How To Launch Pizza Smoothly Every Time. Ooni Koda 16.

Welcome back to the TRW Pizza Channel.
In this video I provide some tips I have developed to help get a smooth pizza launch every. People get very focused on semolina flour to ensure the pizza launches correctly but I feel there is an over dependance on that. A good pizza launch is mostly down to suitable dough and management of that dough when you are preparing the toppings. I show some videos when my pizza launches have failed on my Ooni Koda 16 and explain in great detail why that happened. I then show how I manage my dough and also some good examples of a pizza launch on my Ooni Koda 16. I have put this video together because this was a subject I found rather challenging for the first few months of pizza making and hope my tips can help you understand the principles quicker that I did.
I hope you enjoy the content, please consider liking and subscribing if you do.
This channel is by a home pizza enthusiast who likes sharing my journey of learning to improve my pizzas, review specific products like Ooni Stack, Ooni Pizza Dough Cutter, Ooni Infra Red Thermometer, Ooni Karu 16 and much more. I also discuss different ovens like the Ooni Karu and talk about different approaches to dough recipes and cooking.
Cheers!
TRW Pizza

[@keithbrookshire]

This video could have saved me so much grief in the past... and it will in the future.

[@trwpizza3021]

Keith, great to hear it - that was the intention Sir. I’m very pleased you find it useful. Onward. 💪

[@socaloutdoors7355]

Okay, one thing I will say. ALMOST EVERY person on KZbin shows their perfect successful pizzas being made. I’m brand new to this and still in the very early stages of pizza making in an oven just like this. I have gotten JUST AS MUCH OUT OF THIS VID IF NOT MORE as those who show their perfect pizzas which really only show me one side of making pizzas. THANK YOU FOR THIS VID!

[@yc6683]

I agree with you 100%. This video has helped more by showing the mistakes and not the "perfect pizzas".

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks so much, that was the intention, I’m really pleased it has helped you… cheers 🎩🍷🎩🍷

[@trwpizza3021]

Very pleased it helped you Y C 🙏

[@paulcussen2144]

Great video & great reply. We’re all learning. 💯

[@frederickmiller9228]

You learn as much if not more from your mistakes

[@RYN988]

When I first got my pizza oven, I was thinking to myself why are there so many videos on pizza launch like how hard can it be so slide a pizza off? Then I made my first pizza, I was so excited, Put the dough on the peel and launched it, literally all my toppings ended on the stone and it was a fabulous mess! such a humbling experience! Thanks for the video, love the way you talk and break down some of your experiences.

[@trwpizza3021]

Many thanks for the feedback Rayan, I really appreciate it. Going the rough the pizza process is indeed a humbling yet highly rewarding experience…

[@MrBabafemo]

I have to say a massive thank you for this. Many if us beginners start off thinking we got this made and all the proffessional videos on KZbin don't show fails. This video really helps.

[@socaloutdoors7355]

Not only was this video SUPER HELPFUL…but ALL THE COMMENTS & INPUT from other users/makers was awesome/helpful too!!!! My first launch a week ago, the entire party of toppings shot forward during the launch only to become charred remains😅…what a mess! My pizzas have been getting better but still needing lots of practice n trial & error.

[@trwpizza3021]

Glad it was helpful! Yep, trial and error is critical and learning from others’ mistakes is is even more important. Cheers 🥂

[@RaparigaRural]

This video got us pizza for dinner on day 1, thanks to you! What a great service you provided!

[@SucceedingInFinTech]

Wow! It was like you had a camera on my failed efforts. Many, many thanks for the solid explanation!

[@eltonsbbq-pit]

Thanks for sharing this! I've just got myself an Ooni Koda 16 and i realize that i need to practise to get the hand of it.. My first pizza was a disaster, launch problems etc.. Learning by burning.. Cheers from Norway!

[@jcm9356]

I found out a few things from bad pizza launches into my Ooni: don't panic, (you have some time to rectify); don't get angry (I have and ended up smashing my peel over the Ooni...dumb); try and lift and turn from the back to the front e.g. the cooked bit will lift, the uncooked at the front won't; try to get the pizza cooked and out (even ugly pizza still tastes great). Great video and very sound advice about the amount of dried yeast needed.....not much. Also, try using semolina or cornmeal instead of flour on the peel, it acts like little ball bearings, allowing the pizza to slip off more easily.

[@JSTpacek]

if pizza sticks out of the stone, i flip it onto the rest of the dough (and not push it inside like in video).when i take it out to rotate it 180 degrees, i unfold it.(ooni koda 12).

