It takes more than 00 flour to do Neapolitan-style pizza the right way, says the owner of Federal Hill Pizza. You need to make sure you understand the flour you’re using as well as the intricacies of your pizza oven. Related: By Billy Manzo Jr., Photos by ERB Photography I have … More
Food & Ingredients
The Secrets to Creating a Better Crumb Structure
When we hear a pizza aficionado describing a really great pizza, it’s seldom the cheese or the sauce or even the toppings they refer to. It’s the textural properties of the crust, whether light and tender, crispy or chewy. So what’s the secret behind these important characteristics? You might think … More
Dough Information Center
How to Keep Your Pizzeria’s Wood Work Surface in Tip-Top Condition
Wood-work surfaces for pizzerias should not be washed in the conventional way, advises Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann. Keep in mind that any water applied to the surface should be removed as quickly as possible to keep it from getting absorbed into the wood. Related: How to achieve the perfect … More
Dough Information Center
Can I Use a Dough Press for a Cracker-Crust or Crispy-Crust Pizza?
There are a couple of ways to create dough with the soft, relaxed characteristics that make it amenable to using a dough press. If you are cold-fermenting your dough, consider allowing it to remain in the cooler for two or more days before pressing it, which will also contribute to … More
Dough Information Center
Get in the Zone: Taking Your Calzones to the Next Level
Ready to usher your customers into the Calzone Zone? You’ll want to use a dough that’s specifically formulated for that purpose. For a nice, tender calzone dough, use a lower-protein, bread-type flour with a protein content in the range of 10.8% to 11.6%. Related: 8 tips for selling more soups … More
Dough Information Center
Creating a Lighter Deep-Dish Pizza Crust
Try using flour with a lower protein content, such as an all-purpose flour or H&R, a winter wheat bread flour. By mixing your regular pizza flour with an all-purpose flour, you can create a flour blend that works well for your specific application and shop conditions. Related: How to solve … More
Billy Manzo
Why You Need to Hire a Restaurant Whisperer
Every restaurateur needs outside guidance—a person who offers feedback on the business from a unique and objective viewpoint.
Dough Information Center
Start the (Dough) Presses to Speed Up Your Pizza Production
Dough presses can speed up production in your pizza kitchen and create more consistent results. Keep in mind that you might need to change your dough formula if you’re working with a dough presser. Related: A newcomer’s guide to pizza dough equipment When you’re working with a higher-volume operation—or if … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
How to Achieve the Perfect Pizza Crust Edge
Improper stretching of your dough can cause your pizza to go soft or limp shortly after baking, according to the late Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann. A dough sheeter/roller may be the solution to poorly formed crust edges, Lehmann explained. Related: How to achieve the perfect dough mix Q: Our … More
Zeak's Tweaks
Understanding the Role of Yeast in Pizza Dough
All three types of yeast perform comparably and result in the same flavor profiles for pizza when used at the correct substitution levels. Instant dry yeast (IDY), possibly the most widely used type in pizza dough, has a shelf life of one to two years at room-temperature (65° to 80°F) … More
Dough Information Center
How to Solve Your Bubble Troubles
In this past installment of the late Tom Lehmann’s column, “In Lehmann’s Terms,” from September 2016, the dough master answered a reader’s question about bubbly pizza crusts. The problem stems from the baking temperature for the type of sauce applied to the dough skin, he explained. Related: A newcomer’s guide … More
Pizzerias
Born to Bake: A Fond Remembrance of Tom Lehmann
In memory of the late Tom Lehmann, PMQ is reposting this feature profile of the one and only “Dough Doctor” from our January-February 2015 issue. Lehmann, a trusted expert on pizza dough and everything related to baking, passed away from COVID-19 on December 12, 2020. By Rick Hynum Tom Lehmann … More