Pizza Today - March 2018 - 28

Noel comes to his pizza making from the water (40 to 45 F) to get to that point. In
my pizzerias, I have enough space for
perspective of a bread baker, having been
trained at the French Culinary Institute
extended fermentation. So we will mix
in New York City. He plainly states his
dough that emerges from the mixer at 65
experience there "was a turning point." To
F and is cold-fermented for up to five days.
further advance his skills he studied and
Great artisan dough can be produced in a
was certified in Neapolitan pizza making
standard planetary mixer, but for optimal
by the legendary Roberto Caporuscio. He
results a spiral mixer is the preferred choice.
advises that "making artisan dough is about
Noel's formula for artisan dough calls
choices. We all have a variety of ingredients, for bulk fermentation. You will need large
techniques, rules and equipment at our finfermentation containers to store the dough
en masse. Although your dough will be
gertips. Being an artisan is about knowing
when to apply them."
So, how do we achieve the
characteristics that will take dough
from ordinary to artisanal? First off,
pizza artisans are moving rapidly
towards higher hydration levels. For
example: while classic New York
style dough may be in the 60- to
63-percent hydration range, artisan
dough is generally 70 percent or
higher. And Noel's formulas can
go as high as 100-percent hydration! That means 50 pounds of
flour would get 50 pounds of water.
Many pizza makers are reluctant
to try wetter dough because it
seems unmanageable at first. With
practice, however, you may find that
the challenges are worth the effort
as you create a much lighter, crispier
THE SPECKENWOLF FROM ROBERTA'S IN BROOKLYN, NY
finished product with the sought
after "open crumb" structure preferred by modern pizza artisans. As
perfectly usable in 24 hours, it will improve
Noel says, increased "hydration can give
over the course of up to 96 hours. Most
life to a normal dough."
importantly, long bulk fermentation -
combined with prolonged mixing - will
WITH HIS BAKING BACKGROUND, IT'S
greatly improve the strength of your dough
NOT SURPRISING THAT NOEL considers a
(which is very important at high hydrathermometer to be the most essential tool
in his dough-making arsenal. Virtually all
tion levels). Once the dough has been bulk
artisan-style dough formulas rely on slow
fermented, that is when you want to divide
fermentation for flavor development. Since and round it. My advice for pizza makers
wet dough requires extended mixing at
who are not used to working with dough
multiple speeds, the dough tends to heat
this wet is to consider using individual,
up during the mix. Therefore, getting the
oiled fermentation containers for each
temperature of ingredients right is critical
dough ball. This will allow the dough to
to ensuring that the dough has the coveted retain its shape during the second rise, thus
"slow rise" Noel seeks.
making it much easier to form the pizza.
Noel's formula should come out of the
AS NOEL EXPLAINS, ALL DOUGH FORmixer at no more than 74 F. Because of
friction created by extended multi-speed
MULAS INVOLVE A SERIES OF INFORMED
mixing, you will have to use VERY cold
CHOICES BASED ON EXPERIENCE, baking
2 8 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / M A R C H 2 0 1 8

principles and personal preference. Here
is a formula expressed in weight and
baker's percentage that combines some
of my methods with Noel's to produce an
artisanal pizza dough that will be easy to
prepare and manage in your pizzeria:
High protein unbleached pizza flour - 25
pounds (100 percent)
Cold water - 20 pounds (80 percent)
Kosher salt - 10 ounces (2.5 percent)
Instant dry yeast - 1 ounces (.25 percent)
Using planetary mixer*, place
water in mixer. Add flour and then
yeast and combine ingredients on
speed 1 for 2 minutes. Allow dough
to rest for 20 minutes. Add salt and
mix on speed 1 for 3 more minutes.
Increase to speed 2 for 6 minutes.
Increase to speed 3 and continue
mixing until dough starts to travel
up the hook (this may take several
minutes). Switch back to speed 1
and mix for 1 minute. The goal is
for finished dough to emerge from
the mixer at 74 F. Keep a log of
room, ingredient and water temperature so you can adjust water
temperature for subsequent batches.
Place the dough in a fermentation
tub that has enough room for dough
to double in bulk.
Allow dough to rest for
30 minutes. Gently fold dough, cover and place in cooler for 24 to 72
hours. Remove dough from cooler.
Divide dough and gently round. Place
each dough ball in an oiled individual
container with a tight lid. For dough that
will be used the same day, leave dough
out for 4 hours and then refrigerate. If
dough is to be used next day, refrigerate
after dividing and rounding. This dough
is very extensible and can be worked
directly from the cooler on a well-floured
surface.
*If using a spiral mixer, the initial mix is
three minutes on speed 1. Rest for 20 minutes, add salt, then mix on speed 2 until
dough is smooth and silky and adheres to
hook (this could take 10 to 15 minutes).
Finish with one minute on speed 1. n
JOHN ARENA owns

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