Here at Crust & Hearth Pizzeria, we're passionate about crafting outstanding pizza beginning with unparalleled dough. With over 30 years of refining our recipe, it's our pleasure to unveil certain tips to help you achieve pizzeria-quality pizza dough in your kitchen. Despite keeping our proprietary recipe under wraps, these fundamentals will guide you to imitate our distinguished dough at home.
Choosing the Right Flour
Superior pizza dough is built on premium flour. Our suggestion is to use 00 flour, an ultrafine Italian variety, which has a moderate protein percentage (about 12%), delivering an ideal mixture of robustness and delicateness. Should 00 flour be unavailable, a viable alternative is bread flour, albeit with a different final texture.
Water Heat and Dough Hydration
Your water's warmth is crucial as it dictates the pace of fermentation and the dough's maturation. Opt for cooler water at approximately 45°F (7°C) to slow down fermentation—for more nuanced tastes—or warm water at about 85°F (29°C) to hasten the process. Aim for a hydration level (water-to-flour ratio) within 60-70% to suit typical domestic ovens.
Limited Yeast, Prolonged Fermentation
Tasty dough emerges from minimal yeast usage along with extended fermentation periods. A tiny quantity of 0.2% fresh yeast by flour weight is sufficient for our doughs, which mature over 24-48 hours. This gradual fermentation cultivates intricate flavors as well as producing dough that's more digestible.
Salt's Role Beyond Taste
Salt isn't merely for flavoring the dough; it strengthens the gluten framework and modulates fermentation. We propose a fine sea salt at a ratio of 2.5-3% to the flour's weight. Introduce it once the flour and water have begun to mix, avoiding a direct encounter with the yeast.
The Mastery of Fermentation
Subsequent to blending, allow the dough a bulk fermentation at ambient temperature for a couple of hours, then segregate it into separate dough portions. Store these portions in lidded containers in the refrigerator for 24-72 hours. During this chilled fermentation phase, enzymes decompose starches into sugars which result in flavor and yield the crusts' distinct browning we're renowned for.
Gentle Handling
When you're ready to prepare your pizza, take the dough out of the fridge 1-2 hours in advance to bring it to room temperature. Treat the dough gingerly to maintain the gas pockets that have formed. Form the dough using your fingers by pressing and spreading rather than flattening with a rolling pin, which squashes those vital air bubbles.
The Crucial Element: Heat
Our wood-fired ovens achieve an impressive 850°F (454°C), whereas ordinary kitchen ovens generally peak at about 550°F (288°C). To replicate this, we advise using a preheated pizza stone or steel for at least one hour, ensuring the intense lower heat required to realize a pizza with a crispy crust and a fluffy interior.
The art of pizza dough perfection is a continuous adventure; each attempt teaches something new. Keep a record of your results, tweak the variables, and uncover the strategies that work best in your home setting.
To observe our process of dough creation first-hand, participate in our monthly pizza-making workshops where Chef Luca demonstrates these principles in depth. For forthcoming sessions, consult our event schedule!