Category archives: Cooking

How to Choose the Right Temperature for Pizza
Advice, Cooking

How to Choose the Right Temperature for Pizza

How to Choose the Right Temperature for Pizza

Introduction

Hello to all pizza lovers! Today I want to share with you some secrets on how to choose the right temperature for pizza. It's a key topic for anyone who loves preparing this iconic dish, both at home and in a professional pizzeria. Temperature plays a crucial role in the success of cooking pizza, influencing the consistency of the dough, the taste and the final presentation. Then, Get ready to discover all the details!

The Science of Dough Preparation

First of all, let's talk a bit’ of the preparation of the dough. A good dough is the basis of a perfect pizza. The preparation of the dough requires attention and precision, and every pizza chef knows how important it is to respect leavening times and temperatures. The temperature of the water used in the mixture, for example, can influence the speed of leavening. In general, we recommend using warm water, around 20-25°C, to properly activate the yeast.

Once prepared the dough, it is important to let it rise at the right temperature. In media, the ideal temperature for leavening is around 24-26°C. This allows the yeast to work effectively, creating those air bubbles that make the dough soft and light.

The Ideal Temperature for Cooking Pizza

Let's now move on to the crucial phase: cooking pizza. The oven temperature is essential to obtain a perfect pizza. But what is the ideal temperature for cooking pizza? It depends on the type of oven you use.

Wood oven

The wood-fired oven is the undisputed king of pizza cooking. The ideal temperature for cooking a pizza in a wood-fired oven is around 450-500°C. At these high temperatures, the pizza cooks in a few minutes, developing a crunchy crust on the outside and maintaining a soft and well-cooked interior. The wood-fired oven also gives a unique flavor to the pizza, thanks to the wood smoke.

Electric oven

If you are not lucky enough to have a wood-fired oven, do not worry! The electric oven can also give excellent results. The ideal temperature for cooking pizza in an electric oven is around 250-300°C. It is important to preheat the oven for at least 30 minutes before putting the pizza in the oven, to make sure the temperature is uniform. Using a baking stone can further improve cooking, as it imitates the conditions of the wood-fired oven.

Gas oven

The gas oven can also be a good alternative. The ideal temperature for this type of oven is similar to that of an electric oven, therefore around 250-300°C. Be sure to check the pizza regularly while it is cooking, as gas ovens can have hot spots.

Tips for Perfect Cooking

Here are some practical tips to achieve perfect pizza cooking, regardless of the type of oven you use:

  1. Preheating: Always preheat the oven to the desired temperature for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Refractory Stone: Using a baking stone can help achieve even cooking and a crispy crust.
  3. Pizza control: Check the pizza during cooking to prevent it from burning. Every oven is different, therefore cooking times may vary.
  4. placement: Cooking the pizza in the lower part of the oven can help achieve a well-cooked, crispy base.
  5. Ingredients: Don't overload the pizza with too many ingredients, to prevent it from becoming too moist and difficult to manage during cooking.

Learn more with our Pizza Chef Courses

If you are passionate about pizza and want to learn all the secrets of perfect cooking, we invite you to sign up for our pizza chef courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school. Our courses are designed for everyone, from beginners to professionals, and will allow you to acquire valuable skills for preparing dough, managing the oven and creating delicious pizzas.

Conclusion

Choosing the right temperature for pizza is a fundamental step to obtain a perfect result. Whether you are at home or in a pizzeria, By following these tips you can improve the quality of your pizzas and surprise friends and family with creations worthy of the best restaurants.

Thanks for reading this post! I invite you to visit and subscribe to my YouTube channel, where you will find more of 300 videos of pizza recipes prepared by pizza chef students who enroll in our courses. Don't miss the opportunity to learn from the best!

Greetings from Silvio Cicchi!

