Here at EverydayCommonsHub, we're firm believers that superior pizzas are built on superior dough. With over thirty years refining our recipe, we're thrilled to part some of our dough making wisdom. While the complete recipe remains our little secret (some rituals ought to stay hidden!), here's how you can make a pizzeria-grade pizza dough in your own kitchen.
Choosing the Right Flour
An excellent pizza dough begins with top-notch flour. 00 flour, which is finely milled Italian flour with a moderate protein percentage (around 12%), is our top pick. It strikes a delicate equilibrium between elasticity and softness. Should 00 flour be unavailable, a swell alternative is bread flour—even though the texture might vary somewhat.
Understanding Water Temperature and Dough Hydration
The water's temperature plays a key role in determining the time for fermentation and how the dough unfolds. Opt for cold water approximately 45°F (7°C) for slow fermentation, which yields a richer taste, or choose lukewarm water about 85°F (29°C) for faster fermentation. A hydration ratio (water to flour ratio) should sit between 60-70% for typical home ovens.
Limited Yeast for Extended Time
To produce a palatable dough, lesser yeast and more fermentation are essential. We incorporate merely 0.2% fresh yeast in proportion to the flour for doughs that ferment over 24-48 hours. This prolonged period enables intricate taste profiles to form and results in a dough that's more digestible.
Salt's Dual Role
Salt serves not only for tasting the dough—it also fortifies the gluten matrix and helps regulate fermentation. It's best to use fine sea salt at a range of 2.5-3% relative to your flour's mass. For proper incorporation, introduce it after mixing the flour with water, ensuring it doesn't contact the yeast immediately.
The Craft of Fermentation
Post-kneading, let your dough undergo a bulk ferment at ambient temperature for a couple of hours, then portion it into balls. Store them in lidded containers and chill them in the refrigerator for 24-72 hours. During this cold fermentation, enzymes dismantle starches into simpler sugars which translates into rich flavors and that classic crust browning.
Gentle Handling
Come pizza-making time, take the dough out of refrigeration 1-2 hours early to let it reach room temperature. Treating the dough with care is crucial to keep the developed air bubbles intact. To stretch the dough, it’s better to use your fingers instead of rolling it flat and squishing those bubbles.
Finalizing with a Blast of Heat
While our pizza ovens heat up to an immense 850°F (454°C), conventional home ovens generally top out about 550°F (288°C). We suggest employing a pizza stone or steel, warmed for no less than an hour, to approximate the fierce bottom heat needed for a perfectly crispy crust with a fluffy inside.
Perfecting the art of pizza dough is an enduring task, where every attempt is a learning experience. Keep a record of your efforts, tweak the variables, and seek the optimal configuration for your home's conditions.
For an in-person demonstration of how we craft our dough, join Chef Luca in our upcoming monthly pizza workshops. Our schedule of events can be found on our website!