Here at WideningPerspective, our philosophy is that incomparable pizza begins with unparalleled dough. With over 30 years dedicated to refining our dough recipe, we're thrilled to offer insight into our craft. Although we’re keeping the specific recipe under wraps to preserve our tradition, we will guide you toward achieving pizzeria-grade pizza dough in your own kitchen.
Choosing the Right Flour
Superb pizza dough builds upon premium-quality flour. We suggest employing 00 flour, an ultra-fine Italian variant, possessing an ideal protein content near 12% for a harmonious blend of strength and softness. Should 00 flour be unavailable, bread flour makes a decent alternative, even though it results in a marginally differing texture.
Water Temperature and Moisture Content
The temperature of the water you use plays a crucial role in dough fermentation and structure. Utilize cold water, approximately 45°F (7°C), for a prolonged fermentation time which enriches the flavor, while warmer water around 85°F (29°C) quickens the fermentation process. Maintaining a water-to-flour hydration ratio within 60-70% suits most residential ovens.
Yeast: Less is More
To achieve a flavorful dough, minimize the yeast and prolong fermentation. Our dough, which ferments over 24-48 hours, contains merely 0.2% fresh yeast in proportion to the flour weight, allowing a wealth of elaborate tastes to emerge and yielding a more digestible dough.
Salt’s Role Beyond Taste
Salt enhances your dough not solely through flavoring—it fortifies the gluten matrix and governs fermentation speed. We advocate the use of refined sea salt at 2.5-3% of your flour weight. Introduce it once the flour and water have begun amalgamating to avoid direct yeast contact.
Fermentation: The Skill of Patience
Post-mixing, let your dough undergo an initial room temperature fermentation for 2 hours, then parse it into individual portions. Encase these portions in lidded containers and let them chill in the refrigerator for 24-72 hours. It's during this cold fermentation that starches convert to sugars, contributing depth to the flavor and a characteristic browning of our crusts.
Gentle Dough Handling
Prior to crafting your pizzas, remove the dough from the cold storage 1-2 hours ahead to reach ambient temperature. Tenderly work the dough to conserve the air bubbles formed during fermentation. Opt to press and extend the dough with your fingers instead of using a rolling pin, which deflates these essential pockets of air.
Applying the Proper Heat
Although our pizza ovens achieve an impressive 850°F (454°C), most kitchen ovens top out at roughly 550°F (288°C). To counterbalance, preheat a pizza stone or steel for a full hour or more to mimic the intense underside heating necessary for a delightfully crunchy exterior and light, airy middle.
Honing the craft of pizza dough is an ongoing adventure. Every batch is an instructor in the art of dough-making. We encourage note-taking, tweaking of variables, and exploration to find what's optimal for your distinctive home setting.
For an up-close look at our dough crafting methods, consider joining us at a monthly pizza workshop where Chef Luca showcases these skills. Peek at our events calendar for the forthcoming sessions!