[@lisapage7286]

Keith, right there with ya! Family pizza party was a total disaster. Finished pizzas in indoor oven because we were in such a deep hole there was no way out! Haha! Great tutorial! Thank you!

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha, the pressure is always on in those situations for sure. Trust me when I say with enough practice it becomes second nature and and you fire out great pizza consistently. And that’s when it becomes so satisfying. Cheers!

[@tomm5810]

I'm going to get a pizza oven, and what you have shared helps me to understand what it takes to avoid problems with the launch, etc. I find this very helpful to understand better! Thank you!

[@trwpizza3021]

Tom, I’m very pleased you find the channel useful. Thanks for letting me know good Sir. 🥂

[@sleestaks]

I launched the like button. Been making pie in the homeoven with screens since covid. Got Ooni today. Saturday will be my first launch since I went to screens. Home oven I did 550 with rack on the bottom for 9 minutes and perfect for my dough. Hope all goes well and thanks for the detailed tips. Nice job man.

[@maheenm]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this, got my new 12 in Ooni a couple of weeks back, and I decided to run a trial, what a disaster (thank goodness it was a trial and not going to be our dinner!). This gives me a lot more confidence now and will be giving it another shot this weekend. One other tip I found online, turn the oven down to 3/4 after the pizza goes it, gives you more time with the cooking (well for beginners anyway), then put it back to full after you take the pizza out to let the Ooni come back to full temp for the next cook.

[@20111111jorg]

Well... been there, done that! It was one of my biggest problems when starting. I've been making pizza for over two years now and still occasionally have that problem. Like you, one of the best moves was making it on the peel. But, after a lot of experimentation I found before I put it on the peel it's well floured on the bottom when stretching with a partial mixture of semolina. Then the peel is lightly covered with semolina as well. Plus like you I make sure it still slides around easily before sipping it into the oven, which is great advice! One more thing I noticed. I think your dough ball is fairly small. I stretch mine out to 12" and it usually shrinks down to a 10" pizza when done. To do this I use 310 grams of dough and found the 240 - 280 grams most people recommend it too little and stretches too thin. This works for me with hydration around 69%. Like others, great video for us who learn from mistakes. Wish I had seen this years ago!

[@davidvreeland5092]

'Watching you before my first pie. Thanks for the info

[@gusmukti96]

U can try this: 1. Par baked the base:Just put small amount of sauce without any other toping then launch it to the oven 2. After few second, take it off and put all the toping 3. Launch it to the oven again. Done

[@callmehank88]

That will be helpful to new folks, great video. I too went through all that caper. I called them "unexpected calzone". I ended up grinding a flat edge on the top of my turning peel so I could use it as an effective scraper to remove the remnants of an unexpected calzone.

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha. The ‘unexpected calzone’. Perfect :) Good idea on the turning peel adaptation, pizza makes one innovative sometimes. Thank you Sir

[@jandon64]

Thank you for the open and honest video! WE just received our OONI wood propane stove~ have been making outside wood fired pizzas with our old and faithful WEBER for ages, however just needed the higher temp for the sour dough to shine! You are amazing for explaining both + and - ... Cheers Donna and Scott

[@trwpizza3021]

Many thanks for the kind words Donna and Scott! Congrats on the new Ooni - you are going to love it. I think to start with using the gas element will be a good way to build confidence with the temperature and then start adding the wood. The key is to not go too high temp, people get so excited with 500C capability they burn a lot of pizza. Keep it to 430C/ 806F. Most of all just enjoy the process and the fabulous pizza you will create :)

[@drebk]

Good on you for calling that disaster and pulling the pizza before things got way out of hand. I committed all of those same sins on my 5th ever pizza launch yesterday(1st of the day). Tried to salvage it by making it into a calzone, but the bottom cut through, and leaked a bunch of toppings on the recovery effort. Absolutely torched the top too because it was too tall. I should have called it and just pulled the whole thing much sooner. That pizza had no business entering my oven =p

[@guystapo]

My first pizza was the same ..now on my 5th and got this

[@samsurfer3705]

Really appreciate you showing both the successes and the failures. Very informative. Many thanks.

[@trwpizza3021]

Thank you for the kind words Sam 🥂

[@gmargenka8983]

Having a flash back…did this EXACT same thing! Haven’t used it since last summer, I’m a little nervous! Thanks for sharing!

