Q Can you offer some tips for mixing and handling yeast prior to adding it to dough? A I’ve seen many cases of improper yeast management. One pizza maker mixed his instant dry yeast (IDY) in cold water and let it stand for 10 minutes before adding it … More
Adding ice to pizza dough
Q Last summer, we had to use ice to keep our dough from getting too hot during the mixing process, but the dough always came out sticky. Can you recommend a fix? A The stickiness comes about when the added ice melts so late in the mixing cycle … More
Mix Masters: Smart Operators Are Choosy About Dough Mixers
The dough mixer is one of the essential tools of the pizza industry. A good one provides a consistently even mix of ingredients without overworking the dough. Many commercial models come with innovative features and attachments for increased versatility. But smart pizzeria operators know they have to be choosy … More
How to make a tastier calzone
Q: We’d like to add calzones to our menu. Can we use our regular pizza dough, or do we need to make special dough just for the calzones? A: Some industry experts recommend a different dough for calzones—typically a richer one made with eggs and a higher fat level—but … More
Recipe Exclusive: Margherita Pizza with Polselli Classica ’00’ Flour
Pizza chefs Brian Hernandez and Marco D’emidio demonstrate the unique qualities of Polselli Classica “00” Flour, and cook up some delicious pies. … More
Recipe Exclusive: Authentic Foods’ Gluten-Free Pizza
Chef Brian prepares an amazing Mushroom, Spinach & Goat Cheese Pizza using Authentic Foods’ gluten-free crust mix and a recipe from Patrick Maggi of Pasquale’s Deli. (Sponsored Content) … More
Learning the basics of using a hot dough press
Q What’s the best hot press for my operation? A Last month, we considered how using a dough press might require changes to your dough formula. Now let’s talk about the hot press itself. The hot press utilizes heat to improve the pressing of the dough and to form a … More
Dough presses may require changes to your dough formula
Q: We’re expanding our operation and may need to use a dough press instead of stretching our dough by hand. Will we have to make any changes to our dough formula? A: If you’re planning to use a press, you’ll need to work with a very soft and extensible dough … More
How to Make Sure Your Pizza Dough Is Properly Mixed
There are two methods to determine whether your pizza dough has been properly mixed—a visual test and a physical test. The latter is a bit complicated; it requires you to form the dough into a ball and stretch it between your thumbs to judge proper development. It’s a difficult procedure … More
How to express your pizza sauce formula in percentages
Q Pizzaioli use baker’s percentage to formulate dough, but is there any way to express a sauce formula in percentages? A Yes, there is a way to express a sauce formula in percentages. With dough, the percentages are based on the total flour weight, whereas the percentages for … More
Changes to flour will affect your dough’s absorption rate, says Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann.
Q: I’m having problems with my dough’s water absorption rate, even though I’m using the same ingredients I always used. What could be causing this? A: Year in and year out, we add a measured amount of water to the mixing bowl, add a specific quantity of flour … More
Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann explains how salt, sugar and oil affect your pizza dough.
Q: Can you explain the roles that salt, sugar and oil play in the overall final dough product? A: Good question! Many people don’t realize that salt, sugar and oil do more than add flavor to pizza dough. Let’s consider these ingredients one at a time to determine … More