Are you disheartened by lackluster homemade pizzas? With the finest professional-grade culinary equipment and our top 7 pizza-making tips from Andris, you'll soon be crafting pizzeria-quality masterpieces in your very own kitchen. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned home cook, these expert insights and top-tier tools will completely change your pizza game and boost your pizza-making ability.
1. Master the Art of Dough Hydration
A splendid pizza begins with impeccable dough. Aim for a 70% hydration level—70 grams of water for every 100 grams of flour. Employing a high-quality kitchen scale will ensure this precise ratio, yielding that delightful balance of a crispy exterior and a chewy interior.
2. Choose High-Protein Flour for Long Fermentation
If you plan to ferment your dough for 24 hours or more, opt for high-protein flour with around 13.5% protein content. Utilize a professional-grade flour sifter to aerate your flour, ensuring it is lump-free. This will help maintain your dough's structure during prolonged fermentation, resulting in a more flavorful and airy crust.
3. Understand Fermentation and Gluten
Extended fermentation times break down gluten, rendering your dough more digestible and tender. While enhancing flavor, this can make the dough more prone to tearing. A high-quality dough proofing box will help you control the fermentation environment, allowing you to experiment with times and discover your ideal balance for the perfect dough consistency.
4. Try the Two-Stage Baking Technique
For a flawlessly cooked pizza, commence with your oven's broiler for 1-2 minutes, then transition to regular baking. An infrared thermometer will ensure your oven reaches the optimal temperature swiftly, giving your pizza a head start and resulting in a faster bake time and superior crust development. This technique, paired with the right tools, can make all the difference.
5. Invest in The Original Baking Steel
A high-quality baking steel is transformative for home pizza makers. Its exceptional heat retention allows for quicker cooking times—imagine 4-minute pizzas! For high-volume baking, consider using two professional-grade baking steels to maximize efficiency and attain restaurant-quality results.
As Andris, the visionary behind the Baking Steel, declares, "A unique combination of interests and skills led to the birth of the Baking Steel. And, in my humble opinion, pizza is the better for it." Check out the Baking Steel for the perfect baking surface.
6. Always Shred Your Own Cheese
Pre-shredded cheese may be convenient, but it often contains anti-caking agents that diminish flavor and browning. Take the extra moment to shred your own cheese using a professional-grade cheese grater. This simple step ensures superior melting and flavor, making a notable difference in your homemade pizza.
7. Handle Your Dough with Care
For those coveted bubbly crusts, less is more when it comes to kneading. Aim for about 2 minutes of gentle kneading to incorporate ingredients, rather than extensive folding or working of the dough. A high-quality dough scraper will aid you in managing the dough gently and efficiently, preserving its delicate structure for a perfect rise. For dough storage, consider using the Baking Steel Dough Container.
Baking Steel Dough Container