[@trwpizza3021]

Get back after it! 💪

[@SilverShadow2LWB]

Thank you for the great video. It brought back many memories. I don't want to be so cocky to say that it has never happened to me. I did feel a little awkward watching you take the dough out of the glass containers. Where did you learn to store your dough in glass? A wooden dough box is more traditional. Instead of vibrating your pizza (and toppings) off the peel, launching it in by angling the peel at a bigger angle to the stone should help avoid trapped air. I lost my last pizza while coming back into the house and accidentally hitting the peel against the edge of the sliding door. The pizza launched beautifully upside down onto the floor. Like yours, it went straight into the trashcan. A right side up floor landing may have qualified for the 3 second rule. Haha. Thanks again.

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks for the feedback and advice on wooden dough boxes! I wasn’t aware of that approach. I need to look into it… cheers 🥂

[@SilverShadow2LWB]

@@trwpizza3021 Many professionals use the plastic proofing boxes since the wooden ones are heavy and hard to find. Your glass container is compact but makes it hard to put a spatula under it. It may help if it had a thin coating of olive oil. Good luck and thanks again for the video.

[@MoanAhLisa]

Thank you so much for the very informative video. We are still practicing in our home, with the regular kitchen oven, (it goes up to 550F) and with the help of many, many videos watched, our most recent pizza was pretty darn spectacular. I just discovered yours today when searching for "pizza dough sticking to peel". We have been using a ton of corn meal and it burns and smokes up the house. Yah, that's obviously a very amateurish move. I think we're on our way to great success with the abundance of collective knowledge shown here and on all of YT. As my sweetie enthusiastically says... "I get to eat all the mistakes" lol He could care less how pretty it comes out. Thank you again for sharing! CHEERS 🍷

[@trwpizza3021]

Yes all part of the learning process. I’m glad I was able to help, cheers 🥂

[@craigbeech1902]

Terrific transparency and openness in your videos, hopefully saving many from the same grief. I have an Ooni Koda 16 as well, it’s a beast of an oven, but definitely requires a good launch, otherwise loads of grief, but that’s the same with all ovens I’d imagine, certainly not just the Ooni Koda 16. Thanks heaps!

[@trwpizza3021]

Craig, thanks for the support kind Sir. Yes once you get consistent on the launch it makes the whole process a lot less stressful. I think it took me about 3 months of regular practice to get to a point where I was consistent. Now I’m focusing on perfecting the dough recipe. I love the journey to improve pizza :) Cheers 🥂

[@craigbeech1902]

@@trwpizza3021 I’m loving the journey too, let’s go make great pizza! 👍🏻🍕🍕

[@trwpizza3021]

Launching pizzas is harder than it looks! Here I share my tips and real life examples of things gone wrong and right. Please launch the like button if you find this useful :)

[@xmas4203]

Great tips. I'm glad you shared the mistakes. I gave up and started using a pizza screen for the first half of the cook. I'm ready to get back to launching off the peel again after watch my mistakes in your vid. Kudos!

[@eeliasselias549]

its great to see real life videos

[@jcm9356]

The initial disaster launch is EXACTLY what happened to me last night: pizza too big, too many toppings and when launched it hung out the front of the Ooni. I have to admit, I wasn't as sanguine as this gentleman and now my Ooni has a dent on top. Sorry, Ooni. Great video.

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks for the comment! We have all been there and trust me it gets easier with practice. Just be consistent, make regular pizza, learn from your mistakes and you’ll be producing masterpieces soon enough. 🥂

[@Chrissers2010]

How does this channel not have a million subscribers?!?

[@trwpizza3021]

Why thank you Jim! Such a kind comment, who knows maybe one day I’ll get there :) I hope your pizza making journey is rewarding and fun! Cheers Sir 🥂

[@VividBoi]

I have a problem where I keep clicking on videos because of the beautiful pizza thumbnail, and then I realize I'm watching a beginner "tutorial" even though I make my own pizza and am confident in my skills, but I stick around anyways because I wanna see the yummy.

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha! I know the feeling. I always like to see other peoples technique and results. Thanks for the comment :)

[@cresleyc5391]

great tips, very honest, love the simplicity…give us hopefully and very encouraging 🙏

[@mikewebster2761]

Thank you for showing us some of your mishaps, it is highly educational.

[@trwpizza3021]

My pleasure Mike. I always like to learn from other people’s mistakes…so I offer up some of my own. Cheers 🎩🎩

[@aspjake123]

When this happens to me I will try to remember to turn the heat off so the top isnt burning. Thank you for this video mate. My Koda 16 arrives tomorrow.

[@trwpizza3021]

Enjoy sir! I hope you are having great success with your Ooni. 💪🥂

[@SmokeMonster]

Really great video, glad I found this on day one with my new Koda 16. Cheers

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks you Sir! Enjoy the Ooni, it will bring you much joy :) Digging your channel by the way. Right up my street. Subbed!

