36 replies to this topic

[jaykay]

Got to jump back in on crjd's comments. He is exactly right. The dough done right is labor intensive but very inexpensive. When I make pizza at home, (had to learn in self defense) I follow the instructions in the book "American Pie". Basicly you use the right flour and make the dough the day before and let it overnight in the fridge. Since I have the same lousy oven you probably have too, I bought firepoof tiles and place them around the pizza stone I brought down from the states. Preheat the oven until it gets as hot as it can. The secret to a good dough is the overnight rising in the fridge. The starch turns to suger. Plus, it keeps for a while. Quite a while if you freeze it. One other thing. You NEVER use a rolling pin on the dough. That collapses the pockets in the crust and you have cardboard. One of my stateside friends said that the most frightening thing I ever wrote him about life down here is that the most reliable pizza on the lake is Dominos. Common sense tells me that there might be a good pizza place in Guad. Anybody know one?

[lakeheron]

Gosh, I always use a rolling pin on my pizza dough. And it turns out great, not cardboardy.

[More Liana]

Gosh, I always use a rolling pin on my pizza dough. And it turns out great, not cardboardy.

I'm making pizza even as we speak--for the very first time. The dough is going for its second rise. I may pat it, may roll it, may sit on it--LOL--to get it to the right size for pizza. We'll see what happens. Pizza temptation has gotten the best of me and Domino's ain't it.

If all else fails, we'll be in NYC in May, where they make the best pizza on earth.

[lakeheron]

The more you let it rise the more breadlike it will be. If you want a thinner crust you can refrigerate it overnight or just let it rise once.

[More Liana]

It was really good, if I do say so myself. I patted it--didn't have to sit on it!--until the center was thin and there was a thicker edge, and spread home-made pizza sauce on it and topped it with fresh tomatoes, thin-sliced pepperoni, and fresh mozzarella, then sprinkled it with a little sea salt and some parmesan. It measured 12" in diameter. It could have baked another minute and I'll add a minute next time, but it was far and away better than Domino's.

[lakeheron]

Dominoes is pretty awful, imo. I'm sure yours was a ton better! Congratulations on first time success.

[Tingting]

Re: After 15 years we've seen people come and go and it's always nice to know that some are definitely not missed when they leave and return to whatever small place they came from. Tres Estrellas and Selecta are perfectly fine Mexican unbleached flours for making excellent pizza dough. Sadly, the majority of restaurants here do not make a good pizza dough as they do not know what they are doing and they do not, generally, cook at sufficient temperature to ensure a good product. A home cook, even without a pizza oven, can do a respectable job on a good barbecue providing they can get a covered temperature of close to 600 degrees. Good pizza dough takes time and is much better if you "proof" overnight in the refrigerator. It also needs a full ten minutes of kneading and has to double in size when rising. It's also critical that the yeast is allowed to develop naturally and that the water temperature for the yeast is not too hot.

Great comments -- thanks for the instructions! I come so close each time, but never quite get it right.

[Shira]

You can buy pizza dough at the bakery on Juarez just above the carratera on the left and up the alley.

[More Liana]

https://fbcdn-sphoto..._56236327_n.jpg
The pizza I made yesterday, dough and all. It was 12" in diameter.

The dough recipe I used: http://www.foodnetwo...pe3/index.html. Rather than mix the dough in a food processor or mixer with dough hook, I did it the old-fashioned way: with a wooden spoon. Pizza dough is a snap to make, truly. I used Mexican yeast (Tradi-Pan) and Mexican flour (Selecta) and my MABE Mexican stove's oven, turned up to MAX. Remember that the altitude in the part of Mexico City where I am is more than 3,000 feet HIGHER than Lake Chapala. It was easy-peasy, the entire process.

The whole thing was wonderful, and a really fun experience.

[HelperGuy]

This pizza-lovers' site is amazingly chock-full of helpful pizza info. In particular, here's a link to a discussion on making pizza dough at high altitudes: http://www.pizzamaki...hp?topic=3066.0

[lakeheron]

Nice site. Thanks for pointing us to it.

[Spinner]

We have always had great service at Alesandros and do enjoy the pizza. So sad to hear about other experiences.

We did have incredible pizza about 15 minutes on the far side of Chapala call Focaccia. Wow, was that worth the drive. It is a little far, but wow is it worth it.

[TioBob]

I enjoyed the best pizza yet at Pepe & Aurora's tonight. My wife had the ribs, excellent in my taste opinion. Their salsa is wonderful. I purchased a liter to bring home. Treat yourself. Pepe said the music tomorrow will be dining perfect.

[crjd]

Pepe @ Aurora's: Located just past the Tuesday market location on the mountain side. Good and bad comments suggest that consistency is a problem!

[gogirl]

We're from New York and unfortunately nothing compares to pizza from there. So we basically have just stopped looking. But my husband does like the small pizza from Ajijic Tango. BTW what are comales?

[bournemouth]

We're from New York and unfortunately nothing compares to pizza from there. So we basically have just stopped looking. But my husband does like the small pizza from Ajijic Tango. BTW what are comales?

Sr. Google, your friend, has this answer:

http://en.wikipedia....omal_(cookware)

[gogirl]

Bournemouth, Thank you for posting the link.