OT: Is it time for a new pizza thread?

[GASabresIUFAN]

I grew up on Santora’s a d Bocce Club pizza.  Are they still good or just hit and miss.

Also I watched the Buffalo Style recipe video.  Doesn’t Buffalo style include a sour-dough crust?

Found this interesting article. https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/crawl/pizza/

Edited July 20, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[That Aud Smell]

  On 7/20/2023 at 1:27 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Doesn’t Buffalo style include a sour-dough crust?

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the who now?

no.

[GoPuckYourself]

  On 7/14/2023 at 1:41 AM, Buffalonill said:

I'm in Dallas visiting my daughter  any good "buffalo pizza" here she is taking me to "Duffs" tomorrow  I'm not excited 

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The original Boces on Bailey is always my go to, to me there is no others like it. 

Another good 1 for the atmosphere and overall experience is Santoras Pizza Pub & Grill on Transit road. Really cool atmosphere imo.

Edited July 20, 2023 by GoPuckYourself

[Stoner]

  On 7/20/2023 at 1:22 PM, Weave said:

400 is pretty low for pizza. Hard to get good carmelization of the crust and toppings without excessive cooking times, which does change the texture overall.  At that temp you need added sugar in the dough to get it coloring up properly and avoid long cook times.

I find 500f works very well and is obtainable in most home ovens.  I also think you need to let the oven come up to temp and then soak for a good 30 minutes to get all the metal inside stable at 500 so your temp recovers quickly after you open the door to insert your pizza.

And use a pizza stone.

PA made a proper looking pie.  He knows…

I doubt it is Buffalo style dough, but Aldi, Tops, Wegmans dough makes a pretty damned good pie generally.

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That's quite a compliment coming from a gourmand such as yourself. Usually I can't boil water. The dough was nice. Mama Cozzi brand. Very nice to stretch and it got those big bubbles that a lot people like. It was crispy but still somewhat airy inside 

[That Aud Smell]

  On 7/20/2023 at 2:51 PM, GoPuckYourself said:

Another good 1 for the atmosphere and overall experience is Santoras Pizza Pub & Grill on Transit road. Really cool atmosphere imo.

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I like what the family did in terms of creating a comfortable pizza pub sports bar. I am bummed that they're leaving their Millersport location (near UB North) -- they're turning it over to the Wing Nutz people.

[GoPuckYourself]

  On 7/20/2023 at 4:05 PM, That Aud Smell said:

I like what the family did in terms of creating a comfortable pizza pub sports bar. I am bummed that they're leaving their Millersport location (near UB North) -- they're turning it over to the Wing Nutz people.

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Wow thats been there for a long time, forgot about that location since I haven't lived out there in quite some time. It was tiny but loved the Pizza there.

[That Aud Smell]

  On 7/20/2023 at 4:17 PM, GoPuckYourself said:

Wow thats been there for a long time, forgot about that location since I haven't lived out there in quite some time. It was tiny but loved the Pizza there.

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They took over several storefronts in that plaza in order to expand it and create a large facility. That store was, I think, the template for their Transit Road store.

I avoid Transit Road at all costs. But there’s no denying that it’s among the most potentially profitable locations for restaurants in WNY.

[Taro T]

  On 7/20/2023 at 4:35 PM, That Aud Smell said:

They took over several storefronts in that plaza in order to expand it and create a large facility. That store was, I think, the template for their Transit Road store.

I avoid Transit Road at all costs. But there’s no denying that it’s among the most potentially profitable locations for restaurants in WNY.

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That Transit Rd Store (presume you're referring to the one between Clinton and French) has been there since at least the early 80's and likely even longer.

[...]

  On 7/20/2023 at 4:05 PM, That Aud Smell said:

I like what the family did in terms of creating a comfortable pizza pub sports bar. I am bummed that they're leaving their Millersport location (near UB North) -- they're turning it over to the Wing Nutz people.

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That is too bad - it was the first place we went to after the government let people go to restaurants again a few years ago. Perhaps it was the circumstances, but we were quite satisfied with everything we ordered (which was a lot).

[GASabresIUFAN]

  On 7/20/2023 at 2:41 PM, That Aud Smell said:

the who now?

no.

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I found the article.  What the article said was that some Buffalo makers “ferment” their dough overnight to aid the texture.  I remembered where I learned this as well also. Bob Galla, who owned Godfathers in Buffalo, “retired” to Atlanta and opened Galla pizza here told me when he opened his original shop here.  

[...]

  On 7/20/2023 at 5:53 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

I found the article.  What the article said was that some Buffalo makers “ferment” their dough overnight to aid the texture.  I remembered where I learned this as well also. Bob Galla, who owned Godfathers in Buffalo, “retired” to Atlanta and opened Galla pizza here told me when he opened his original shop here.  

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That's not how sourdough dough is made (don't ya know).

That is, though, how they get the extra-yeasty flavour I referenced several posts back.

[GASabresIUFAN]

  On 7/20/2023 at 6:21 PM, ... said:

That's not how sourdough dough is made (don't ya know).

That is, though, how they get the extra-yeasty flavour I referenced several posts back.

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Sour dough isn’t the correct term I agree, but it was the only way that came to mind to describe the “aging” of the dough.

[tom webster]

  On 7/20/2023 at 4:43 PM, Taro T said:

That Transit Rd Store (presume you're referring to the one between Clinton and French) has been there since at least the early 80's and likely even longer.