[@mvladivostok]

Really useful video. Like others, I do think it's better practice to make the pizza off the peel first, that way you can tell straight away if it's going to stick or not. Final adjustments and adding ingredients with the pizza on the peel already can uncover wet dough patches, or leave olive oil on the peel, etc. And finally, I find that a thin metal launch peel works better: if a disaster does occur with the launch, you can use the peel to scrape off the whole mess from the oven (you can't do that with a thick wood peel, or with the turning peel). Thanks again for the amazing video!

[@pjb124]

Thank You! I've done two pizza cooks on my Koda 12 and had fails on each one. Your video showed me why. You are my go to now.

[@trwpizza3021]

Oh that’s great to hear! Thanks so much for this feedback it really means a lot. The only reason I do the channel is to try and help people make great pizza. Cheers!

[@dwylhq874]

Excellent learning. Thank you so much for capturing this and sharing. 😍 subbed.

[@metfanal]

I prefer a bar pie thin throughout style. I now form dough with hands and rolling pin place on a 16" pizza screen top with sauce...then par bake on screen and spin. After a minute or 2 the dough sets and it can be carefully slid right off screen onto oven deck. Then lower heat apply toppings and cook carefully. This will give you a crisper under carriage and also limit corn meal and flour in oven!!

[@trwpizza3021]

This is really helpful thanks as I’m planning on doing some bar pie over the coming weeks. Cheers!

[@thejontrigo]

Brave of you to televise this! We've all been there 😀

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha. I hope it helps people to learn from my mistakes :)

[@michaelscranton9890]

1 variable you don't mention is speed. The time you take to build your pizza allow it to stick. Also, build off the peel then pull onto the peel just before sending to oven.

[@richardgoff6739]

Great video. thanks

[@ntrancedffs]

Good tips. I do think your dough has way too much water, you're using a ton of flour on "very wet" bits which is basically bringing your dough coinsistency back to the moisture level it should have been from the start. If you reduce water in your dough you will need hardly any flour and you can dispense with the overly expensive Ooni stacks and waiting 30 seconds for your dough to come out. Best thing I did was get a dough box for proofing and a good, large scraper. You can buy the boxes from Ooni but they are much cheaper elsewhere. You already know this also but for anyone new, please don't try making great pizza with pre-grated mozarella, get a good low moisture block and use that instead of store bought grated or store bought anything.

[@trwpizza3021]

Stu, thanks for the advice Sir. Much appreciated. I usually have a hydration of around 65% which I understand isn’t that high, but you are right, when I make NY style at a lower hydration I find it easier to manipulate the dough. And also agree, good quality block mozz is the only way for me now. Cheers 🥂

[@DavidRyanTaylor]

High hydration dough doesn’t necessarily equal stickiness or a “wet” dough ball. I’ve launched 70-75% hydration dough balls consistently without any issues. Traditional Neapolitan dough runs in the low 60’s. Personally, if you are going to use flour on your peel, I’d go with semolina. It acts like thousands of tiny ball bearings, and adds a subtle crunch to the crust, and doesn’t scorch as easily as 00 on a hot deck (which adds bitterness to your pizza).

[@trwpizza3021]

@@DavidRyanTaylor good feedback Sir. I do find the semolina flour burns easier than 00 but maybe I will do another test and explore it. Thanks for the advice 🥂

[@kimsaunders4166]

Really appreciate the details of the video. Curious about the temp of oven while cooking both pizzas. Thanks so much

[@Ares0025]

Too thin dough in the middle was my worst enemy the pizza even made a huge bubble there i had this problem many times because i didn't know what the reason was of course i had my toppings on the stone several times too it was a complete disaster 😅 great video i would tear any bubbles in the crust before launching the pizza though they become black very quick 😊 merry Christmas 🎄🎁

[@philsfood]

When you pulled the peel away and the pizza ended up in a rectangular shape hanging off the edge, I couldn't stop laughing. Expected it to be bad, but that was so unexpected haha. Had to re-watch it a few times. Especially as right before it, you clearly were unaware of the hell that awaited you. We've all been there though, that moment when the peel cuts through the uncooked base and the toppings burn onto the stone. There is no worse feeling.

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha. You know it Phil. Always gutted after such love and devotion put into the dough but also serves as a great learning opportunity. These days is pretty much never happens. Thankfully! 🥂🎩🎩

[@nickellion3657]

First video of yours I "stumbled" across as I looked for help and tips with Shovel/Peel management. Got Sooooooo much MORE out of this. Thankyou. I've just started my Pizza Journey. I Make some good dough but the transitions kill my hard work. Never said the word 'Ba*tard' so much in my life. Thankyou again and easy sub.

