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Question:
Why do I
hear so much negativity regarding the use of par-baked pizza crusts?
Answer:
I think
much of that negativity comes from the fact that par-baked crusts have
been
around and in general use for many years. This is the type of crust
that puts
frozen pizzas in the frozen food display case at your local
supermarket. The
fact that the crust is actually baked twice, once to par-bake it and
once to
finish the pizza, leads to significant loss of moisture from the crust.
This
results in a finished crust with a dry, flavorless eating
characteristic. But,
the two things that it is, without a doubt, is crispy and convenient.
Question:
From time
to time I hear about eggs being added to the pizza dough. What is the
benefit?
Answer:
Eggs, as
either whole eggs or as egg whites, have been added to pizza doughs for
many
years, and for different reasons. Whole eggs can be added to the dough
to
provide better browning characteristics to the dough and to some extent
also
provide a richer flavor. Egg whites have been added to improve the
crispiness
of the baked crust. In this regard, both perform well, however, there
are some
drawbacks to their use, which might cause you to want to reconsider
before
running out and buying a case of eggs.
It
is true
that the addition of six large whole eggs (about 13.5 ounces) to 40 to
50
pounds of flour will improve the color of the baked pizzas to some
extent, and
the same can be said for the flavor too. It will be slightly richer
tasting,
but this will be lost in baking due to the overpowering flavors
commonly used
in making our pizzas. All things being equal, the crust color will be a
little
darker, but with the high cost of eggs today, it is difficult to
justify the
cost of eggs as a browning agent when sugar and whey (the dairy
component) can
be had at a much lower cost.
The
addition of egg whites to promote a crispier crust has been done for
many
years, and to a great extent, it is effective, but again, it carries
with it a
pretty hefty cost. Typically, 2 percent egg white has been added to the
dough
to improve crispiness. This equates to one-pound per 50-pounds of flour
in the
dough. In most cases, we have found that the overall crispiness of a
crust can
be improved upon by simply allowing the pizza to bake a minute or so
longer (a
very low cost option).
Lastly,
there is a major safety concern that must be addressed if you elect to
use
fresh eggs. It is much safer, from a food safety standpoint to use
pasteurized,
frozen egg products. But, even with these, certain precautions must
still be
followed to prevent any possible contamination of our pizzas or other
products
through cross contamination.
Question:
Out of all
the things that can be done to prevent the development of a gum line,
what do
you feel is the single most effective action that can be taken?
Answer:
There are
actually two very effective things that can be done, and these two
things will
probably address most of the causes of that feared gum line. These are
1) the
application of oil to the surface of the dough skin before application
of the
sauce. This will help by creating a moisture barrier between the dough
and
sauce. 2) Correct baking of the pizza. Insufficient or short baking of
a pizza
sets the stage for a gum line to develop. By simply extending the
baking time
for your pizzas by a minute or so, you can generally bring about a
significant
reduction in the development of a gum line.
One
other
thing to keep in mind, when assessing a crust for a gum line, allow the
pizza
to cool on a screen or wire rack for two or three minutes, then tear
the crust
apart, do not cut it in the traditional manner. By tearing it you will
be able
to better determine the presence or magnitude of a gum line.
Question:
Is it
possible to fully shape and freeze our pizza dough?
Answer:
Yes, it is.
I'd suggest freezing the formed crust on a wire rack or pizza screen so
you
allow for good airflow to both sides of the crust, resulting in a
faster freeze.
Once frozen, the crusts can be stacked on a pizza circle up to five
high and
wrapped in stretch film or a plastic bag and held in frozen storage for
up to
10 days. Be sure to mark the date of production on each stack of frozen
skins
so you don't lose track of when they need to be used.
To
use the
crusts, simply remove some from the freezer and place individually onto
a
floured tray or piece of parchment paper. The skins will slack out/thaw
in 30
to 45 minutes. You can then dust the top with a little flour to
facilitate
handling, dock the crust as needed and transfer it to your oven peel or
baking
screen/disk for dressing and baking. In cases where you might be baking
the
crusts on a non-perforated disk, the dough can be transferred directly
to the disk
as soon as it is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the disk.
The skin
will still need to be allowed to completely thaw before dressing,
docking and
baking it. If you will be docking the dough while it is in/on your
baking
disks/screens, it is suggested that you use a dough docker with plastic
docking
wheels to prevent unnecessary damage to your disks/screens.
To
learn
more about dough management techniques and management of frozen dough,
be sure
to attend my workshop presentation at the New York Pizza Show
(www.newyorkpizzashow.com) this November 2-3, 2004.
– PMQ –