20
Feb
Uncategorized

How to Achieve the Perfect Pizza Crust

Accomplishing the perfect pizza crust is much easier than people might have you believe, and it’s something you can achieve by following just a few simple steps. Crunchy on the outside, light and soft on the inside – that’s what we all aspire to and often become obsessed with attaining! The perfect pizza crust isn’t just about taste and texture, though; it also serves a practical purpose in holding up to your chosen toppings without becoming soggy. In this blog, we’ll walk you through some hints and tips for achieving pizza perfection. Let’s dive in!

Choosing the Right Flour for Your Dough

It might sound obvious, but choosing the right kind of flour for your dough is a vital step that shouldn’t be overlooked. We recommend using ‘00’ flour, which is essentially the finest-milled flour money can buy. This creates a smooth, soft-textured dough, ideal for traditional Neapolitan-style pizza.

Working with Poolish

Achieving the perfect crust isn’t the work of just a few minutes. However, you can speed up the process on the day by preparing your pre-fermented dough (poolish) 24 hours in advance. This step is vital to ensure there’s enough fermentation time, which creates those amazing light air pockets within the crust. Once you’ve mixed the poolish ingredients, simply cover and leave them in the fridge for 24 hours to prove.

Poolish Ingredients

Dough Preparation

Now it’s time for the serious business of making the final dough. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

Dough Ingredients

Take your poolish out of the fridge and add it to the water. Then add half the flour and all the salt, and mix well. Next, add the rest of the flour and combine.

Once combined, tip the mixture onto a countertop and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. This helps develop gluten for a chewy, airy crust.

When you’ve achieved the desired texture, let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Igneus Top Tip: Olive oil is your best friend when making dough. Add a little olive oil to your hands when handling the dough and apply a thin layer to the bottom of the mixing bowl before resting the dough.

Shaping the Dough

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when shaping your dough is using a rolling pin. Rolling the dough knocks out all the air, preventing it from rising and becoming light and aerated. Instead, shape the dough with your fingers, working from the bottom outward. Aim for consistent thickness, leaving the edges slightly thicker to create a crust that rises and crisps up.

Igneus Top Tip: Use a mix of flour and semolina on your working surface to prevent sticking, and lightly flour your hands to avoid the dough sticking to them.

re-use pizza dough

Topping the Pizza

When it comes to toppings, we always refer to the old adage: less is more. Don’t overload the dough with excessive tomato sauce or too many ingredients, no matter how tempting! A thin layer of sauce with just a couple of toppings is perfect.

Also, try to avoid ‘wet’ ingredients like fresh tomatoes and mushrooms. If you want to use these, we recommend cooking them off and allowing them to cool before topping your pizza.

Cooking the Pizza in a Wood-Fired Oven

When it’s time to launch your pizza into your Igneus Pizza Oven, the most important thing is to ensure both the internal temperature and the temperature of the stone are perfect. We recommend around 450°C for the oven and 350°C for the stone. All Igneus ovens (except the Minimo) come with a built-in thermometer. However, to accurately assess the stone’s temperature, we recommend using an infrared thermometer.

Position the pizza in the centre of the oven and use a turning peel to rotate it every 15-20 seconds to ensure even cooking. Remember, pizzas can cook in as little as 60 seconds, so it’s vital to keep an eye on them. Look out for leopard spotting on the crust and bubbling cheese—both are good indicators that your pizza is cooked to perfection.

Final Thoughts

Achieving the perfect pizza crust is all about attention to detail and a few simple techniques. From choosing the right flour to mastering dough preparation and cooking in your Igneus Wood-Fired Oven, each step contributes to a delicious, crispy, and airy crust. With these tips, you’ll be on your way to impressing your family and friends with restaurant-quality pizza every time.

As always, if you require any information about any oven in the Igneus range, you can contact us at 01423 575885 or browse our full range of products [here].

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