Title: Pizza Mastery — LearnCoachAssist

Q: What is pizza?
A: A flatbread typically topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings, then baked.

Q: What is the origin of pizza?
A: Naples, Italy, 18th-19th century.

Q: What is Neapolitan pizza?
A: The original Italian style: thin, soft, charred crust from very hot ovens.

Q: What is the AVPN?
A: Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana — Neapolitan pizza certification body.

Q: What are AVPN requirements?
A: Specific flour, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, hand-stretched, wood oven, 60-90 seconds at 485°C.

Q: What is "Vera Pizza Napoletana"?
A: True Neapolitan pizza meeting AVPN standards.

Q: What is the difference between Pizza Napoletana STG and AVPN?
A: STG is EU-protected designation; AVPN is industry certification.

Q: What is the typical Neapolitan dough hydration?
A: 58-62%.

Q: What is the typical Neapolitan dough fermentation?
A: 8-24 hours, often with cold retard.

Q: What is the typical Neapolitan oven temperature?
A: 450-485°C (842-905°F).

Q: What is the typical Neapolitan bake time?
A: 60-90 seconds.

Q: What is leoparding?
A: The spotted char pattern from extreme heat on Neapolitan crust.

Q: What is the "cornicione"?
A: The puffed outer edge of Neapolitan pizza.

Q: What is New York-style pizza?
A: Larger, thinner, foldable slices baked in gas/electric ovens.

Q: What is the typical NY-style temperature?
A: 500-550°F (260-290°C).

Q: What is the typical NY bake time?
A: ~10-15 minutes.

Q: What is Detroit-style pizza?
A: Rectangular, deep-dish, crispy bottom, cheese to the edges.

Q: What is the typical Detroit-style pan?
A: Blue steel rectangular pan.

Q: What is Chicago deep-dish?
A: Tall-edged pizza with cheese under sauce, baked long.

Q: What is Chicago tavern-style?
A: Thin, crispy, cut in squares ("party cut").

Q: What is Sicilian pizza?
A: Thick, rectangular, often with a focaccia-like base.

Q: What is Roman al taglio?
A: Roman by-the-slice rectangular pizza, often with a focaccia base.

Q: What is Roman pizza tonda?
A: Round, thin, crispy Roman style.

Q: What is California-style pizza?
A: Innovative toppings (BBQ chicken, etc.) often credited to Wolfgang Puck.

Q: What is Greek-style pizza?
A: Thicker crust baked in oiled round pan, common in New England.

Q: What is St. Louis-style?
A: Cracker-thin crust with provel cheese, square-cut.

Q: What is the role of flour in pizza?
A: Determines texture; high-protein for chew, low for crisp.

Q: What is Tipo 00 flour?
A: Finely milled Italian flour; "00" refers to grind, not protein.

Q: What is the protein percentage for pizza flour?
A: 11-14%; W rating in Italian terms.

Q: What is "W" rating?
A: Italian flour strength measure; higher W = stronger gluten.

Q: What is the typical Neapolitan flour?
A: Caputo 00 Pizzeria or Manitoba.

Q: What is the typical NY-style flour?
A: High-gluten bread flour like King Arthur or All Trumps.

Q: What is the role of water?
A: Hydrates flour and develops gluten; quality affects flavor.

Q: What is the typical hydration range?
A: 55-75% depending on style.

Q: What is high-hydration pizza?
A: 70%+ water; softer, more open crumb.

Q: What is the role of salt?
A: Flavor and gluten strength; ~2-3% of flour weight.

Q: What is the role of yeast in pizza?
A: Leavens the dough; small amounts for long ferments.

Q: What is the typical yeast for long ferments?
A: 0.1-0.3% of flour weight.

Q: What is the role of sugar?
A: Browning and yeast food; common in NY-style.

Q: What is the role of olive oil?
A: Flavor and tenderness; common in some styles, banned in AVPN.

Q: What is autolyse for pizza?
A: Mixing flour and water for rest before adding salt and yeast.

Q: What is the role of bulk fermentation?
A: Develops flavor and structure.

Q: What is cold fermentation?
A: 24-72 hours in fridge; develops complex flavor.

Q: What is the role of dough balls?
A: Individual portions for each pizza, allowed to relax.

Q: What is the typical dough ball weight?
A: 200-280g for 10-12" pizza.

Q: What is the role of "tableside" management?
A: Letting dough come to room temp before shaping.

Q: What is hand stretching?
A: Forming pizza by hand from the center outward, leaving edge.

Q: What is the rule against rolling pin?
A: Crushes air bubbles; not used for traditional pizza.

Q: What is the "slap and toss"?
A: Method to stretch dough using palm and weight.

Q: What is "pushing the air to the edge"?
A: Stretching technique preserving rim airiness.

