Here at SoftHarbor, our ethos is simple: unparalleled pizza begins with unparalleled dough. With over 30 years of refining our recipe, we're eager to impart a few of our top tips. Although our signature recipe remains a closely-guarded family secret, these fundamental guidelines are set to elevate your homemade pizza dough to professional pizzeria quality.
The Importance of Flour
The cornerstone of sublime pizza dough lies in the use of superior flour. 00 flour, an ultra-fine Italian variety with a balanced protein content (approximately 12%), is our flour of choice for its ideal mix of robustness and softness in the dough. If 00 flour eludes you, bread flour makes a sound alternative, albeit with a discernible variation in texture.
Hydration and Water Temperature
The dough's fermentation duration and its textural development are greatly influenced by the temperature of your water. Opt for chilled water, roughly 45°F (7°C), to favor a prolonged fermentation which enriches the flavor profile. For a hastier fermentation process, warmer water nearing 85°F (29°C) is desirable. The water-to-flour ratio, or dough hydration, should be maintained at 60-70% to suit the capabilities of most residential ovens.
Yeast in Moderation, Time in Abundance
A flavor-rich dough is a product of modest yeast use combined with extended fermentation. Our approach involves a mere 0.2% of fresh yeast to flour weight, yielding dough that rises over a 24-48-hour period. This deliberate fermentation enables a full-bodied taste to develop and results in a dough that's more digestive-friendly.
Salt's Role Beyond Taste
Salt is instrumental—not only in flavoring your dough but also in bolstering the gluten network and moderating fermentation. Our advice: integrate fine sea salt proportionally at 2.5-3% of your flour weight once the blend of flour and water has commenced, ensuring the salt does not make premature contact with the yeast.
The Craft of Fermentation
Following the mixing phase, allot two hours for your dough to undergo bulk fermentation at ambient temperature, and thereafter partition it into individual portions. Encase these in lidded vessels and refrigerate them for a period ranging from 24 to 72 hours. It's during this cold fermentation that the alchemy occurs—enzymes diligently convert starches into sugars, which not only imparts rich flavors but also promotes the crust's trademark golden-brown appearance.
Gentle Handling is Key
As bake time approaches, remove your dough from its cold habitat 1-2 hours in advance to temper. When shaping, handle the dough tenderly to maintain the integrity of the air bubbles that have formed. Forgo the rolling pin and instead, gently coax and stretch the dough with your fingertips to avoid collapsing those critical air chambers.
The Crucial Element: Heat
While our artisanal wood-fired ovens can soar to the enviable heights of 850°F (454°C), home ovens typically peak at around 550°F (288°C). Counter this by preheating a pizza stone or steel for a minimum of one hour to simulate the acute bottom heat essential for achieving that flawlessly crisp base and a pillowy interior.
The craft of pizza dough perfection is an evolving experience, with each attempt offering new insights. We encourage you to document your findings, experiment with various adjustments, and discover the techniques that resonate with your distinct cooking milieu.
For an up-close demonstration of our dough-preparation ritual by Chef Julian, consider attending one of our monthly pizza workshops. For dates and more details, please refer to our event schedule!