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha. I know the feeling oh so well. Just practice consistently and you’ll get it in no time. Remember… no wet dough exposed is key - cover it with flour.

[@nickellion3657]

@@trwpizza3021 hahah. Thank you for the reply. Love it and thanks for the advice. I’m just about to dive in again. Looking forward to catching up on past, present and future videos. Be Well. 👏👏👏

[@Glide-vd5we]

Great video thank you very helpful

[@trwpizza3021]

Thank you for the kind words, much appreciated! 🥂

[@lisaoverson9195]

Thanks so much ! I learned a lot from this video. I have purchased the Ooni Coda but have yet to try it. Loved the Peroni - perfect accompaniment to any pizza!

[@141shottaz]

a good tip for beginners is to not shoot the pizza in, instead you just put it in and hold the peel where you want the pizza and drag the peel out. with a wooden peel you can "Shake" the peel out which is rather easy, but with an aluminium peel you need to quickly drag it out.

[@tommanning7337]

I’ve been waiting for this video 👍🏻👍🏻 Yep, had the same problem with thin dough in the middle, I’ve made lots of mess.🍕🍕

[@trwpizza3021]

Good to hear from you Sir. Yep it’s all part of the journey and a good launch takes some practice to get consistent. It took me while to realise thin middle = problems :)

[@tommanning7337]

@@trwpizza3021 same, I still do the occasional thin middle hahaha

[@lostmykeysagain]

Good advice. Thanks for sharing.

[@jasonwest6441]

Learning so much from you. Thank you

[@trwpizza3021]

That’s fantastic to hear Sir. Thank you so much for letting me know.🥂

[@rafaelmaldonadoyepez8830]

Men, awesome job and thanks for sharing

[@trwpizza3021]

Rafael, thanks for the kind words good Sir 🥂

[@CabrioDriving]

4:34 I learned by experiment it is good to re-make the ball when it is in condition like here (overblown). Re-make the dough ball, adding air into it from bottom (do it for about 1 minute). Then smear a little of olive oil from bottom and let the ball rest on baking paper covered with some pot, for 1-3 hours till it grows again. Only them make the pizza. Here the balls were too developed and too delicate. Just re-make them.

[@trwpizza3021]

Makes sense, I’m always a bit paranoid a re-balling will mean a pizza ball full of air pockets which will be a headache to stretch but I’m sure you are right. there is a technique or everything. Thanks for the advice Cabrio…

[@davidlaue8225]

Nice looking pizzas....thank you for this informative video. Doing ours tonight on our new Karu 16.

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks David. And congrats on the Karu 16. That thing will bring a lot of joy. Cheers!

[@nedio8249]

Your not the only guy who failed pizza, the other are nice :)

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks. Yes you have to fail a few times to start making good pizza :)

[@michaellow625]

very helpful, many thanks.

[@trwpizza3021]

Thank you Sir! May you have many smooth pizza launches ahead of you :)

[@timwheeler8722]

Nice video thanks

[@trwpizza3021]

Many thanks Tim. I ruddy love Girl From Mars. Bet you’ve never heard that before lol. Unless you are actually the lead singer of Ash… Anyway, I appreciate the kind words Sir. Cheers 🥂🛵

[@AnaGarcia-id3mt]

Tk you for the great tips!!

[@trwpizza3021]

Many thanks for the kind words Ana. I hope they help you with your pizza making. Happy New Year :)

[@acl3793]

Hola !! Genial tu vídeo 👌🏻, como limpias la piedra después de los desastres !?! Gracias por compartir los errores y el aprendizaje !!

[@tomasnicholas1881]

GREAT WORK...THANKS.

[@trwpizza3021]

Thank you Sir 🥂

[@subdermalfusion]

Having had the same problems previously…. I felt the pain of those mistakes.

[@michaelritchie1385]

One thing I notice in the video and with my own Koda 16 is that the preheat time is VERY important. The whole stone needs a thorough preheat. Your disasters can be saved by having a hot stone.

[@AZRockRunner]

I ended up putting the pizza on baking sheet, trim the excess, then launch. The paper can slide off the peel a lot easier. As the dough get hardened, I try to pull the paper out (or it would burn).

[@trwpizza3021]

Interesting approach! I think you can do it without the paper if you make sure there is no wet dough by landing it in tipo00 flour… but this is an ingenious work around :)

[@AZRockRunner]

@@trwpizza3021 First trial with a steel pizza peel, I was managed to launch my pizzas successfully. Second trial, I had some problem and the baking sheet came to a rescue. Third trial with an official Ooni bambo peel, a disaster. So I rather stick with the baking sheet from now on. One problem with launch can ruin the experience of the night. Not worth the risk.

