Our Dough

Our dough recipe is an ever-changing, evolving and time-consumptive endeavour to create the perfect canvas for our toppings.

Lets start with the Starter (literally!). We recently celebrated our sourdough starter’s first birthday and with age comes a complex and mature flavour-profile due to the refining of the microbiome overtime. Since our dough’s rise is completely dependent on our sourdough starter it must be at peak activity whenever we want to make dough.

Water is more than just H₂O, it’s the lifeblood of our dough. Too-cold water slows fermentation, while too-hot water literally kills the yeast. Likewise, water chemistry matters: hard water (lots of Ca/Mg) tightens the gluten and firms the dough, whereas very soft water (low minerals) can leave it slack and sticky. Ideally, pizza dough water should be near-neutral pH (slightly acidic is best) and moderately hard to feed the yeast without choking it. Hydration percentage (water weight ÷ flour weight) is equally critical. Higher hydration (70+%) yields a very extensible, airy dough with an open crumb, while lower hydration (55–60%) produces a denser, drier dough and a crisper crust. Our dough lands in the 64–66% range for a balance of springiness and crunch, with fermentation temperature and time dialled in to coax out maximum flavour.

Flour choice is the skeleton of the crust. In general, higher protein flours (12–15% protein, from hard spring wheat) build a stronger gluten network that traps gas and yields chewy volume. “00” Tipo flours (the Neapolitan classic) refer not to protein but to grind and purity: they’re ultra-finely milled and very low-ash. Low ash means virtually no bran (ash ~0.55% or less), so gluten strands can form cleanly. Bran and germ are gritty and literally cut gluten strands, giving whole-grain doughs a tighter crumb so we want to minimise them at all cost. The fine texture of 00 flour also absorbs water quickly, speeding hydration and creating a silkier dough. Enzymes play a role too: mill-fresh flours have more active amylases (which convert starch to sugar for yeast and browning), whereas very high-Falling-Number (low-enzyme) flours bake exceptionally well in high heat. We use a medium- to high-protein 00 blend: enough strength to stretch thin, but not so much that the crust is tough. Ultimately, flour protein, grind fineness, and ash content combine to set the dough’s elasticity, rise rate, and final texture

Salt is the secret dough conditioner behind the scenes. At 3% baker’s percentage it does three things: it flavours the crust, strengthens gluten, and reins in yeast. Lets get scientific! The Na⁺ ions neutralize the negative charges on gluten proteins, letting them lock together more firmly. In short, salt makes the dough stronger and more elastic. However, salt also creates osmotic pressure that slows yeast (and even slows protease enzymes that break down gluten). This throttling effect means fermentation is more controlled. Too little salt (<1.2%) and the dough ferments wildly fast and tastes flat and bland; too much (>3%) and the crust will be noticeably salty and the gluten overly tenacious. By keeping salt in our sweet spot, we season the dough without “killing” it. The result is a balanced chew and a crust that browns properly.

A bit of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil adds flavour, tenderness, and that signature mouthfeel. Just a few drops per doughball (~1–2% of flour weight) disperses into the matrix, coating gluten proteins. This “lubrication” softens the dough – it shortens the strands slightly, yielding a more tender crumb. In effect, oil slightly inhibits over-zealous gluten development, making the dough easier to stretch and chew. Oil also locks in moisture, preventing the crust from drying out (and lending a smoother mouthfeel). Finally, oil encourages a beautiful crust color: it conducts heat into the dough, accelerating the Maillard reaction on the surface. The tiny oil-covered spots caramelize more readily, so you get nice golden-brown blisters without burning. In short, a dash of EVOO in the dough gives pop to flavour, chewiness to texture, and a lustrous, crisp bronze finish.

The way you mix sets the stage. Many pizzerias use an autolyse step (mixing flour and water, then resting before kneading) to jump-start gluten formation and enzymatic activity. Autolyse hydrates flour fully, kickstarting gluten bonds and allowing proteases to slacken the dough for more extensibility. However, we have found that mechanical mixing (with a spiral mixer) develops gluten faster. High-speed mixing whips in more oxygen (which can bleach pigments and speed gluten alignment) and generates heat. Adding salt after a substantial mix further ensures the dough isn’t stiffened too early (salt slows hydration slightly). The key is balancing time and intensity: knead just enough to form a cohesive network, but leave plenty of time for fermentation to do the rest.

After mixing comes the most transformative phase. Time, temperature, and environment dictate crumb and taste. A long, cold “retard” in the fridge (bulk ferment at ~4°C for 1–3 days) dramatically slows yeast, letting complex organic acids build up. Cold fermentation tends to favor acetic acid (a sharper, vinegar-like tang) and tightens gluten bonds slightly. Practically, this makes the dough more elastic and yields a chewier, slightly darker crumb. In contrast, a warmer fermentation (bulk at ~20–25°C) accelerates yeast and enzyme activity. Room-temperature ferment produces more lactic acid (a gentler, yogurt-like flavor), and the dough stays more extensible and airy. In fact, doughs fermenting at about 20°C develop flavor roughly 6× faster than those at 4°C. (Put another way, 6 hr in the fridge ≈ 1 hr at room temp for flavor development.) We combine both: a few hours at warm room temp, then bulk-cool for 48+hours for complexity.

Bulk vs. retarded fermentation also matters. Bulk-fermenting one large mass allows uniform enzyme action; dividing into individual dough balls (and then cold-proofing those) can smooth the surface and form a tension layer under the skin. The dough temperature right after mixing is targeted (around 24°C/75°F is ideal) to start fermentation optimally. Ambient conditions (kitchen warmth vs cool basement) and yeast amount must be calibrated: higher ambient heat and more yeast speed up the rise, whereas a chill in the dough means slower fermentation. In summary, a well-timed mix plus a well-managed ferment will give you a flavor-packed, bubbling cornice and a crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside slice – science and art in equal measure.

If by any chance you reached the end of my rambling session I want to thank you for reading and I urge you check out one of my other slightly coherent blog posts :)