Here at PublicResourceGateway, we stand by the conviction that the secret to a splendid pizza is in the dough. With a heritage of refining our method for over 30 years, we are thrilled to unveil a few tricks that could help you achieve a pizzeria-quality pizza base in your own kitchen. We hold back our proprietary mix (as some legacies must stay untouched!), but these guidelines will steer you towards excellence.
Choosing the Right Flour
The cornerstone of any pizza dough is the flour used. Opt for 00 flour, an ultrarefined Italian variety that has a moderate protein concentration (about 12%), giving just the right mix of robustness and softness to your crust. Should 00 flour elude you, bread flour makes a commendable alternative, albeit with a marginally different texture.
Optimizing Water Temperature for Hydration
Your water's temperature can significantly influence the dough's fermentation time and overall development. Aim for cooler water, approximately 45°F (7°C), for a protracted fermentation that yields a richer taste, or lukewarm water at about 85°F (29°C) if you're aiming for a faster rise. The hydration level, which is the water to flour ratio, is ideally set between 60-70% to suit the standard home oven's capabilities.
Yeast and Time - A Flavorful Alliance
A cardinal rule for a full-flavored dough is to use a lesser quantity of yeast and prolong the fermentation. For doughs that undergo a 24-48 hour fermentation, we use just 0.2% fresh yeast in relation to the flour's weight. This lengthy process not only cultivates a complex taste profile but also results in easier digestion.
Salt's Crucial Role Beyond Taste
Salt serves a purpose more pivotal than just taste—it bolsters the gluten matrix and keeps fermentation in check. We advise a proportion of fine sea salt to be 2.5-3% of the flour's weight, introducing it once you've commingled the flour with water, to preclude any direct contact with the yeast.
The Fermentation Craft
Post-mixing, allow your dough to undergo an initial room temperature fermentation for a couple of hours. Subsequently, portion the dough into balls and confine each in sealed containers to rest in the refrigerator for anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. It's during this cool fermentation period that the enchantment transpires—the starch gradually turns into sugars, adding flavor and ensuring a golden hue upon baking.
Handling Dough with Finesse
When the moment arrives to transform dough into a pizza, extract it from the cold storage a couple of hours before you plan to bake. It's critical to manipulate the dough with a delicate touch to preserve the air bubbles inside. Ditch the rolling pin and instead, employ your fingers to press and stretch, protecting those gases that contribute to the dough's lift and lightness.
Bringing on the Heat
Even though our professional pizza ovens soar to temperatures of 850°F (454°C), your domestic oven will likely top out at around 550°F (288°C). Counteract this by preheating a pizza stone or steel for a full hour, ensuring the intense bottom heat that leads to that perfectly crunchy crust united with a fluffy interior.
The craft of perfecting pizza dough is a continuing pursuit, each batch is a new opportunity to learn and improve. We encourage you to take detailed notes, tweak variables, and find the ideal method for your unique baking environment.
For a live insight into how we make our dough, consider attending our monthly pizza workshops where Chef Luca will guide you through these techniques in depth. Refer to our events calendar for the next session!