[@trwpizza3021]

@@AZRockRunner that’s the great ring about pizza making, everyone has their own process and preferences. Great to hear 🥂

[@helocoastie8274]

Thumbs up for actually posting the learning from failures. Also good looking pies Sir.

[@trwpizza3021]

Many thanks! Yep got to show the evolution :£

[@frankbachlmayr1918]

Well done and beautiful pizzas you made! Sticky pizza on the peel is the most annoying thing, I once (OK...twice!) managed that the pizza overturned into the oven almost completely. What a damn mess!! Lucky I was alone and nobody watched me getting really angry :D

[@trwpizza3021]

Haha. Frank I know that feeling so well. All the love and care going into your dough preparation only for it to be decimated in one fell swoop. Luckily, as I’m sure you also know, those kind of issues get free and farther between as you get more experience. It’s all about churning out the numbers on a regular basis. Thanks for the comment and support Sir!

[@goldencalf5144]

Super helpful, thanks

[@velvetspicer1962]

We're about to use our Koda 12 and I'm nervous! Thanks for the tips!

[@trwpizza3021]

Let me know how it goes! Just keep the dough dry with extra flour before you launch and keep the temperature a bit lower while you get used to it. Cheers! 🥂

[@JustPlainT]

thanx for posting this

[@bresoccercards6461]

Learning 😊

[@juriesser9607]

Thanks for the video 👌

[@kylesykrebs]

Man watching this brought back painful memories haha. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. I’ve had some major pizza disasters myself. In my opinion you’ve got the right attitude. Just keep trying and learning. Great seeing you improve!

[@trwpizza3021]

Thank you Sir! The journey is all part of the fun. I just made 6 dough balls and overdid the olive oil and they took ages to proof. Another learning opportunity :) Cheers! 🥂

[@stevenvhughes]

@@trwpizza3021 i did the same a couple weeks ago. I didn't realize olive oil affected proof time. I kept looking at it, saying "come on, grow! " I thought it was my instant dry yeast was dead.

[@trwpizza3021]

@@stevenvhughes exactly my experience. Good learning opportunity :)

[@Bevieevans8]

Thank you for this. It’s painful to watch and even more painful when you see your perfect pizza turn into an Eton mess! One thing I do different to you, is I always use fine semolina to stretch because they’re like little ball bearings and help the pizza launch. I found the 00 flour was absorbed too much by my pizza base. All a learning curve though 😊

[@trwpizza3021]

Beverly, haha indeed that feeling of the Eton Mess is indeed demoralising but I use it as a learning opportunity whenever it happens. Interesting about the fine semolina, I agree it makes it easier to launch but I also found it coagulated on the stone and if I was doing a bigger batch of pizza (5 or more) it became more likely to burn up. I find tipo 00 the optimum in that scenario. But as you say all depends on many factors and learning. That’s the great thing about pizza making, there is no ‘right way’. Thanks so much for the comment. Cheers 🥂

[@Bevieevans8]

@@trwpizza3021 ah I know what you mean, but a wet cloth on the end of a brush takes all the flour off the stone 😊

[@missingmarblesmedia4156]

THANKS! Very helpful.

[@trwpizza3021]

My pleasure! Happy pizza making :)

[@adampockaj3157]

I've had my share of disaster pizzas for sure, I'm almost starting to get it right. But I've had a lot that look like that one of yours

[@robertanthony3434]

My problem in the past was the pizza (raw dough) getting stuck on the launch pad... I maybe would not have enough flower on the bottom so the dough would stick to the paddle in certain spots...

[@trwpizza3021]

Yes, make sure there are no wet patches on the dough by applying enough flour

[@kbeynon79]

I need a turning peel. I just take the pizza out with a big metal peel and turn the pizza by hand. The method in this video is way better.

[@trwpizza3021]

I agree Kenneth, you get more precision and control. Cheers

[@spang1e858]

First attempt the pizza ended up in a pile on the flames and we ordered pizza. Second attempt we had no problems cooking a couple pizzas thanks to this video.

[@trwpizza3021]

Very pleased it helped!

[@Ragatokk]

Why did you stop using semolina? I thought the point of using it instead of 00 was that it does not burn as much.

[@trwpizza3021]

So I personally find the semolina builds up on the stone during a few pizzas cooks and becomes more likely to burn. The tipo00 in small quantities doesn’t congeal so much on the stone, so less burning. Plus the tipo00 is very good at reducing likelihood of wet patches being exposed to the peel which creates sticking and problematic launches. I hope that helps.