Q: What is the role of bench flour?
A: Prevents sticking; semolina common for sliding.

Q: What is semolina?
A: Coarse wheat flour with non-sticky texture; great for peels.

Q: What is the role of a pizza peel?
A: Tool to slide pizza in/out of oven.

Q: What is wooden peel vs metal peel?
A: Wood for launching (less stick); metal for retrieval (slides easily).

Q: What is the role of a pizza stone?
A: Retains heat to crisp the bottom.

Q: What is the role of a baking steel?
A: Higher heat conductivity than stone; great in home ovens.

Q: What is the typical baking steel thickness?
A: 1/4 inch is common.

Q: What is the typical home oven max?
A: 500-550°F; limits options for Neapolitan.

Q: What is a pizza oven (home)?
A: Specialized ovens reaching 800-950°F (Ooni, Roccbox).

Q: What is wood-fired oven?
A: Traditional oven using wood for direct flame and radiant heat.

Q: What is gas-fired pizza oven?
A: Convenient alternative reaching high heat.

Q: What is the Ooni?
A: A popular portable home pizza oven.

Q: What is the importance of preheat?
A: Oven and stone must be fully heated to max temperature.

Q: What is the typical preheat time?
A: 30-60 minutes for stone or steel.

Q: What is the role of broiler?
A: Add to top heat for Neapolitan-style crust.

Q: What is "broiler boost"?
A: Switching to broil after launching for char.

Q: What is the role of tomato sauce?
A: Acidity, flavor, color base for cheese and toppings.

Q: What is San Marzano tomato?
A: A canned tomato variety from Italy; sweet and balanced.

Q: What is the importance of true San Marzano?
A: Look for DOP designation for authentic; many imitators.

Q: What is DOP?
A: Denominazione di Origine Protetta — protected origin designation.

Q: What is the typical sauce preparation?
A: Crushed tomatoes + salt + olive oil; sometimes herbs.

Q: What is the rule against cooking the sauce first?
A: Many Neapolitan recipes use raw crushed tomatoes; the bake cooks them.

Q: What is the role of basil?
A: Fresh leaves added before or after baking.

Q: What is mozzarella in pizza?
A: Fresh cheese providing meltability and mild flavor.

Q: What is fior di latte?
A: Cow's milk fresh mozzarella; standard for Naples.

Q: What is mozzarella di bufala?
A: Buffalo milk mozzarella; richer, more delicate.

Q: What is the difference between fresh and low-moisture mozzarella?
A: Fresh has high water; low-moisture is drier, used in NY/Detroit styles.

Q: What is the typical Neapolitan cheese?
A: Fior di latte or bufala, hand-torn.

Q: What is the typical NY cheese?
A: Low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, shredded.

Q: What is the typical Detroit cheese?
A: Wisconsin brick cheese to the edges.

Q: What is provel?
A: A processed cheese blend used in St. Louis pizza.

Q: What is the role of Parmigiano-Reggiano?
A: Aged, hard cheese for grating; depth of flavor.

Q: What is pecorino?
A: Sheep's milk cheese; sharper than Parmesan.

Q: What is the typical cheese amount?
A: ~80-120g per pizza; balance is key.

Q: What is "white pizza"?
A: Pizza without tomato sauce, often with cheese, garlic, olive oil.

Q: What is pizza alla diavola?
A: Spicy pizza with salami and chili.

Q: What is pizza Margherita?
A: Tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil — colors of the Italian flag.

Q: What is the Margherita origin story?
A: Reportedly named for Queen Margherita of Savoy in 1889.

Q: What is pizza marinara?
A: No cheese; tomato, garlic, oregano, olive oil — the original.

Q: What is the role of olive oil drizzle?
A: Finish drizzle for flavor and visual sheen.

Q: What is extra virgin olive oil?
A: First-press, highest quality; preferred for finishing.

Q: What is pizza bianca?
A: White pizza topped with olive oil, salt, sometimes rosemary.

Q: What is "topping discipline"?
A: Less is often more; quality and balance over quantity.

Q: What is the rule "no pineapple"?
A: A debated culinary stance; Italian purists generally object.

Q: What is "Hawaiian pizza"?
A: Pizza with pineapple and ham; invented in Canada, divisive.

Q: What is the role of toppings hierarchy?
A: Sauce → cheese → toppings → finish.

Q: What is "underdressing"?
A: Light topping coverage to avoid soggy results.

Q: What is the rule "ingredients raw vs cooked"?
A: Some toppings (meats) need pre-cooking; some (vegetables) cook on pizza.

Q: What is the role of fresh herbs?
A: Added after baking to preserve flavor.

Q: What is the typical baking surface temperature?
A: Below dough temperature; preheat for crisp crust.

Q: What is the "bottom up" cooking principle?
A: Stone provides radiant heat for crust; cheese melts from ambient.