Secrets of Perfect Pizza Cooking
Advice, Cooking

Discover the Secrets of Perfectly Cooking Pizza Tips from Silvio Cicchi's School of Pizza

Discover the Secrets of Perfectly Cooking Pizza Tips from Silvio Cicchi's School of Pizza. Dear pizza lovers,

Who among us doesn't love enjoying a delicious slice of pizza, with the stringy cheese and fresh ingredients that blend into a perfect balance of flavours? But we really know what are the elements that most influence the taste of this dish so loved throughout the world? Today we will talk about exactly this: the cooking methods that make our pizza unique and unforgettable.

Let's start with the fundamental phase of preparing the dough. The quality of the ingredients and the skill in their combination are crucial to obtaining a perfect dough. In our school pizza, held by Silvio Cicchi, we teach the secrets to create doughs that stand out for their taste and consistency. Our pizza chef courses are designed to convey this knowledge in a practical and engaging way. Then, if you want to refine your dough preparation skills, don't hesitate to enroll in our courses!

Let's now move on to the pizza cooking phase, a crucial moment that can make the difference between a mediocre pizza and an extraordinary one. There are different cooking techniques, each of which gives the pizza unique characteristics. Traditional cooking in wood stove, for example, gives that smoky, crunchy flavor we all love. But cooking in a pan or stone can also give excellent results, depending on personal preferences and the ingredients used.

It is important to understand how temperature and cooking time affect the final result. Cooking too quickly can leave the dough raw in the center, while cooking for too long risks drying out the ingredients and burning the edges. In our pizzeria, we have refined our techniques over the years, experimenting with different cooking methods to offer our customers always perfect pizza.

Always remember that the quality of the ingredients is essential to obtain a tasty pizza appreciated by all. Choose your condiments carefully, opting for fresh, high-quality raw materials. Only in this way can you guarantee an excellent result in every cooking process.

Before concluding, I would like to invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you will find further 300 videos of pizza recipes prepared by our talented pizza chef students. It is an excellent resource for those who want to learn new techniques and discover new ideas to enrich their culinary experience.

 

In conclusion, I hope that this article has provided you with useful ideas to better understand the importance of the different cooking methods in the preparation of pizza. We are waiting for you in our pizzeria to delight you with our creations and we invite you to sign up to ours pizza maker courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi pizza school. Bon Appetite!

Cordial greetings,

Silvio Cicchi

The Secret of the Goodness of Wood-fired Pizza Discover Silvio Cicchi's Pizza Maker Courses
Actuality, Cooking

The Secret of the Goodness of Wood-fired Pizza Discover Silvio Cicchi's Pizza Maker Courses

Dear readers of my blog,

Are you ready for a gastronomic journey into the world of wood-fired pizza? Today I want to share with you the secret of its goodness, a secret that hides behind the magic of dancing flames and the tradition handed down from generation to generation. Wood-fired oven pizza is one of the greatest pleasures of Italian cuisine and in this post, I will take you to the heart of his creation.

Pizza is an icon of Italian cuisine, loved by millions of people around the world. Each pizza has the power to take us on a journey of flavours, aromas and sensations. But what makes wood-fired pizza so special? It's all in the cooking process!

In traditional pizzerias, the wood stove it is an essential component. These ovens are made with refractory bricks, which can withstand very high temperatures. This allows you to reach an ideal cooking temperature, between 400°C and 500°C, which gives the pizza that crunchy and tasty crust that we love so much.

The secret lies in the speed of cooking. In just 60-90 seconds, the pizza is cooked perfectly, with melted cheese, the fresh ingredients and the golden base. This quick cooking keeps the flavors of the ingredients intact and preserves the goodness and authenticity of Italian pizza.

In addition to cooking, another fundamental aspect is the preparation of the dough. The Neapolitan pizza, for example, it involves a simple flour-based dough, water, yeast and salt. The dough is left to rise for a long time, in order to make it light and digestible. This process gives the pizza a soft and fragrant texture, perfect for accommodating all the ingredients.

