Mary and Brian's Recipes

Napoletana Pizza Dough
Category Italian
Events:
Ingredients
Instruction Ingredient Description Metric Weight Baker's Formula A Water Semi-warm 75-80 degree F 1 liter 34 oz 53% A Yeast Compressed Cake 5g 0.2 oz 0.3% A Sea Salt 50g 1.8 oz 2.8% B Caputo Flour High quality 1.8 kg 4 lbs 100%
Method
Combine (A) In a large mixing bowl combine the Water and Sea Salt. Mix with fingers until dissolved. Crumble the Yeast with fingers into Salt Water mixture. Mix until completely dissolved. Mixing (B) Add Caputo Flour gradually, mixing with right or left hand continuously until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl - this stage takes about 5-7 minutes of vigorous work and it is best to have someone else pour in the flour. Continue to slowly add flour. If it begins to feel lumpy stop adding flour, continue the mixing until the lumps disappear and then continue adding flour . Resting After all the flour is incorporated and/or the mixing bowl sides and bottom come clean and the dough begins to have a smooth feeling - stop mixing. Take the large dough ball out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface and cover for 5 minutes with a damp cloth. Note: Enjoy this time. Catch your breath, you'll need/knead it! Kneading Grab the large dough ball on one side, bang it down hard on your table 2 or 3 times until it is about 15 inches long. Place the dough perpendicular to you hips. Starting at the end closest to you knead with both fists. Slam your right fist into the right side of the dough at a 90 degree angle rolling your fist up and over the dough. Repeat this step with alternating fists until you reach the end of the dough and then starting where you just ended, come back down the dough. Repeat this process until the dough stretches too far away from you to comfortably knead. At this time, starting at the end closest to you, roll the dough up - like a jelly roll. Get a firm grip on one side of the open sides and bang the dough hard down on your table 2 or 3 times until it stretches to about 15 inches. Begin the kneading process over again. Knead in 5 minute intervals with a 1 minute rest in between. Continue kneading intervals until the dough turns lighter in color and smoother in texture. Approximately 30 minutes. When you reach this stage shape the dough back into a single large ball and cover with a damp cloth for 15 minutes). Shaping/ Pinching Okay, I hope you broke a good sweat kneading. This next part, while seemingly simple, drove me nuts! However the process is quite unique and the end result is an important character and texture difference in the finished Napoletana Pizza. Our goal is to pinch and shape this large dough ball into 7-8 ounce dough balls. Begin by cutting a 3 inch wide strip of dough. Lightly wrap your forefinger and thumb around a 7-8 ounce portion then bring the middle fingers of your opposite hand gently but firmly over the top of the dough stuffing and stretching any rough edges under the forefinger and thumb. As middle fingers exit pinch this dough ball off by placing thumb on top of forefinger and squeezing hard.Pinch hard enough for the dough ball to fall off without help from your other hand. My right hand was slapped numerous times for twisting of the dough ball. These dough balls are placed in a lightly floured dough box. When the box is full, flour is lightly sifted over the dough balls and then the box is covered. Proofing Depending on your environment (room temperature) proofing will require 4-8 hours before the dough is actually ready to open and bake.
Notes
Makes 14 dough Balls see Click Herefor pictures
Rating: Excellent