Bobby Flay and Philly Pizza

Bobby Flay recently did a segment on the CBS Morning Show on Pizza. He of course focused on New York where he is from. New York has great pizza and is where pizza came to America in the early 1900’s. Flay didn’t explain why most New York Pizza makers have a crick in their neck. It doesn’t come from anything to do with making pizza. It comes from looking down the turnpike to Philadelphia trying to figure out why Philly has such “really” great pizza.

Philly has thin crust outstanding pizza with every neighborhood boasting that theirs is the best pizza in Philly and it is from the shop “down the street”. The pizza proponents from Philly and NY probably will never yield in their contest as to where the best pizza is made. The one thing that they will agree upon is, that the best pizza in America continues to be produced in that East coast stretch from Southern Connecticut to Wilmington Delaware with New Jersey occupying the heart of the area.

It is easy to understand why the pizza is excellent in this stretch of America. It is where the Italians are located. I don’t mean that only Italians make great pizza but they definitely set the standard for all the pizza makers in the East.

Flay in his CBS piece said that the pizza you grow up with is the pizza that is the standard by which all others are judged. I think that is true. I grew up with Philly Italian Style Pizza and I still think it is best. I can recognize an East Coast pizza maker wherever he is making that pizza.

I was in a pizza joint in North Boulder Colorado that has great pizza, helping to roll the dough balls one day. I suggested a Wolfgang Puck technique of finishing the dough by rotating/rolling it on the table for 30 seconds. The owner a Philly guy, who is related to me, trained in Philly and committed to excellence turned to me and commented: “Puck is from Austria and I’m not about to copy an Austrian making Pizza. Pastry yes, pizza no! If Tacanelles or Station Pizza does it I’ll try it. That’s not pizza Puck is making it’s something else” Needless to say the pizzas referred to by the Philly expatriate in Boulder are in Philly.

When you are in New York be sure to try the pizza . I know you’ll love it. You also now know why the NY pizza maker has that crick in his neck. It’s from continuously looking down the turnpike towards Philly trying to see how really great pizza is made.

Making Pizza at home:

Making a pizza at home can be a fun family activity. There are a few items needed to make a good pizza in your home oven. You will need a baking stone to put into the oven and a peel on which to prepare the pizza and slide it onto the stone. These are not expensive and when purchased can be used for years. Amazon has these items reasonably priced Old Stone Oven Pizza Stone Round

When you are ready to bake your first pizza contact your favorite pizza maker and get them to sell you a dough ball or two. A 14" pizza is a good size to try at home.

Getting ready: Put your Pizza baking stone onto the lower rack of the oven. All other racks removed preheat the oven to 500'

Step.1 Work the dough ball flat and round on a floured counter surface. Use both palms ,press down and rotate the dough until it is pretty round and less than a 1/2" thick
Step.2 With a rolling pin work the dough thin and smooth turning the dough 45degrees after each roll or two to maintain its round shape
Step 3. This is a bit tricky and easier to show than explain. Pick up the dough and drape it over the backs of both hands that are in a semi fist configuration. Move the dough from fist to fist to complete the forming of a round pizza
Step 4. Put the pizza on the peel which has been lightly floured.
Step 5. Dress the pizza lightly with tomato sauce then cheese and your favorite topping.
Step 6. Slide the pizza off the peel onto the hot stone in the oven. Tilt the peel about 20degrees with front edge touching the stone. A few short backward jerks of the peel will slide the pizza onto the stone

In a 500' oven the pizza should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pizza by sliding the peel under the cooked pizza and bring it to the table to cut into 6 or eight slices

Tips: Don't load the pizza with sauce and cheese. Keep it light until you get the technique down pat.
When you buy the dough Balls ask if you can watch a pizza being formed so you can figure out the back of the hands rotation. It's really not a big deal. A little practice and you will be fine

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