Pizza Dough

This dough combines Manitoba and 00 flours for strength and elasticity. The method uses a short rest, folds, a warm first proof, and three final dough balls of about 265g each.

Utensils

• Large bowl
• Dough scraper or knife
• Pizza proofing box or a similar container
• Plastic wrap or a lid

Recipe

Preparation

1. Mixing Flours: In a large bowl, combine Manitoba and 00 flours.
2. Dissolving Yeast: Crumble the fresh yeast into the bowl and pour a small amount of 25°C water over it.
3. Initial Mixing: Stir with a wooden spoon and gradually add the water while continuing to mix.
4. Adding Salt: After about half of the water is in, add the salt.
5. Forming Dough: Continue adding water slowly until the mixture is homogenous. Use your hands to better work the dough.
6. Kneading: Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead by hand until smooth and even.

Resting and Folding

1. Resting: Let the dough rest on the work surface for about ten minutes, covering it with the inverted mixing bowl.
2. Folding: Imagine the dough divided into four parts. Gently pull the end of each part and fold it toward the center. Give the dough a general fold.
3. Final Shaping: Shape the dough into a ball, turn it over onto itself.
4. First Proof: Place the shaped dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise. Ideally, place the bowl in an unheated oven with the light on at 26-28°C or in another warm spot. Typically, the dough should take about 6 hours to double in volume.
5. Dividing Dough: After proofing, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into three 265g pieces using a dough scraper.
6. Pre-shaping: Lift a corner of each dough piece towards the center and repeat for all corners.
7. Final Shaping: Stretch and fold the dough over itself, then shape each piece by rolling it on the work surface to form smooth, tight balls.
8. Resting Dough Balls: Place each dough ball in a greased pizza proofing box, cover, and let them rest for another 30 minutes before shaping and topping as desired.

Storage

• Post-Rise: Once risen, the dough must be baked. For longer storage, reduce the yeast amount, cover with plastic wrap, and let it mature in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. Afterward, allow the dough to come to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
• Freezing: The risen dough can also be frozen, preferably portioned, and stored in freezer bags. Thaw at room temperature before use.
• Partially Baked: For semi-cooked pizza, bake halfway, cool, then wrap and freeze. Bake from frozen at a slightly lower temperature when ready to eat.

Notes

• Flour Types: The combination of Manitoba and 00 flours creates an ideal protein level for pizza dough, providing strength and elasticity due to gluten development.
• Adding Oil: If desired, incorporate 35g of oil during the mixing process.
• Individual Pizzas: Bake each pizza at 250°C for 6 minutes with just a drizzle of oil, then top and bake for another 6 minutes using a baking stone for best results.
• Sheet Pizza: With these quantities, make a large sheet pizza in a 30x40 cm pan. Bake at 250°C for 25-30 minutes without dividing into smaller balls.