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I believe he is talking about the one near the old Eastern Hills Mall. Forgot what it was before but it’s a huge place

[GoPuckYourself]

  On 7/20/2023 at 6:37 PM, tom webster said:

I believe he is talking about the one near the old Eastern Hills Mall. Forgot what it was before but it’s a huge place

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Yes that's the 1 I'm talking about, It's fairly large, nice bar, all different types of people so it's not just a super young crowd but mixed ages which is always nice.

[Weave]

  On 7/20/2023 at 6:25 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Sour dough isn’t the correct term I agree, but it was the only way that came to mind to describe the “aging” of the dough.

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Overnight fermentation is a common bread making technique.  And makes a much more flavorful dough overall.

I had a fairly serious bread making hobby for awhile.  To the point that I seriously considered replacing our conventional oven with a steam injected oven.

[GASabresIUFAN]

  On 7/20/2023 at 6:57 PM, Weave said:

Overnight fermentation is a common bread making technique.  And makes a much more flavorful dough overall.

I had a fairly serious bread making hobby for awhile.  To the point that I seriously considered replacing our conventional oven with a steam injected oven.

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How many of the Pizza makers in Buffalo still age their dough? 

Anyone know if you get cup and char pepperoni online?  I’ve never found it here.

[sabremike]

If any of you are in the NYC area there's a place on 23rd and 8th called Lions, Tigers and Squares that sell authentic Detroit style pizza. One interesting thing they have is the Mustard Pie which has mustard instead of tomato sauce with corned beef and sauerkraut (essentially a reuben in pizza form).

[tom webster]

  On 7/20/2023 at 7:03 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

How many of the Pizza makers in Buffalo still age their dough? 

Anyone know if you get cup and char pepperoni online?  I’ve never found it here.

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I know Amazon sells Battistoni cup and char. Never bought it from them but its listed.

[...]

  On 7/20/2023 at 7:03 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

How many of the Pizza makers in Buffalo still age their dough?

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They have to. They have to make the dough a few days before a piece of it is ultimately made into a pizza. They make huge blobs which have to rest. Then the rested blob gets cut into portions. The portions either sit and rest until they are flattened or sometimes they flatten portions right onto a pan so they're prepared for either the next day or, if they do it in the morning, later that day. Either way the portions have to rest.

It's fundamental bread-dough making as @Weavepointed out. Resting is part of making anything with yeast. Resting=aging.

[SwampD]

  On 7/20/2023 at 8:22 PM, ... said:

They have to. They have to make the dough a few days before a piece of it is ultimately made into a pizza. They make huge blobs which have to rest. Then the rested blob gets cut into portions. The portions either sit and rest until they are flattened or sometimes they flatten portions right onto a pan so they're prepared for either the next day or, if they do it in the morning, later that day. Either way the portions have to rest.

It's fundamental bread-dough making as @Weavepointed out. Resting is part of making anything with yeast. Resting=aging.

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Isn't it true of every pizza maker everywhere?

[Weave]

  On 7/20/2023 at 7:03 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

How many of the Pizza makers in Buffalo still age their dough? 

Anyone know if you get cup and char pepperoni online?  I’ve never found it here.

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I’ve never used cup and char, so I don’t know this for a fact, but I strongly suspect that 500f isn’t going to properly cup and char.

[Weave]

  On 7/20/2023 at 8:22 PM, ... said:

They have to. They have to make the dough a few days before a piece of it is ultimately made into a pizza. They make huge blobs which have to rest. Then the rested blob gets cut into portions. The portions either sit and rest until they are flattened or sometimes they flatten portions right onto a pan so they're prepared for either the next day or, if they do it in the morning, later that day. Either way the portions have to rest.

It's fundamental bread-dough making as @Weavepointed out. Resting is part of making anything with yeast. Resting=aging.

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I wonder how many pizza joints today buy frozen dough from Sysco instead of making their own?

[That Aud Smell]

  On 7/20/2023 at 9:19 PM, Weave said:

I wonder how many pizza joints today buy frozen dough from Sysco instead of making their own?

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Plenty.

And not for nothing, that dough is probably pretty damn good. And it probably bakes beautifully if you have a powerful pizza oven and a good cook overseeing things.

[Weave]

  On 7/20/2023 at 9:46 PM, That Aud Smell said:

Plenty.

And not for nothing, that dough is probably pretty damn good. And it probably bakes beautifully if you have a powerful pizza oven and a good cook overseeing things.

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I’m not dissing it necessarily.  I can see the motivation.  Really good dough requires someone who really knows what they are doing.  Especially in this era, with a general shortage of workers, let alone skilled, knowledgeable workers, and wage pressures, switching to a consistent, reliable product, pre-dosed and ready to go is probably a good business decision.

I am sure the consistency is hard to beat. And it is likely more consistently profitable as well.  I am also sure you’ll never make a memorable pie that way.

 

ETA- for the record I’ve always got a couple bags of Al Cohen’s frozen pizza dough from Tops in my freezer.  No shame here using it when I haven’t thought ahead to make my own dough.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Weave

[tom webster]

  On 7/20/2023 at 9:19 PM, Weave said:

I wonder how many pizza joints today buy frozen dough from Sysco instead of making their own?

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Last I knew, Picasso’s, Santoro’s,  Just Pizza, Imperial, Bocce, One Pie, and most other premium places made their own dough. I know La Nova was contemplating using dough made to their recipe by Latinas and they probably went that route. 
With a he struggle finding labor, the cost of a mixer and the eccentricities of dough making, I’d bet it’s costs smart for most little guys to use Al Cohen’s dough distributed by local vendors.