Q: What is "Maillard reaction" in pizza?
A: Browning of dough and cheese; flavor development.

Q: What is the "leopard spotting"?
A: Dark spots on Neapolitan crust from high heat.

Q: What is "gummy center"?
A: An undercooked middle from too-fast bake or excess moisture.

Q: What is "crispy crust"?
A: Achieved with lower hydration, dryer toppings, hot stone.

Q: What is "Bar pizza"?
A: A bar-style thin crust; cracker-like base.

Q: What is the role of resting dough at room temp?
A: Allows it to relax for stretching.

Q: What is the typical room temp rest?
A: 1-2 hours before shaping.

Q: What is dough handling rule?
A: Gentle to preserve gas bubbles.

Q: What is "the docking" technique?
A: Pricking dough to prevent bubbles; used in cracker styles.

Q: What is the role of pre-baking crust?
A: Some styles par-bake crust before topping.

Q: What is the role of an open flame?
A: For Neapolitan, direct radiant heat from above accelerates cooking.

Q: What is "the turn"?
A: Rotating pizza during bake for even cooking.

Q: What is the role of "the launch"?
A: Sliding the topped pizza onto the stone smoothly.

Q: What is the importance of dryness when launching?
A: Wet pizza sticks to peel; flour or semolina underneath.

Q: What is the rule against waiting after topping?
A: Quick launch prevents soaking through dough.

Q: What is "double dough" technique?
A: Topping a smaller dough on top of larger for pies.

Q: What is the role of practice in pizza making?
A: Like all craft, repetition refines skill.

Q: What is the typical home oven workaround?
A: Steel + broiler combo for Neapolitan-ish results.

Q: What is the typical baking temperature on steel?
A: 500-550°F (260-290°C).

Q: What is the typical bake time on steel?
A: 4-6 minutes.

Q: What is "the dough is everything" principle?
A: Quality dough makes the pizza; toppings are accent.

Q: What is sourdough pizza?
A: Pizza dough leavened by sourdough starter; complex flavor.

Q: What is poolish pizza?
A: A pre-fermented portion added to main dough.

Q: What is biga pizza?
A: Stiff Italian pre-ferment used in some pizza recipes.

Q: What is direct dough?
A: Mixed and fermented in one stage.

Q: What is indirect dough?
A: Includes pre-ferment for flavor development.

Q: What is "balling" the dough?
A: Forming individual portions with surface tension.

Q: What is the typical dough temperature?
A: Around 75°F (24°C) at end of mixing.

Q: What is "the windowpane test"?
A: Stretch dough to translucent thin without tearing.

Q: What is degassing during folds?
A: Some folding compresses gas; gentle handling preserves it.

Q: What is "stretch and fold"?
A: Develops gluten gently in lieu of kneading.

Q: What is the role of overnight cold ferment?
A: Convenience, flavor, structure.

Q: What is "double zero" (00) at home?
A: Some home bakers prefer Caputo 00 for Neapolitan style.

Q: What is "all-purpose" alternative?
A: Decent for NY-style if bread flour isn't available.

Q: What is the role of malt?
A: Diastatic malt aids browning and flavor; included in some flours.

Q: What is "diastatic" malt?
A: Contains active enzymes that break starches into sugars.

Q: What is the role of sugar in NY-style?
A: Encourages browning during longer bakes.

Q: What is the typical NY-style oil?
A: Olive oil or blended; in dough and brushed on crust.

Q: What is "garlic oil" finish?
A: Common in pizzerias; brushed on crust after bake.

Q: What is the role of resting after baking?
A: Brief rest before slicing; lets cheese settle.

Q: What is the slicing technique?
A: Sharp wheel for clean cuts.

Q: What is "the slice"?
A: NY pizzeria culture of selling by slice.

Q: What is the size of NY slice?
A: Typically 1/8 of a 16-18" pizza.

Q: What is the "fold method"?
A: Folding a NY slice lengthwise to manage size.

Q: What is the typical NY slice price?
A: $3-5 USD as of recent years.

Q: What is the role of "by the slice" places?
A: A foundation of NYC dining culture.

Q: What is "grandma pizza"?
A: A Long Island style with thin square crust and minimal cheese under sauce.

Q: What is "the fold test"?
A: NY-style should be foldable without cracking.

Q: What is the rule for re-heating pizza?
A: Skillet method: low heat with cover; or oven at 400°F.

Q: What is "the microwave problem"?
A: Makes crust soggy; avoid for leftover pizza.

Q: What is the typical leftover pizza fridge life?
A: 3-4 days.

Q: What is the typical pizza freezer life?
A: 1-2 months for best quality.

Q: What is "Detroit-style cheese edge"?
A: Cheese pushed to pan walls for crispy "frico" edge.

Q: What is "frico"?
A: Crispy cheese crust formed on hot pan edges.

