Parchment Paper.....not my favorite
This is a topic I am asked about but have been very reluctant to discuss. On one hand, if you have a hack that works and it makes you happy, don’t let me interfere (don’t read any further). On the other hand…. we are talking about silicone impregnated parchment paper under a pizza here.
My personal perspective: Parchment paper is a fantastic invention for baking cookies or pretzels or other items in an oven that is below 420F degrees. I use parchment paper a great deal. But, I would never use parchment paper under a pizza for the following reasons:
1) It is paper impregnated with silicone. Silicone is inert and not harmful to humans in any way - no debate. On the other hand, I use silicone to waterproof my shoes, and to seal the cracks around my bathroom tiles. I personally prefer not to put silicone against my food. My Parchment paper box says “MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED OVEN TEMPERATURE 420F” (They capitalize every letter).
2) Parchment paper is really not that convenient. For one, It is flammable around the edges. I have enough going on while cooking pizza to worry about whether I am going to have something on fire. And, you have to cut out circles for each of your pizzas. These steps outweigh the convenience for me.
3) Parchment seems to interfere with the pizza stone’s ability to absorb moisture from the bottom of the crust. Why not take advantage of having an actual stone floor of your pizza oven - just like a $10k wood-fired pizza oven?
4) It is completely unnecessary. (Here is where I get on my high horse.) Pizza does take a little bit of skill. Once you learn some basics though, the dough slides right off of a peel without the need for parchment paper. The first one may be tricky, but after a few, you will master the skill. Dough must be done properly. It needs a chance to rise and rest, and it must be dusted with flour before it is stretched so it is not sticky. If you then place the dough on a clean, dry, wooden peel (with a little cornmeal or semolina applied) it will slide right off. Again, a little practice tugging the peel out from under a pizza helps.
There, I feel better. I look for advice from people who make a living making pizza. I have never seen or heard of a pizza restaurant using parchment paper. Every time a question is posed about pizza on a forum there is a chorus of people who shout that you have to use parchment paper! Again, if parchment works for you, go for it, but this is my position on using Parchment paper to cook pizza.
Have fun, make great pizza!