TRADITIONAL homemade pizza
(long maturation)
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Homemade traditional pizza ingredients, for about 7 round pizzas (230 g each). Or 2 pizzas in a 40X40 cm baking pan (800 g each):
The dough ingredients
| Bread flour or Anita’s Mill "00" | 300 g |
| AP flour or Anita’s Mill "00" | 700 g |
| Salt | 20 g |
| Dry yeast | 3 g |
| Water 1st mix-lukewarm | 300 g |
| Water 2nd mix-very cold | 300 g |
| Semolina for stretching |
Dough Ingredients suggested for the homemade traditional pizza recipe
00” Canadian floour
Here on the left, we have one of the best Canadian flours on the market to use for this recipe. This same flour can be used for both the first and second mix (Poolish and Rinfresco)
Anita’s Mill is based in Chilliwack, BC. They mill their local grains in small batches, following a slow and traditional process, keeping temperatures low for best results. They make this fabulous organic 00 flour for pizza that I used in many recipes with great results. By clicking on the image you can buy it on Amazon.ca
yeast
Two types of dry yeast are available: active and instant. Active yeast must be activated in water before use, while instant yeast can be added directly to the flour. For this recipe, either type can be used, but I recommend instant yeast as it is versatile and can be used in a wider range of recipes. You can purchase instant yeast by clicking on the image to the left, which will take you to Amazon.ca
Semolina for stretching
For dusting the dough while stretching, you can choose your preferred flour. Personally, I like to use Semolina flour double grind. This type of flour is coarser than All-Purpose flour, and it’s easy to dust away after stretching, resulting in a more rustic edge (cornicione) on the final product. Regular semolina flour is mainly used for pasta production, while the double grind version appears in many bread baking recipes, such as Altamura bread or focaccia Barese. You can purchase this product on Amazon.ca by clicking on the image on the left.
Homemade traditional pizza, DIRECTIONS
The DOUGH
The dough for this recipe will be prepared using the “metodo indiretto” or indirect method. The ingredients listed above will be divided into two phases: the first phase is called poolish, and the second phase is called rinfresco.
POOLISH
300 gr bread flour
300 gr water (lukewarm)
3 gr dry yeast
The beginning step for the dough involves adding lukewarm water to a bowl and mixing in the yeast until it dissolves. Next, add in the flour and continue to mix with a fork until you get a creamy but compact mixture. Cover the mixture with a transparent film or a damp cloth and let it rest for about 4 hours. After the resting time, you will notice bubbles on the surface and a considerable increase in volume, indicating that the Poolish is ready for the next phase.
RINFRESCO
700 gr AP flour
300 gr water (cold)
20 gr salt
Place the poolish in a large bowl and add the ingredients in this order: flour; water.
Shortly after beginning to knead (let’s say after 10 seconds), add salt.
As soon as the mixture starts to be compact and less sticky, move it onto a flat surface (which could be wood, steel or marble) and finish kneading vigorously.
following you can see a quick video about the rinfresco kneading
NOTE
Commercial flours may have varying absorption rates depending on the humidity of the environment in which they are stored. For this reason, it may be necessary to add a few extra grams of water or flour to reach the desired consistency. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and even significantly alter the recipe that I have presented to you: Make it yours! Take note of your changes each time.
Now that the final dough has been obtained let it rest in a covered bowl for 10 minutes. Give it one last energetic knead and let it rest in a covered bowl for another 40 minutes.
After this time, it is ready for the staglio (cut and shape):
Cut the dough into 7 equal parts (of 230 grams each) and begin to form balls (Panetti) by rolling the dough on a clean, flat surface with your palm.
Place the panetti at a distance from each other in a covered container and store the container in the refrigerator at a temperature of +3°C to +4°C for 16 to 24 hours.
ADVICE
If you don’t have a suitable container, you can place each ball in a plastic bag, making sure to leave a little air inside to allow for the dough to rise during the fermentation process
After the dough balls have rested in the fridge, remove them and place them on a lightly floured surface. Cover them with a cloth or plastic wrap and let them rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours before stretching them out for pizza. This will allow the dough to relax and become more pliable, making it easier to shape and stretch.
Toppings
The main ingredients for this pizza are tomato sauce and Fior di latte cheese, but feel free to add additional toppings according to your preferences.
San Marzano tomato can
The king of pizza ingredients is the tomato sauce, and when you use good-quality tomatoes, you don’t need much more to add to it. San Marzano Tomato DOP is the way: just open the can, hand squeeze the tomatoes, add some salt, and spread on the pizza base. By clicking on the image on the left, you can buy it on Amazon.ca
Fior di latte
The best cheese to use is fresh fior di latte, with an amount of 80g to 110g per 30cm pizza diameter. Since baking in a home oven takes longer than a professional one, I suggest cutting the cheese and adding it only in the last 2 minutes of baking time. Buffalo mozzarella can also be used but should be added only in the last 1 minute of cooking time. If you decide to use a harder or aged cheese like cheddar, you may need to cook it on the pizza from the start. Experiment to find the best timing for adding the cheese and achieving the desired melting result.
Stretching
The way you remove the dough ball from the container is a crucial step. Using a dough cutter and plenty of flour, detach the dough ball from the container by gently scraping under the sides of the dough, moving all around it. Only when it is completely released from the surface it is laying on, pick it up on your dough cutter and move it to your floured working surface. Try to create as little damage as possible to the dough, which has fermented and leavened and is waiting for this moment. You want to start tossing it with all its beautiful structure still intact.
Remember: to obtain a final round shape pizza, you must start stretching a round shape ball. If your dough is not round, gently tap its sides with your palms, toward the center, recreating a round shape. Then move to the next step.
The stretching method I want to introduce you is divided into 2 steps:
STEP1 – COMPRESSION
Flour on top of the dough.Using your fingers, strongly press all the centre of the dough. Just by pressing in different areas, the dough will start to get bigger. You are not stretching it at this time, only pressing with your fingertips. This is the time when you decide how thick you would like to have your cornicione. So decide the distance to keep from the perimeter of the pie, based on your preference. Never press the edge, a flat edge will turn out into a burn line. When the circle is big enough that your hands can fit in it, pass to the 2nd step.
STEP2 – STRETCHING
Stop pressing and just stretch the dough with a circular movement. On a little cone of flour spin the dough in a circular motion, working with your fingers near the edge, without pressing the rim.
Press less as possible, just enough to keep spinning: now you are working to stretch the dough by using the centrifugal force. When you reach the size you want, dust the flour away and start topping.
Topping
pizza section
toppings go from the heavy amount from the side, to light amount in the centre: in this way, the slice will not be too heavy on the tip.
Baking
The baking temperature for a home oven usually ranges from 230-250°C (450-500°F). Preheat the oven for at least 30 minutes to make sure it is hot enough.
Once the oven is ready, carefully transfer the pizza onto a floured or cornmeal-dusted pizza peel or baking sheet. Slide the pizza into the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Keep an eye on the pizza during the baking process to make sure it doesn’t burn. If the cheese is browning too quickly, you can cover the pizza with aluminum foil for the remaining cooking time.
Once the pizza is done, remove it from the oven using a pizza peel or spatula and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it cool for a minute or two before slicing and serving.
Finishing
This is a very personal part… Yes, every step is important, but this one offers more room for creativity. In Italy, we typically do not cut the pizza into slices before serving it. However, it is currently quite popular to make “gourmet pizza” by cutting the pie into slices and adding extra fresh toppings to each one.
