?_Lehmann:

[system]

Hello,

I have a fairly large wine shop in Massachusetts and am interested in placing a brick oven to make gourmet level pizza.

One of the decisions I need to make is whether I make my own dough and tomato sauce or source a high quality wholesaler. I would prefer a wholesaler but need to maintain quality.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Todd

 

[system]

If you’re going gourmet, the only way to go is to make your own sauce and dough, there are plenty of good recepies out there and making dough and tomato sauce aren’t really all that time consuming.

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

Todd;
Yes, I do have some thoughts on the matter.
Unless you are really strapped for space, I’d opt for making my own dough, unless…you have a local bakery that will make it for you, then by all means, explore the possibility of having it made for you by them. As for the sauce, well…there are some great products out there that can be used right out of the can, San Marsano Tomatoes, and Stanislaus both come to mind, or, dare to be different and make a real gourmet pizza without sauce, just brush the dough skin lightly with olive oil, lay down some slices of fresh, ripe tomato, add a little crushed garlic, fresh chopped basil leaves, and a fresh Mozzarella cheese (Grande) and bake to perfection. As soon as the pizza comes out of the oven garnish with either a 4-leaf sprig of basil or apply a few fresh basil leaves. This ain’t no chain pizza here!
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[system]

Todd
When you consider that the dough is the platform for you pizza, make your own. When you see a wood oven it cries out 'hey they take pizza seriously here", do it…make your dough every day and focus on the best ingredients. When I was learning how to make pizza Napoletana in Napoli earlier this year, we made our dough every morning, it took a little more than an hour to make enough pizza for a busy 175 pie evening service.

Consider this style of pizza for you new business, use Caputo flour and San Marzanos as your sauce and make those great 28cm individual pizza served in Italy. This is a great USP for your business and makes your place a destination…and you can charge a premium! There are enough mediocre pizzeria…

da Michele

 

[NicksPizza]

guest:

When you consider that the dough is the platform for you pizza, make your own. When you see a wood oven it cries out 'hey they take pizza seriously here", do it…make your dough every day and focus on the best ingredients.

You don’t have to make every day, if the volume isn’t there. You can make a 25 or 50# bag of flour, ball it, cold ferment, and then freeze what you don’t expect to use within the next 2 or three days for use later in the week. . . as long as you thaw it overnight. Once you get a feel for the customer load, you can make dough once or twice a week and manage it for the customer level you get coming in.