At HerbalMorsel, our philosophy is that extraordinary pizza is built upon extraordinary dough. With over 30 years of honing our technique, we're thrilled to impart a few of our hard-earned insights. While our precise recipe is a closely-guarded heirloom, these fundamentals will aid you in replicating a pizzeria-grade pizza dough within your own kitchen.
Importance of Flour Quality
A superior pizza dough begins with premium flour. Our go-to is 00 flour—a finely milled Italian variety—with a moderate protein content at roughly 12%, which ensures an optimal balance of elasticity and suppleness. If 00 flour is unavailable, a decent second choice is bread flour, though it will yield a marginally altered texture.
Water's Temperature and Dough Hydration
Water's warmth is crucial for fermentation duration and dough maturing. Utilize chilly water near 45°F (7°C) for extended fermentation (yielding superior taste), while warm water about 85°F (29°C) speeds up the process. Maintain the dough's hydration rate between 60-70% to best suit typical home ovens.
Yeast Usage and Fermentation Duration
A key to delectable dough lies in sparing yeast application coupled with prolonged fermentation. Our formula calls for a mere 0.2% of fresh yeast based on the flour's weight, allowing the dough to ferment for 24-48 hours. This slow-paced fermentation spawns intricately layered flavors and produces a dough that's easier on the stomach.
Salt's Dual Role
Salt is not only a flavor enhancer—it bolsters the gluten network and modulates fermentation. We espouse the use of fine sea salt at 2.5-3% of the flour's weight. Introduce it once your flour and water are partially integrated, preventing salt from coming in direct contact with the yeast.
Fermentation as an Art
Post-mixing, give your dough a room-temperature bulk fermentation for 2 hours before portioning it into separate dough balls. Transfer these balls into lidded containers and refrigerate for 24-72 hours. It's during this cold fermentation that the transformation transpires: enzymes turn starch into sugars, endowing your crust with delectable taste and the trademark golden hue.
Gentle Handling
Prior to crafting your pizza, extract the dough from the fridge 1-2 hours before baking to bring it to room temperature. Handle the dough tenderly to maintain the gas bubbles formed within. Shape the dough by pressing and pulling with your digits rather than rolling it out, which deflates these air-filled cavities.
Element of Heat
While our brick ovens achieve 850°F (454°C), most domestic ovens cap at around 550°F (288°C). To counter this, employ a preheated pizza stone or steel for no less than one hour. This will emulate the fierce underside heat necessary for a crust that's both crunchy on the outside and porous on the inside.
Mastering the craft of pizza dough is an evolving voyage. Every attempt enlightens you further about the craft. Jot down your findings, tweak the variables, and ascertain the optimal approach for your peculiar culinary setting.
To witness our dough-crafting up close, drop by our monthly pizza seminars where Chef Giulia delves into these methodologies. Check our events calendar for the forthcoming sessions!