[@TheMichelErnest]

the problem is just with a too elastic dough. Change flour or mature for less time. Also buy a square iron shovel

[@trwpizza3021]

I think if it’s too elastic the hydration is too high, and possibly too much yeast. So bring it down to 63% hydration and less yeast. I don’t find longer maturing makes it more elastic, if anything the opposite. Do at least 20 hours cold ferment. It’s all about experimenting. That’s the fun part in my opinion :) Cheers!

[@sheliaduyckinck4946]

Very good information. I might have missed it, but did you use the pizza dough recipe that comes with the pizza oven? I have the ooni 12. I bought pizza dough from market and am wondering if there is a difference between dough used in home oven, versus ooni pizza oven, thank you if you can reply.

[@Steam_Dad]

I bought the Koda 16 today and I had a very bad start. All the toppings, cheese and tomato dripped on to my stone. Do you have any tipps how to clean the stone? I burnt it but it's still black.

[@wlittleman]

Thank you for sharing your lessons learned. I'm new to making Neapolitan pizzas and have nearly destroyed my first 5 pizzas. My pizza stone is blackened from all my failures. Any tips as to how you cleaned yours after burning all the spilled cheese and sauce?

[@michaelscranton9890]

Try to come in more from the side than straight on with the giro.

[@isistemasmx]

Thank you for sharing your experience, could you advise me how to clean the stone of my ooni please, to remove the black scabs. Kind regards

[@trwpizza3021]

Honestly it will never be perfect once you use it a few times. Just give it a good scrub with hot water and soap, flip the stone every time you use it. Other than that embrace the scars of pizza war :) 🥂

[@isistemasmx]

@@trwpizza3021 Thanks!

[@gailro3405]

Would love you to keep filing and uploading. Good content and just the right balance and length of content. I have just been given my first Ooni oven by my husband to make him a good Pizza and your video has certainly helped me. I have only Cooke 3 Pizzas so far, learnt a lot from your videos. Thanks

[@trwpizza3021]

Many thanks Gail, I’ll get back at it soon 🙏🙏🙏

[@AZRockRunner]

Another problem with launching the pizza is that some chunk of ingredients or cheese would roll off into the flame.

[@trwpizza3021]

Yes indeed, it always helps to cut any toppings in a way that makes them less likely to roll about, i.e. flat and small

[@Ernexzto]

Excellent video, it helped me a lot, in the last pizza the stone was too hot or you should have removed it faster, thanks

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks, I’m pleased you found it helpful. Yes there was more colour to the pizza on the last one as I cooked it a bit too close to the flame. Still tasted great :)

[@dropcheekelbow9110]

I don't think your pizza was overcooked at all for the style. Infact it was perfectly executed. I guess I gotta try kimchi on pizza.

[@alexugattis7964]

Hwo did you clean your stone so well? A friend of mine lended me his Ooni 12 and a couple pizzas torn apart inside on the stone! The stone has a lot of black stains, I´ve used the oven many times, but the stains are still there. Can you help me please?

[@frankklepeisz3219]

Thanks very much for sharing this. I’ve had my Ooni 16 for a few weeks and have already made many of the same mistakes you’ve shown! Quick question - have you noticed any difference in launching off a metal peel vs a wooden one and which do you prefer? Thanks again!

[@trwpizza3021]

Thank you Sir. So I have a basic wooden peel, a perforated metal Ooni peel and now for Xmas a pro Gi.metal Evoluzione with extra perforation holes. What I find is the Ooni is the easiest to use so long as your dough isn’t wet or too soft. Basically the soft dough sags into the perforations and can mean it doesn’t launch smoothly. But a proper dough shouldn’t do that. And it’s also why it’s best not to build the pizza on the peel so it doesn’t have time to sag into it. Hope that makes sense. The wooden peel was a faithful companion for months and I would happily use it any time, but the launch isn’t as smooth and the heat of the oven etc means it degrades over time. I’d go Metal perforated Ooni if i had to choose one as a beginner.

[@frankklepeisz3219]

@@trwpizza3021 Thank you very much. I have a solid metal peel but I feel the dough often sticks to it (especially here in Florida where it is very humid). I may have to try the perforated peel - thanks!

[@trwpizza3021]

@@frankklepeisz3219 I think that’s less to do with yen peel and more to do with the dough prep. Just make sure you flip your dough fully in tipo00 flour both sides plus cover the edges before you stretch it and it should float on that peel when you do a test shake. It’s the wet parts of the dough that get stuck, eliminate them and you’ll be fine 💪

[@frankklepeisz3219]

@@trwpizza3021 - thanks - I’ll give it a try! Have a great weekend!

