By Tracy Morin
When it comes to pizza, “perfect” is in the eye of the beholder. A die-hard Detroit-style fan might be appalled at the thin crisp of a bar pie, while a Neapolitan traditionalist may bristle at a deep-dish Chicago slice. The one commonality among all pizza makers is that they want to create the perfect pie for them. In their own words, here’s how three acclaimed pizzaioli landed on their visions of pizza perfection.
Photo courtesy Thomas Garnick
The Nuances of Neo-Neapolitan
Thomas Garnick
Owner, Sapore Concepts, Denver, CO
Choosing the perfect dough requires careful consideration—it must stand up to the toppings and withstand the chosen oven. The pizza maker must envision the final bite: Will it be light and cracker-crisp, a thick pillow of luscious dough reminiscent of fresh bread, or something in between? The beauty of pizza lies in its simplicity. Flour, water, salt and yeast come together to create an infinitely complex interplay of taste, texture and structure.
Fermentation is the backbone of crust development, and time is its secret ingredient—often overlooked by both novices and professionals. With enough time, fermentation science works its magic, enhancing flavor, texture and even digestibility. The alchemy of extended fermentation breaks down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, creating a crust that is both flavorful and lighter on the digestive system.
For those tight on time or space, a pre-ferment can mimic the results of long fermentation. By mixing a base portion of the pre-fermented dough, you can achieve a similar taste, texture and structure in less time. Popular pre-ferments include poolish, biga and pâte fermentée.
Flour selection is also critical, as it drives texture and taste. Understanding protein percentages is key, because they directly influence the dough’s performance. A reliable mix of performance grain for consistency and artisanal flour for a unique, robust character often yields the best results. Combining these flours ensures a finished crust with both dependability and depth.
Balancing lactic and acetic acids in the fermentation process is essential. Lactic acid imparts a traditional oven-baked flavor, while acetic acid adds a tangy, sourdough-like quality. Adjusting this balance allows for customization based on your desired flavor profile.
My personal favorite style is what the “cool kids” call neo-Neapolitan. It’s crisp enough to stand up to the weight of the toppings, yet soft and supple when bitten. There’s a satisfying crunch, followed by a slight chew that melts away after a few motions of the jaw. The crust features a light, airy crumb and leopard-like charring that showcases the intensity of the oven’s heat, helping the cornicione rise to create a delicate, airy texture.
To achieve this, I prefer a high-hydration dough (around 68%) with a long, cold fermentation. Ideally, the dough undergoes bulk fermentation in the refrigerator for 48 to 72 hours, followed by another 12 to 24 hours of fermentation after portioning.
My go-to flour blend includes a 14% protein content to support extended fermentation. I often mix 10% to 20% local heritage grains with a red hard wheat commodity flour for balance. A large-grain sea salt at about 2.4% adds a nuanced flavor, while a controversial addition of 2% extra-virgin olive oil blend enhances mouthfeel and suppleness.
Finally, the dough needs to hit a very hot oven: 750°F on the deck and 950°F or more in the dome. I prefer wood-fired ovens, but any electric or gas oven reaching those temperatures will suffice. A two-minute bake gives the perfect bite—not too soft or soupy, with the cheese and sauce perfectly homogenized and set.
Pared-Down Perfection
Alexandra Castro
Owner, Everything Dough, Stamford, CT
A perfect pizza depends on the baker’s vision and the style they aim to create. In my case, I’m inspired by Neapolitan-style pizza, which is the type I make and sell. I use only four ingredients:
- 00 flour: 100%
- Water: 62%
- Salt: 2.5%
- Active Dry Yeast (ADY): This depends on the season or weather and can range from 0.03% to 0.06%.
00 flour can withstand high temperatures, making it ideal for Neapolitan-style pizza. The salt should be finely ground so it dissolves quickly and evenly. I use ADY because it’s easier to store, lasts longer and is more accessible than the fresh version. Filtered water is best for making dough, as it ensures the cleanest and purest results, so investing in a water filter is a good idea.
