughtly. Rest  about 10 minutes ball and put in oiled bowl. About 18 hours later nice loose smooth doughball. I said i was playing so I made 6 5 inch pizzas using 3 ozs of dough. 6-1 crushed tomatoes straight out of the can. Baked at 550 for about 6 minutes. Fun easy good with one t of sd.  Sorry still no camera.  Patrick

I saw this Kiln Shelf at a good price. (http://www.axner.com/cordierite-shelf-18x18x1square.aspx)

27 lbs. Sounds sturdy to me.

Any thoughts on its use as a pizza stone? How do I tell if it is treated/coated?