crispy pizza crust

I have a pizza stone but am never able to get the pizza onto it when the over is ready. I've tried using a cutting board and a rimless baking sheet with plenty of flour underneath and still it always gets stuck. Any suggestions? Also what temp is ideal for getting a good crispy bottom crust?

anntruelove
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15 Comments

smslaw February 1, 2013
put a little semolina on the bottom of a cookie sheet, then put the uncooked dough on it. It slides right off onto the cooking surface,
 
Patti I. February 1, 2013
I grill my pizzas but use a plastic flexible cutting board and corn meal so that I can slide it off.
 
Jenny M. February 1, 2013
Don't put your pizza ón the peel before you are ready to put it in the oven, this minimisses the sticking
 
bigpan January 31, 2013
Yes, invest in a good peel - preferably metal instead of the wood ones. I dust with corn meal both on the peel (on which I compose the pizza) and the stone in the oven.
And yes the oven must be hot hot hot.
Sometimes making smaller individual size pizzas work better than one big one.
 
Sam1148 February 1, 2013
We have both a metal one and wood one. IMHO I think the wood one is superior for deploying the product in a home oven with less sticking (with a dust of semolina/ or corn meal).

The big problem is overloading the pizza so it gets far to heavy to deploy.

Another option for overloading stuff..which I've done before is prebake the crust 2 mins without anything on the crust..take it out and quickly overload it with stuff and put it back in the oven.
 
Sam1148 January 31, 2013
If all the above suggestions fail. Try a "Superpeel"
If all the above suggestions don't work. Try a "Superpeel".

http://www.amazon.com/EXO-Super-Pizza-Solid-White/dp/B001T6OVPO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359687177&sr=8-1&keywords=super+peel

http://www.superpeel.com/videos.html


 
AntoniaJames January 31, 2013
I use parchment. It gets dark brown, but there's never any problem with sticking, and I don't have to mess with cornmeal, etc. (which always finds its way onto the floor of my oven, where it burns, emitting a nasty smell). I put the pizza on a large cookie sheet that has no rim on one side and the pizza-topped paper slides right off. Also, while we're on the subject .. . a really wet dough gives you a great crust, assuming that you haven't covered it with soggy toppings. To keep the hydration nice and high, I always grease my hands with olive oil, instead of using flour. It makes the dough easy to handle, and gives the pizza a most delectable flavor. If I'm using a topping that is wet, like artichoke hearts or fresh veggies, I sometimes partially cook the crust to seal the top, then add the toppings. Or if using cheese, which I only sometimes do, I put the cheese down first, as someone else suggested. ;o)
 
spiffypaws January 31, 2013
I use cornmeal and an upside down sheet pan to slide the pizza into the oven. A peel would be great IF you have the space for it. I chill the crust after I have stretched it out (and before adding the other ingredients). This results in a thinner, less doughy crust. I don't know why it works, but it does.
 
cookbookchick January 31, 2013
Many good suggestions! A wooden pizza peel is essential and DITTO ON SEMOLINA FLOUR to dust it! Like tiny ball bearings! And much less intrusive to the pizza's taste than cornmeal, which I find too gritty tasting on the bottom of a pizza. I put my rolled-out dough on the semolina-dusted peel before I dress the pizza. Give it a shake, as was suggested above, to make sure it's not sticking before you slide the pizza into the oven.
 
darksideofthespoon January 31, 2013
To add to everyone else: Unglazed quarry stones are the best. They don't break as easily since they're thicker and they're usually pretty cheap. I have a pizza stone, use a 550 degree oven, broil it as soon as I put the pie in and use a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. Also, go easy on the toppings and make sure nothing you put on the pizza is too "wet". I like to add the cheese FIRST, then sprinkle the sauce on around the pie. That helps make a great crispy pizza. Also, Jim Lahey's pizza dough gives a great bubbly crust, a nice browning and it's crispy AND chewy, all at once. Amazing.

Since I started doing those things, I've looked SO forward to pizza night since it yields pornographic results. ;)
 
ChefJune January 31, 2013
I prefer lining an oven rack with unglazed quarry tiles to using a stone. I find corn meal the best conveyor of the pizza to the tiles, as they act as little rollers and the crust slides off the peel easily. You will also need to set your oven as high as it will go. That may not be more than 500, but you can test it out.
 
Sweets January 31, 2013
I love making pizza. I turn the oven to the highest temp (550), place the stone inside and leave it on for an hour. I make my pizza on a peel, making sure to sprinkle the peel liberally with semolina flour. Once I place the pizza on the peel, I shake it a little to make sure the pizza moves. Do not open the oven while the pizza is baking -or you lose some of the heat. Good luck!
 
plainhomecook January 31, 2013
I've found that corn meal sticks less than flour - so try dusting your peel with that, putting your pizza on there, then sliding onto your stone. Also, it is possible to get a crispy crust using a pan rather than a stone (I don't have one, but wish I did). Hot oven like everyone else says, then on the bottom rack if it's electric, right on the floor of the oven if it's gas.
 
hardlikearmour January 31, 2013
I'm with pierino - get a pizza peel. I think it takes less flour to keep the pizza from sticking on a wooden peel than on a metal rimless baking sheet. Also make sure to give the pizza a few little shakes before you try to get it onto the stone. If it doesn't easily slide around, then carefully lift the edges to tuck more flour under - not fun, but better than the alternative. I've gotten my best crust results as far as crust texture using 00 flour and heating the pizza stone (starting from cold) to 550º F (the highest my oven goes) for 30 minutes then switching the oven to broil for another 5 minutes to really saturate the stone with heat. The stone should be placed 8-inches below the broiler.
 
pierino January 31, 2013
For a proper pizza crust your oven has to be screaming hot, out to the max, which may only be 500F. For transfer to the oven use a pizza peel. They are cheap. Dust it with flour before planting your pizza on it and then http://food52.com/recipes/4502-una-pizza-rustica-e-autentica-for-sophia-loren
 
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