Q: What is the typical Detroit topping order?
A: Cheese first, then sauce in stripes after baking.

Q: What is "white tab" (Detroit)?
A: The deep, soft, well-fermented bottom layer in Detroit-style.

Q: What is the role of timing sauce post-bake?
A: Detroit style adds sauce as racing stripes after.

Q: What is the typical Detroit cheese?
A: Wisconsin brick cheese.

Q: What is the Buddy's Detroit history?
A: Iconic Detroit pizzeria credited with the style.

Q: What is "Pizza Strip" (Rhode Island)?
A: A focaccia-like rectangular pizza with sauce, no cheese.

Q: What is the role of regional traditions?
A: Each style reflects local immigrant history and ovens.

Q: What is the importance of authenticity vs adaptation?
A: Tradition is rich; innovation is endless; both have value.

Q: What is "the world's best pizza" mythology?
A: Many places claim the title; pizza is regional and personal.

Q: What is "Pizzaiolo"?
A: The professional title for a pizza maker.

Q: What is "the World Pizza Championship"?
A: Annual competition in Italy; many categories.

Q: What is the typical home pizza setup?
A: Steel/stone + good oven + practice; results can rival pizzerias.

Q: What is "pan pizza"?
A: Thicker style baked in oiled pan.

Q: What is "skillet pizza"?
A: Pan pizza variant in a cast iron skillet.

Q: What is the role of cast iron?
A: Conducts heat well; great for crispy bottom.

Q: What is "no-knead pizza" (Bittman)?
A: A simpler method using long fermentation.

Q: What is "the cold-ferment habit"?
A: Mix one day, bake the next; minimal hands-on.

Q: What is "the same-day dough"?
A: Faster ferment for spontaneous pizza nights.

Q: What is the typical home pizza yield?
A: One batch makes 2-4 pizzas.

Q: What is the "pizza party" tradition?
A: A social event with multiple pizzas; flexible for groups.

Q: What is "Tony Gemignani"?
A: A US-based champion pizza maker and educator.

Q: What is "Forkish on pizza"?
A: Ken Forkish's book "The Elements of Pizza."

Q: What is "Pizza Bible"?
A: Tony Gemignani's comprehensive book.

Q: What is "Modernist Pizza"?
A: An extensive multi-volume work on pizza science and craft.

Q: What is the role of grading flour?
A: Different mills and brands yield different results.

Q: What is the importance of consistent technique?
A: Variables compound; consistency reveals what's working.

Q: What is the journaling approach?
A: Note hydration, ferment time, oven temp, results.

Q: What is the typical learning curve?
A: Months to reach a great home pizza; years to mastery.

Q: What is the joy of pizza making?
A: Affordable, customizable, gathering food; transformative when good.

Q: What is the rule "less is more"?
A: Restraint in dough water, toppings, and bake time often yields better pizza.

Q: What is "high-heat advantage"?
A: Faster bake preserves moisture and creates puffy crust.

Q: What is "the cornicione test"?
A: Pull, examine the air pockets; goal is open crumb.

Q: What is the role of olive oil quality?
A: Cheap oil is acceptable in dough; quality matters more for finishing.

Q: What is the test of doneness?
A: Bottom is crisp; cheese is melted with slight color; cornicione is browned.

Q: What is the takeaway of pizza mastery?
A: Quality dough, hot oven, simple toppings, and practice — the pillars of great pizza.

Q: What is "the cold ferment difference"?
A: 24-72 hours in fridge develops complex flavor invisible in fast doughs.

Q: What is "the importance of dough hydration"?
A: Higher water = more open crumb; ~62% is a sweet spot for beginners.

Q: What is "the crust to topping ratio"?
A: Balance is essential; too much topping ruins texture.

Q: What is "the role of olive oil under cheese"?
A: Some traditions; protects against sogginess.

Q: What is "the bake stone choice"?
A: Higher heat conductivity (steel) excels in home ovens.

Q: What is "the 'launch and forget' problem"?
A: Some ovens cook unevenly; rotate or adjust mid-bake.

Q: What is "Pizza Hut vs Detroit-style"?
A: Pan-style with cheese to edges has authentic Detroit roots.

Q: What is "the truth about pre-cooking sauce"?
A: Tomatoes brighten with brief exposure to high heat in oven.

Q: What is "the importance of dough relaxation"?
A: Cold dough fights stretching; warm it 30+ min before shaping.

Q: What is "the role of a fast oven recovery"?
A: Some ovens drop temperature when opened; account for it.

Q: What is "the rule of buying fresh mozzarella same day"?
A: Best quality from local sources.

Q: What is "the cheese drying step"?
A: Pat fresh mozzarella dry to reduce wateriness.

Q: What is "the typical home oven cap"?
A: ~550°F; limits Neapolitan-style speed.