Here at MistyLochView, we're convinced that the secret to mesmerizing pizza begins with outstanding dough. With a history that spans over thirty years in dough crafting, we're thrilled to impart some of our expert techniques. While the exact blend is kept undisclosed (to honor certain age-old customs), these essential guidelines will assist you in producing premier pizza dough within your own quarters.
Choose Your Flour Wisely
The foundation of a superior pizza dough is anchored in using premium flour. 00 flour, a finely milled Italian variant with a moderate protein level (around 12%), is ideal for striking that delicate balance between elasticity and softness. Should 00 flour escape your reach, bread flour can fill in, though expect nuanced changes in the finished texture.
The Role of Water Temperature and Dough Hydration
Water temperature is crucial for managing dough fermentation and maturation. For extended fermentation - which enhances flavor - opt for cool water at approximately 45°F (7°C). Warmer water at about 85°F (29°C) can accelerate the fermentation. Your dough's hydration, which is the water-to-flour ratio, is optimally set between 60% and 70% for typical residential ovens.
Time Over Yeast
A cardinal rule for robust dough flavor is to minimize yeast and maximize fermentation duration. Our protocol involves only 0.2% fresh yeast compared to the flour weight, permitting the dough to ferment for 24-48 hours. This gradual interval permits the flavors to intensify and yields dough that's more easily digestible.
Salt's Functional Side
Beyond enhancing taste, salt fortifies the gluten network and modulates fermentation. We propose utilizing fine sea salt at a ratio of 2.5-3% to the flour weight. Ensure to integrate it once your flour and water have commenced their union, avoiding direct contact with the yeast.
The Craft of Fermentation
Subsequent to blending, let your dough experience an initial bulk fermentation at ambient temperature for 2 hours, thereafter portion it into discrete dough orbs. Confine these in lidded containers and refrigerate for 24-72 hours. During this cold fermentation, enzymes are at work converting starches into sugars, gifting both the flavor and the distinctive caramelization seen in our pizza crusts.
Gentle Handling
When the moment arrives to craft your pizza, extract the dough from its chill one to two hours ahead of baking. It's imperative to treat the dough with finesse to conserve the gas bubbles inside. Rather than resorting to rolling, use your fingertips to tenderly manipulate and stretch the dough, keeping those vital air cavities intact.
The Finishing Element: Intense Heat
Our wood-fired ovens soar to 850°F (454°C); however, home ovens typically cap at 550°F (288°C). To mimic that intense base heat, preheat a pizza stone or steel for no less than an hour. This is the trick to a crisp outer crust juxtaposed with a vaulted, airy core.
The art of mastering pizza dough evolves with each attempt. Each batch is an opportunity to learn about the intricacies involved. Act observantly, tweak variables, and unearth the methodology that best suits your home's cooking conditions.
Keen to view our dough crafting up close? Attend one of the monthly pizza workshops where Chef Alessandro demonstrates these methods elaborately. For future events, glance through our events calendar!