CREATE YOUR OWN

Thank you for choosing Mikes Pizza Gaff! Here is a step by step guide to turning these hand chosen ingredients into the perfect creation and turning you into the ultimate Pizzaiolo!

 

Step 1
Move the dough from the freezer to the fridge. For the best crust this should be done at least the day before you choose to cook, however if you forget then place the dough (still within its wrapping) into a bowl and leave at room temperature for around 3-4 hours.
Removing the dough from the freezer and placing in the fridge will allow the dough to defrost and rise overnight allowing the yeast to wake up, bubble and bring your dough to life.
That’s it for step 1! Put your feet up and pour yourself a cold one, you deserve it!

Step 2
Remove the dough from the fridge, tip out of its packaging onto a lightly floured surface. At this stage all we want to do is turn it back into a ball (no need to knead), the warmth from your hands will help take the chill off the dough. Use both hands to curl the dough from front to back (top to bottom) turning it back into a ball with the crease at the base. Tip! Check out our balling up highlight on Instagram!
Sprinkle a little flour over the dough ball and place in a deep based pan or tub and cover with cling film.

All you have to do now is make sure the dough is in a warm room and it will begin to prove, slowly rising, reactivating the yeast. This should take between 20 minutes to half an hour at around 18-20 degrees C, Perfect time to get your sauce and toppings ready!
At this stage if you have a pizza stone or a pizza cooking tray make sure that it is in the oven! This will stay in there until after cooking. Using an electric or gas oven? Then turn it up to the max! The key is to get your cooking environment to its hottest temperature so that the outside of your pizza is crispy and the inside is light and fluffy.
Step 2 is done! See, told you this wasn’t difficult!

Step 3
Napoli Dough only - Flour your surface and using your fingertips press down on the centre of the dough (not the edges) pushing outwards. Using this method means that the edges rise during cooking giving a light and fluffy crust. To stretch the dough out further try picking it up holding on to the edge of the dough with both hands and slowly rotate (feed the wheel) the base using gravity to stretch.

    

Rohan and Roman Dough - Flour your surface and using a rolling pin roll out your dough from the centre outwards in all directions including the edges. Roll until your base is around 10-12 inches in diameter and an even thickness all around.

   

Put a dollop of tomato sauce onto the centre of your pizza to roughly around the size of a digestive biscuit and using the back of a soup spoon or ladle, in a circular movement move the sauce from the centre of the dough out to around 10mm or about the width of your thumb nail (5mm or about the width of your pinkie nail for Rohan and Roman Dough) away from the edge moving the bulk of the sauce away from the centre.

 

Place your toppings on top of the newly sauced base keeping the heavier toppings nearer to the edge (as the dough rises while cooking this will make sure that the toppings won’t all clump in the middle).
This is the stage we look out our pizza peel! Don’t have a pizza peel? Not to worry, try using a chopping board or flat serving board. Flour the peel/board and pull your pizza base on top.

Step 3 complete – You are well on your way to becoming a Pizzaiolo!

Step 4
And you’re now ready to turn this piece of art into a meal fit for a king! Lifting up your peel/board, slide your fully topped base onto your pizza stone or tray, close the oven and wait (roughly 7-10 minutes).

If you are like me then you’ve probably pulled up a chair and are now sitting in front of the oven watching the dough rise and the cheese starts to melt and bubble! This is dedication and I salute you! Once this time is up you should now have a pizza that will make you feel like you’re sitting in a café in a small street in Naples!

All that is left to do is enjoy!

Buon Appetito!!

Check out our Instagram Feed for tips and a few helpful videos!