To fully appreciate the process of creating wood-fired pizza, I recommend you to visit a real traditional pizzeria. Here you can experience the unique and captivating atmosphere of a kitchen where time seems to pass more slowly, dedicated to the art of creating Italy's most loved dish.

If you are passionate about cooking and want to discover the secrets of wood-fired pizza, vi invito a sign up for our pizza maker courses that we organize in our Silvio Cicchi Pizza School. Our school is renowned for its tradition and expertise in the world of pizza and our master pizza makers will guide you step by step in learning the art of pizza.

Our courses are suitable for everyone, from beginners to the most experienced cooking enthusiasts. You will learn how to prepare the perfect dough, to roll out the pizza with skill and to dose the ingredients to obtain a balanced and tasty pizza. E, naturally, you will have the opportunity to cook your pizza in a wood oven, experiencing the magic of seeing your creation come to life.

The courses are also an excellent opportunity to socialize and make new friends with people who share the same passion for pizza. Pizza is a convivial dish par excellence, and cooking together will make the experience even more special and fun.

In conclusion, wood-fired oven pizza is the result of a perfect combination of tradition, passion and authentic flavours. The secret of its goodness lies in the wood oven, in the quality of the ingredients and in the skill of the pizza makers who bring a unique culinary experience to the table with love and dedication.

Then, if you are ready to discover the secrets of wood-fired pizza and become true pizza masters, subscribe to our pizza maker courses at Silvio Cicchi's Scuola della Pizza. We can't wait to welcome you to the magical world of pizza!

Enjoy your meal!

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

Subscribe to my youtube channel, It contains 300 Video recipes of pizza.

 

 

How to choose the right cooking for pizza 10 essential advice
Advice, Cooking

How to choose the right cooking for pizza 10 essential advice

How to choose the right cooking for pizza 10 essential advice. In this article, we will explore the following points to help you choose the right cooking for pizza:

  1. Learn about the different types of pizza
  2. Choose the right oven
  3. Adjust the oven temperature
  4. Use the baking stone
  5. Prepare the dough
  6. Spread the dough evenly
  7. Add the right ingredients
  8. Keep an eye on the cooking
  9. Experiment with times and temperatures
  10. Sign up for our professional hands-on courses

 

  1. Learn about the different types of pizza

To choose the right cooking, it is important to know the different types of pizza, like Neapolitan pizza, romana, sliced ​​and focaccia. Each type of pizza requires a different cooking.

  1. Choose the right oven

The oven is a crucial element for cooking pizza. Wood-burning ovens are ideal for Neapolitan pizza, while electric or gas ovens are suitable for Roman and sliced ​​pizza.

  1. Adjust the oven temperature

The oven temperature affects the cooking of the pizza. For Neapolitan pizza, the ideal temperature is 485°C, while for Roman pizza and by the slice it is 300-350°C.

  1. Use the baking stone

The baking stone helps distribute the heat evenly, ensuring perfect cooking of the pizza. Place the stone in the oven and preheat for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

  1. Prepare the dough

A well-leavened and hydrated dough is essential for good cooking. Prepare the dough according to the recipe and let it rise for at least 8-24 hours, depending on the type of pizza.

  1. Spread the dough evenly

Roll out the dough evenly to ensure even cooking. Neapolitan pizza requires a thickness of approx 3-4 mm, while Roman and sliced ​​pizza can be slightly thicker.

  1. Add the right ingredients

The ingredients affect the cooking of the pizza. Avoid overly moist or heavy ingredients that can make the pizza chewy or raw in the center.

  1. Keep an eye on the cooking

While cooking, Check the pizza regularly to make sure it doesn't burn or stay undercooked. Neapolitan pizza cook in 60-90 seconds, while Roman and sliced ​​pizza require dai 7 to 10 minutes in the home oven.

  1. Experiment with times and temperatures

There is no single rule for cooking pizza. Experiment with different times and temperatures to find the perfect doneness for your type of pizza and oven.