[@kellbodholt8986]

Thank you for the informative video. I have struggled with launching and have had a couple disasters myself, leaving a baked on mess to deal with. Any tips on cleaning the stone after a disaster?

[@trwpizza3021]

Thanks for the positive feedback it is much appreciated. We all have those issues in the learning phase :) Yes for cleaning the stone I recommend getting the worst of any detritus off with a wooden spatula when the stone cools then a bit of a scrub for any stubborn bits. But the best tip is to then flip the stone for the next cook as the bits left over will dry and fall off easily. I’ve found no matter what you do the stone always looks ‘used’ after cook one so don’t worry too much about that. As long as it’s flat and clean you are good to go. Cheers!

[@jzpat]

Video showed me great tips and things to avoid. I’m curious have you watched Vito iacopelli? He has great tips. Also I wonder if you use poolish method?

[@markusstuiber]

Does the OONI Logo on the stone need to look facing upwards?

[@trwpizza3021]

No it works fine both ways. It helps to keep it cleaner of you flip it every time - that’s what I do.

[@daevictusand873]

Thanks for a great vid. Sorry, what ”temperature” are you using? Max or less? Thx!

[@trwpizza3021]

So I get it up to about 400C or 752F on high and then turn it to low as you launch. As you get more experience you can bring the temp to 430C if you want a bigger rise. I hope you get great results! 🥂

[@acl3793]

Hola !! Buenísimos vídeos . Como entiendo tus palabras !! Necesito ayuda ! En caso de que se cocine por fuera pero no por dentro !! Que haces ? Tiene que ser el grosor ?

[@jondonson8136]

thx

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

I would’ve loved if you had added how you cleaned the pizza stone after you made such a mess on it. It looks like it would have been quite the chore! My stone is already a mess and I’m not sure how to clean it that well… I have tried a wire brush and a scraper on the end of it a bit, but I’m scared of ruining the stone.

[@trwpizza3021]

Good question, an area I can do a video about in the future. Basically yes the stone can get quite dirty when you have a pizza fail, but not to worry, I simply wait for the stone to cool then give it a good wash and get the stubborn bits off with a wooden spatula or even metal scraper, but I personally don’t use a wire brush. I then flip the stone on the next cook so that anything left gets burned off underneath. They never look perfect after the first cook but it’s easy to maintain them with this approach.

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

@@trwpizza3021 Thank you for the reply and the tips, although I don’t think that I can use the tips unfortunately… I have a Roccbox, and I am pretty certain that you can’t flip the stone in it. I also worry about using water and getting it in the area that the gas comes out from… I don’t know if that would mess with any mechanical part. My wire brush alone didn’t do that thorough of a job cleaning, and the scraper end of it wasn’t working either… I was worried I was chipping off some of the stone, so I stopped. Well shoot… Do you have a Roccbox by chance?

[@trwpizza3021]

@@anti-ethniccleansing465 oh I see, no unfortunately I don’t have a Roccbox, although I’m very interested to try one. I know some people just let the flame burn the excess off too.

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

@@trwpizza3021 Haha. Funny enough, I am getting your comment reply right now as I am doing just that. I am not happy about it though! Wasting this much propane just to try to clean the stone really sucks! It was recommended to have high flame burning the stone for 30 minutes to an hour (however, I’m not sure if it is supposed to be at max temperature for 30 minutes, or an hour - if the time was including the time to heat up the oven or not), so I am just playing it safe by having the oven burn for around an hour after it reached almost max temperature on the thermostat. So far, it SEEMS to be working. I sure would love a better way to clean it though but doesn’t require this much propane! Also, I think part of the problem may have been using corn flour for my second cook to help get my pizza launched off of the peel, because the first launch was a disaster on my first pizza (toppings went flying everywhere onto the stone haha). The pizza launched a very easily on that second pizza, however I noticed immediately that corn flour around the pizza was burning immediately on the stone. So I guess that purchase of corn flour was a waste of money and I should just use 00 flour instead of the all purpose flour I used on my first launch (so far, I have just been using premade dough from the store, for a variety of reasons, so I didn’t have 00 flour in the house to even try it yet).

[@trwpizza3021]

@@anti-ethniccleansing465 yes. I have never tried cornflour but imagine it congeals very easily on the stone. I always use a small amount of tipo 00 on the peel and dough itself and it seems to work out fine.

[@gusmukti96]

Turn the pizza from the left or right side so your peel will not stuck in it