By Brian Hernandez
Let’s talk about autolysing. Nope, we don’t mean that newly-leased mid-life crisis sitting in your driveway, but an often-overlooked process in dough making that can yield numerous benefits, if you have a little time to spare.
What is autolysing?
Short answer: Autolysing is a technique used in pizza and bread dough preparation where the flour and water are mixed and left to rest before additional ingredients, such as salt and yeast, are added. This process is named after the Greek words “auto” (self) and “lysis” (to split or break down), reflecting how the dough undergoes natural breakdown and development.
What does that mean?
Basically, it’s all about your dough getting a head start on the fermentation process. Think of it as an appetizer for your dough making process. Autolysis is the enzymatic digestion of cells by the action of the flour’s own enzymes and is a great way to hydrate the flour. This will help reduce your mixing time and make your dough more extensible. It will definitely help with that dreaded spring-back we’ve all experienced in our cold or young dough and could potentially help with oven spring as well.
But what do you do with the yeast and salt?
Adding yeast too soon would initiate fermentation, and most of the time that’s not what you want during autolysis. And adding salt would make the dough tough because the hygroscopic salt would try to rob the dough of water.
What is the process?
It’s very easy and requires nothing but time and a good memory.
- Mix your flour and water.
- Let the dough rest for about 20-60 minutes. During this period, enzymes in the flour begin to break down the starches into simpler sugars for the yeast to feast on.
- After the rest period, add your remaining ingredients. This will include your salt, yeast and possibly sugar and/or oil. If it isn’t water or flour, it goes in last.
- Finally, finish your mixing to fully incorporate all your remaining ingredients.
Pro Tips: Don’t use all of your water. To cut down on mixing time and help with absorption, keep a few tablespoons to dissolve your yeast. And most importantly, don’t forget to add the salt and yeast into the mixture after the rest period. That is the most common mistake people make when first getting started in the world of autolysing, and you don’t want to realize you omitted that step after the pizza comes out of the oven. (Hopefully most pizza makers would notice before that.)
What are the benefits of autolysing?
I keep saying this will only cost extra time, but we all know time is money. Now that I have “spent” extra time on this process, will it be worth it? Absolutely it will! The benefits are numerous, so let’s list them here:
1. Improved dough structure: Autolysing helps to strengthen the dough’s gluten network. The extra time allowing the strands to form with no stress is crucial to an airy cornicione and fluffy crust. It also builds better elasticity and a more stable dough, and that will get you a chewier and more exquisite mouth-feel.
2. Enhanced flavor: That little nap the dough took allowed the enzymes to start making some sugary snacks for your yeast, which leads to a more complex and flavorful dough.
3. Increased hydration absorption: The rest time also improves the dough’s ability to absorb water, which is especially helpful for those high-hydration recipes, like Roman or Neapolitan styles. This gives you that softer yet consistent dough throughout your crust.
4. Reduced kneading time: Another benefit to autolysing is the reduced kneading time. With the gluten network already partially developed, the dough often requires less work during pie making, saving time and reducing the stress on your dough. As we all know, during a busy Friday night rush, minutes matter.
5. Better spring: The dough’s improved gluten structure, gas retention and optimal hydration often result in better oven spring, leading to a higher, lighter and more open crumb structure. The oven heat will zap the perfectly absorbed moisture into steam, inflating your dough with flavor like a delicious Italian balloon. Mangia!
Autolysing is a simple yet effective technique that enhances the quality of your pizza dough by allowing natural enzymatic processes to improve dough structure and flavor, and it’s free!