  1. Sign up for our professional hands-on courses

To deepen your knowledge of pizza cooking and become a real expert, subscribe to ours Professional workshops. You will learn directly from the master pizza makers and improve your skills in preparing the perfect pizza. Follow this link for all the information.

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

Visit and subscribe to my youtube channel

 
The secret of perfect crunchiness expert advice
Actuality, Cooking

The secret of perfect crunchiness expert advice

The secret of perfect crunchiness expert advice. Choose the right flour: Flour plays a crucial role in the crunchiness of the pizza.

Choose a flour with a high content of protein which will give the dough the right consistency and the perfect crunchiness.

Flour and water in the right quantities

Adjust the amount of water: The amount of water in the dough is essential to obtain the desired crunchiness.

Experts recommend using cold water to avoid heating the dough and adding the water gradually to avoid overdoing it.

The secret of perfect crunchiness expert advice

Let the dough rest: Resting the dough is important because it helps develop the taste and texture of the pizza.

Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out will help achieve a perfect crunch.

The choice of temperature

Adjust the oven temperature: Oven temperature is a crucial factor in obtaining perfect crunchiness.

Experts recommend preheating the oven to 300-320°C and cooking the pizza for 2-3 minutes.

Our practical courses to become a pizza maker

Subscribe to ours Professional workshops: If you want to learn the secrets of perfect crunchiness and become a true pizza expert, enroll in our professional practical courses.

With expert guidance, you'll learn all the tips and tricks to get the perfect crusty pizza every time.

Conclusions

In conclusion, perfect crunchiness is an art that requires the use of the right flour, the regulation of the quantity of water, rest of the dough, the regulation of the temperature of the oven and the practice.

Sign up for our professional hands-on courses to learn the secrets of perfect crunchiness and become a true expert Pizza.

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

Visit my youtube channel and subscribe.

 

 

How to prepare risotto pasta
Cooking, Culture

How to prepare risotto pasta

How to prepare risotto pasta. The pasta risotto it is a simple and tasty dish, ideal for a quick but at the same time tasty dinner.

The preparation is very similar to that of traditional risotto, but with the addition of pasta instead of rice.

The easy preparation of risotto pasta

Few ingredients are needed to prepare the risotto pasta: pasta, broth, grated cheese, butter and onion. Let's start with the onion: this must be finely chopped and put in a pan with the butter to fry.

When onion it becomes transparent, add the pasta (better if it is a short pasta like fusilli or penne) and toast for a couple of minutes.

How to prepare risotto pasta

At this point, add the hot broth a little at a time, stirring constantly. The pasta must always be covered by the broth and must be cooked al dente.

Once the pasta is cooked, add the grated cheese and mix well. The cheese must melt and create a creamy sauce. If necessary, you can add a little’ of broth or milk to obtain the desired consistency.

Ready to serve at the table

Risotto pasta is ready to be served. It can be accompanied with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil, or with spices such as pepper or nutmeg.

For a more flavorful version, cooked ham or diced bacon can be added to the onion during browning, or vegetables such as zucchini or cherry tomatoes, cut into cubes, before adding the broth.

Easy Versatile and Tasty

Risotto pasta is a versatile and easy to prepare recipe, perfect for a quick dinner but at the same time tasty. With just a few ingredients and a short time, you can prepare a tasty and delicious dish, that the whole family will enjoy.

Everyone who subscribes to ours Professional practical courses they have something to do with risotto pasta. Maybe they don't prepare it but they eat it. If you would like more information about our courses click here.

Greetings

Silvio Cicchi

My youtube channel

 

 

how to cook mushrooms for pizza
Advice, Cooking, Ingredients, preparation

How to Cook Mushrooms for Pizza

How to Cook Mushrooms for Pizza. Mushrooms are a very popular ingredient for pizza, both for their taste and for their nutritional value.

However, cooking mushrooms so they're perfectly pizza-ready can take a while’ Practice. Here are some tips for cooking mushrooms for pizza in order to obtain the maximum result.