To start, I mix the water with the yeast. This ensures that the yeast is evenly distributed throughout the dough, allowing it to reach its full potential. Next, I add the flour in two parts. Once a shaggy mass forms, I incorporate the salt. After the salt is fully mixed in, I add the second portion of flour. I knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it has a silky texture and forms a pumpkin shape. If you hear the dough releasing small pops of air, that’s a sign it’s ready.
“For a long time, I was a fan of cold fermentation, but lately, I’ve been experimenting with room-temperature fermentation, and I like it more.”
—Alexandra Castro, Everything Dough
Fermentation is one of the most crucial steps in making dough. Whether you opt for room-temperature or cold fermentation, the key is ensuring the dough ferments properly before use. Proper fermentation results in better color, shape, texture and digestion of the pizza.
For a long time, I was a fan of cold fermentation, but lately, I’ve been experimenting with room-temperature fermentation, and I like it more. What used to take me four days with cold fermentation now takes me just a day and a half. The key to room-temperature fermentation is reducing the amount of yeast to prevent overproofing or premature proofing. The science behind this is simple: For cold fermentation, you use slightly more yeast, because the dough needs to keep growing while breaking down complex structures in a controlled environment. In contrast, for room-temperature fermentation, you use less yeast to accommodate the faster proofing process.
Shaping the dough is essential for maintaining the structure and retaining all the gases created during the proofing stage. Then I bake my pizzas at 850°F for about two minutes. Once I’ve launched the pizza into the oven, I let it cook until it starts to rise, then rotate it until it’s done.
The Mobile Master
Louise Joseph
Owner, Dough Girls, Greenwich, CT
A lot of people compare my dough to Neapolitan, but I don’t follow any of the classic Neapolitan rules or ingredients—it’s Neapolitan the way I do it! I like to work with very pure ingredients, like unbleached and unbromated flour, and I don’t add anything to the dough that doesn’t need to be added, like sugar. Less is more. I use commercial yeast, not a starter, and I do a shorter fermentation, which works better for me.
I knew what I wanted my pizza to look like before anything else, because people eat with their eyes. You need the best foundation possible, and for me that’s the dough. While my truck was being built out, I worked on my dough for three years. I wanted it to be light and airy with a good chew, not thin and crispy. I made a lot of mistakes, like leaving the dough out at room temperature and having it explode everywhere. I invested in a pizza steel to replicate the wood-fired oven without needing to stoke the oven every time I wanted to play with the dough. Once I got it near the point I wanted, I fired up the oven.
“The biggest issue working in a truck is that the dough is so fragile, and from the walk-in to the kitchen to the truck, that’s already three different temperatures.”
—Louise Joseph, Dough Girls
The biggest issue working in a truck is that the dough is so fragile, and from the walk-in to the kitchen to the truck, that’s already three different temperatures. Once you get to your venue, it’s another temperature; once you open the awning, that’s another. It becomes challenging. I’m watching the weather for the temperature and humidity, and I’m constantly babysitting the dough: Do I need to pull out the dough earlier or keep it in the refrigerator longer?
After nine years, I know how to work with it, how to shape and open the dough. On a hot, humid day, it’s proofing more, so I’m more gentle with it. If it hasn’t proofed enough, I dimple it with my fingertips and let it sit, because it’ll have snap-back if it’s too cold. I’ll let it rest 15 to 30 seconds and do it again to get the desired size.
A wood-fired oven is also challenging. On colder days, it takes longer to heat up. You have to make sure the dome is hot, the air is circulating, and the floor is hot enough (but not too hot). I eat a test pizza every time—sometimes two. I look at the fire to decide what size wood I need to add. And you have to rotate the pizza so it doesn’t burn. Sometimes it’s tricky to get an even bake, even to this day!
Tracy Morin is PMQ’s associate editor.
