A comestible processing machine including a loader plate comprising a plurality of spaced apart openings passing through the loader plate, a first flattener and a second flattener pivotably attached to the loader plate at each of the openings, a sensor configured to detect a comestible disposed within one or more of the plurality of openings, and an actuator coupled to the loader plate and configured to assist in removal of the comestible from the one or more of the plurality of openings.

A dough press includes a handle and a press unit that includes a base seat, a lower press-plate and an upper press-plate. The base seat has a first recess sub-unit and a second recess sub-unit, each having at least one recess. A depth of the at least one recess of the second recess sub-unit is different from that of the at least one recess of the first recess sub-unit. The lower press-plate has an engaging sub-unit removably engaged with the at least one recess of a selected one of the first and second recess sub-units. The handle is pivotable relative to the base seat to drive pivot movement of the upper press-plate toward the lower press-plate, thereby compressing and flattening a dough.

A method of manufacture and a composition for dough item including a protein source. The technology as disclosed and claimed herein and its various implementations and embodiments are a modified method of manufacture and a composition for a dough item that includes protein. The technology as disclosed and claimed provides a dough based crust or other dough based item that is a protein enriched alternative to conventional breads and crusts and other dough based products. This invention results in a dough that has more protein, more complete protein, and fewer carbohydrates than conventional wheat doughs/breads.

A vehicle-based, automated pizza-making system including a two-piece pizza pan conveyed between pizza-making components on a series of pan drive rails. The two-piece pizza pan can include a base and a removable ring for containing the unfinished pizza and toppings. The rails can include timing belts for conveying the two-piece pizza pan through the system with improved positional control and accuracy.

An adjustable food cutter that allows to cut food having a predetermined thickness into equal portions having a user selected cubic volume. The adjustable food cutter comprises a male cutter element and a female cutter element each having a U-shaped configuration oppositely slidably engaged relative to one another so as to form a telescopic cutter body. The adjustable food cutter further comprises a telescopic handle connected between opposed longitudinal end portions of an upper edge of the telescopic cutter body. The telescopic cutter body and the telescopic handle are cooperatively movable between a retracted and an extended position.

A dough-stretching machine, which is particularly adapted to stretch pizza dough, includes a frame associated with which are a support plane for the mass of dough to be stretched; a dough-stretching unit arranged at the top and coaxially to the support plane according to the defined vertical axis of the frame; movement apparatus for moving the support plane towards/away from the dough-stretching unit. The dough-stretching unit includes a modelling body configured to come into contact with the mass of dough; a plate in which a plurality of radial grooves are identified, each of which slidably houses a modelling element for the mass of dough; kinematic apparatus adapted to move the modelling elements along the radial grooves towards the vertical axis or away from the axis itself. The kinematic apparatus comprising a threaded shaft having one end operatively connected to motorisation and the opposite end rotatably associated with the plate; a central core provided with a nut fixed on the threaded shaft; a plurality of rods each having one end hinged to one of the modelling elements and the opposite end hinged to the central core.

A comestible processing machine including a loader plate comprising a plurality of spaced apart openings passing through the loader plate, a first flattener and a second flattener pivotably attached to the loader plate at each of the openings, a sensor configured to detect a comestible disposed within one or more of the plurality of openings, and an actuator coupled to the loader plate and configured to assist in removal of the comestible from the one or more of the plurality of openings.

A vehicle-based, automated pizza-making system including a two-piece pizza pan conveyed between pizza-making components on a series of pan drive rails. The two-piece pizza pan can include a base and a removable ring for containing the unfinished pizza and toppings. The rails can include timing belts for conveying the two-piece pizza pan through the system with improved positional control and accuracy.

The present invention relates to a method for making an artisanal looking pizza dough crust comprising the step of placing a bread-type dough ball onto a flat surface and pressing said dough ball with a heating plate, wherein the flat surface and the heating plate do not form a cavity or contained area under the press, wherein the flat surface and the heating plate do not have a groove, gutter, indentation or protrusion for forming a rim of the dough upon pressing, and wherein the surface area of the heating plate is smaller than the surface area of the dough after pressing. A further aspect of the invention pertains to the pizza obtained by said method.

Various examples are related to making flatbreads such as, e.g., a compact machine for making flatbread in a residential kitchen-type environment or other countertop, tabletop, or space limited applications. In one example, a machine includes a hopper including a mixing chamber configured for bulk addition of raw materials for preparation of flatbread pieces; a mixing assembly configured to blend the raw materials into a flatbread dough mixture; a dough piecing assembly configured to generate a dough piece from an extruded portion of the flatbread dough mixture; a lower platen configured to transfer the pressed flatbread dough piece to a cooking zone on the dough contacting surface for cooking; and a flatbread ejection station configured to remove a cooked flatbread piece from the machine. A second cooking zone can be included to further cook the pressed flatbread dough piece prior to ejection from the machine.