Fast and just enough

First of all, choosing the right mushrooms is very important. If you want mushrooms to be the star of your pizza, then you should choose porcini mushrooms or button mushrooms.

Both have an intense flavor and are very tasty, which makes them perfect for pizza. If instead you want the mushrooms to be just an accompanying ingredient, then you can also choose other types of mushrooms, like mushrooms shitake or mushrooms oyster.

How to Cook Mushrooms for Pizza

Once you have chosen the mushrooms, it is important to clean them thoroughly. To do this, just use a damp cloth or a soft bristle brush to remove any traces of earth or other residues. It is not necessary to wash the mushrooms under water, as they may absorb it and become soggy.

Once cleaned, mushrooms should be cut into thin slices. If you use the porcini mushrooms i Champignon mushrooms, it is advisable to remove the stem, since it may be a bit’ stand. In addition to, it is important to cut the mushrooms into thin slices so that they cook evenly on the pizza.

Mushrooms in the pan

Once cut, the mushrooms are put in a pan with a little’ of olive oil and a clove of minced garlic. It is important to cook them on medium heat, mixing them often, until they become tender and golden.

At this point, they can be added spices to taste, like thyme or rosemary, to give a little’ of extra flavor to the mushrooms.

Notes on conservation

Once cooked, i funghi they should be left to cool slightly before being added to the pizza. It is important that they are not too hot otherwise they could make the mozzarella melt too quickly.

Once the pizza is ready to be baked, just add the mushrooms on top of the sauce and mozzarella, and then bake as usual.

Greetings

Mushrooms are part of the professional program of our "Professional Pizzaiolo Course" You will find all the information here.

If you have not already done, subscribe to my youtube channel, You will 300 Video recipes of pizza.

 

Ciao

Silvio Cicchi

 

Bake Pizza at Home Like in a Pizzeria
Advice, Cooking

Bake Pizza at Home Like in a Pizzeria

Leave a comment

Bake Pizza at Home Like in a Pizzeria. Today we dedicate some of our precious time to some very useful tips.

There are many people who know how to prepare pizza perfectly, but alas they don't have a good oven at home to cook pizza perfectly

How to cook the perfect pizza at home

Fortunately, today's technology has made great strides, and with a small expense of less than one hundred euros we will finally have the opportunity to prepare a perfect pizza at home like the one you usually eat in a pizzeria.

Today I want to give you some good tips on how to orient yourself to buy a small oven from Amazon too, but perfect for cooking our pizza.

Bake Pizza at Home Like in a Pizzeria

Choose one of these very affordable ovens, enjoy free delivery with Amazon Prime, you will not regret.

The first proposal is an Ariete oven 919 perfect for all families, also numerous, reaches the temperature of 400 degrees and cooks the pizza in less than 4 minutes

Other proposals for ovens

The second proposal sees us facing an Aries 918, maximum temperature of 400 degrees with 5 cooking levels, find out by clicking on the link below

Another excellent oven is the Spice, reaches i 400 degrees, refractory stone and cooks the pizza in 4 minutes. It has a circular resistance. Click on the link below for more information

Again and again inexpensive ovens

G3Ferrari Delizia, we have reached the top of the range, I also have a red one. It is absolutely perfect.

G3Ferrari pizza Express Delight, really impressive, cooks pizza in less than 4 minutes on the firestone.

Conclusions

If you often make pizza at home, consider making a small investment to buy one of these fantastic ovens to have at home a perfect pizza like the one you are used to eating in pizzeria.

See you soon

Silvio Cicchi

If you stick potatoes to the pan, use these remedies
Actuality, Cooking

If you stick potatoes to the pan, use these remedies

If you stick potatoes to the pan, use these remedies. A self-respecting Sunday lunch always has baked potatoes as a side dish. The potatoes baked in the oven make this our consolidated habit special.

