At Crust & Craft Pizzeria, our philosophy is that outstanding pizza is founded on outstanding dough. With over thirty years in refining our mix, we're thrilled to unveil certain tips with you. While our precise combination remains a tightly held secret, these key points will help you mimic the pizzeria taste within the confines of your kitchen.
Importance of Flour Quality
Exceptional pizza dough begins with excellent flour. 00 flour is what we propose; a finely milled Italian variety with a moderate protein content (about 12%) to strike the right chord between toughness and softness. Substituting 00 flour with bread flour is acceptable, albeit leading to a marginally altered texture.
Water Temp and Dough Hydration
Water's warmth plays a significant role in fermentation duration and the dough's texture. Opt for cold water, roughly 45°F (7°C), for prolonged fermentation and enhanced flavor. Warmer water, around 85°F (29°C), should be used for faster fermentation. The ideal hydration rate of the dough for most domestic ovens lies within 60-70%.
Yeast Usage and Fermentation Period
To achieve dough rich in taste, use minimal yeast and allow extended fermentation. Our dough, fermented over 24 to 48 hours, contains merely 0.2% fresh yeast in proportion to the flour, enabling the complexity of flavors to emerge and yielding a more digestible dough.
Salt's Structural Role
Salt not only seasons the dough but also fortifies the gluten network and moderates fermentation. Incorporating 2.5-3% of flour weight in fine sea salt is what we advocate, making sure it integrates after the flour and water begin to merge, avoiding direct yeast interaction.
Fermentation Artistry
Post-mixing, the dough should undergo a primary fermentation at room temperature for two hours before being portioned into balls. These should then be stored in lidded containers and refrigerated from 24 up to 72 hours. It's during this cool fermentation that starch is enzymatically decomposed into sugars, enhancing flavor and the dough's characteristic crust browning.
Gentle Dough Handling
Prior to pizza construction, withdraw the dough from refrigeration 1-2 hours before baking to reach room temperature. When shaping the dough, manipulate it delicately to keep the air bubbles intact. Shaping should be done with fingertips to press and stretch, not with a rolling pin, which deflates the dough.
Concluding with Intense Heat
Your domestic oven may not reach the fiery temperatures of our wood-fired ovens, capping at about 550°F (288°C). Counter this by preheating a pizza stone or steel for at least one hour, supplying the strong bottom heat necessary for a crispy outside and fluffy inside of the crust.
Perfecting pizza dough is an evolving process, each time imparting new insights. Note-taking, tweaking elements, and finding the method that fits your home setup best is all part of the adventure.
To witness our dough-preparation firsthand, come to our monthly pizza workshops where Chef Alessandro exhibits these methods in detail. For future sessions, take a look at our events calendar!