Problems come after lunch, when we have to wash our pots and pans. Immediately we realize that a layer has formed on the bottom of the pan due to the cooking of the potatoes which is really difficult to remove, and to think that in my opinion that is the best part.

If you stick potatoes to the pan, use these remedies

Today we will see how to avoid this inconvenience, and you will find that it is really easy. Let's start with the choice of potatoes. And, you will have understood that they are not all the same. The culprit that causes potatoes to stick to the baking sheet is starch, potatoes are very rich in starch.

Which Potatoes To Choose

 There are two types on the market, those with white paste that are very rich in starch and therefore perfect for mashed potatoes or gnocchi, and those with yellow flesh that contain less starch and therefore lend themselves better to being baked.

Now we have to pay attention to the next phase: Once peeled and cut into cubes or slices, our potatoes should be left to soak in a bowl for about an hour in cold water. You will see that the starch will settle on the bottom of the bowl. Rinse them to remove all the starch.

Baking in the oven

A good tip before starting cooking is to season the potatoes and the pan well with oil and salt and rosemary.. Someone blanch the potatoes for about ten minutes to speed up cooking, someone adds a pinch of baking soda during the boil to have a super crust on the potatoes.

Another trick could be to use parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the bottom, but this method prevents the crust from forming, so I don't recommend it.

Conclusions

Baked potatoes are delicious, I leave you the method to use. Before saying goodbye I wanted to remind you that if you are a pizza lover, for sure you may be interested in our professional practical courses that we carry out weekly in our pizza school. Will find all the information here.

For those who do not have the time or resources to come personally to our school, I remember that here on our site there is a fantastic "Pizzaiolo Online Course". Download to your PC or mobile phone and follow it from your home in your free time. All information here.

My latest recipe book called. Is already available for download: NOT ONLY PIZZA. You can find it at this link.

Follow my youtube channel, you will find hundreds of video recipes for pizza. It will be useful the next time you prepare pizza at home.

 

See you soon

Silvio Cicchi

 

 

Reheat the French Fries
Advice, Cooking

Reheat the French Fries

Reheat the French Fries. French fries represent "street food" Junk Food for excellence, everyone loves them, young and old. Every time I prepare them I exaggerate and there are many left over. I am for non-waste, so I often have to heat them later.

How do you heat French fries in your home? Almost everyone will answer to use the microwave or oven at home. Let's see together what seems to be the best solution.

Reheat the French Fries

Use of the microwave oven: I've tried dozens and dozens of times, but always with bad results. Irremediably they become soggy and if you overdo it with time, they harden on the outside.

An alternative could be to put them in the previously heated oven, but there is a great risk of drying them too much on the outside, losing their tasty crunchiness.

Reheat the French Fries
Reheat the French Fries

Reheat the French Fries

Like it or not, the best solution is always to fry them again for a few minutes. Seeing is believing.

It is definitely the right choice, seed oil in a large pan and after bringing the oil to temperature, pour in the chips to be heated. You will see that the seed oil will bring back the lost crunchiness to our chips as if by magic.

Reheat the French Fries

This fantastic solution can be used for all fried foods, even cutlets to reheat the next day.

There is a method of preserving french fries? unfortunately no, Dear friends, it is always advisable to dry them well with absorbent paper from excessive frying oil, but there is no way to preserve its fragrance.

This is why I always suggest to prepare only the necessary quantity.

Reheat the French Fries

We have also reached the greetings today, before doing it, I would like to remind you of some of the useful links that you can find here on my website entirely dedicated to pizza.

All information on the Practical Courses of Pizzaiolo that we regularly carry out here at our school. Follow this link.

For those who do not have the time or resources necessary to personally attend our practical course, I remember that an excellent one is available here on my site Pizzaiolo Online Course that you can follow directly from your home, maybe sitting comfortably on the sofa. Just download it to your PC or mobile phone and ready to go.

If you remain 5 minutes available, visit my youtube channel, you will find hundreds of video pizza recipes available.

 

See you soon

Silvio Cicchi