For Italians, pizza is not just a food but a state of mind. It’s synonymous with their culture and one of the world’s favourite dishes.
The experts at Alfa Forni know a thing or two about pizza. And because they’re a helpful bunch they’ve decided to share some top tips for making the perfect pizza at home.
Which is the Best Yeast?
Yeast is an essential ingredient for both preparing pizza and cooking it. Experts recommend using a sourdough starter although an active dry yeast in granules is a good alternative. Usually, the lower the amount of yeast, the longer the fermentation process.The idea of placing the pizza dough in the fridge to let it rise is catching on. Although pizza masters don’t disregard this trend they advise limiting the rest to 12 hours.
Use High-Quality Flour
An excellent pizza is made out of high-quality flour. Pizza makers strongly recommend type 0 flour (plain flour in the U.K. and all-purpose flour in the U.S.)if the pizza dough is too soft, just mix it with Manitoba flour. If you choose to go local, buy the flour from a miller to give your pizzas a retro touch.
When Do You Add Salt?
Simple: add it to the finished dough when all the other ingredients are blended. You also need sugar for the yeast but you can use honey or malt as an alternative.
Don’t Discard Tomato Passata
Pizza is a matter of taste but no self-respecting Margherita will do without tomato passata. Without it, pizza will taste like a biscuit after cooking. Drop the passata onto the centre of the crust and then spread it around with a spoon stopping at about ½ inch from the outer edge.
Why Does the Mozzarella Melt So Much?
It’s due to moisture. Mozzarella holds so much moisture that when it melts there’s water on top of the pizza. Slice the fresh mozzarella and put the pieces into a colander for two or three hours before using them. With buffalo mozzarella, it’s four hours.
Don’t Add Toppings Before Baking
They will burn before you take pizza out of the oven. Cook the pizza with just tomato sauce then add mozzarella when the pizza is nearly cooked and other ingredients according to their respective cooking times.For example, put ham on at the end of cooking and courgettes a little time before.
Cooking a homemade pizza can be daunting but it should always be fun. To get the best experience, we recommend a pizza oven from Alfa Forni: their range of outdoor ovens brings the authentic taste of Italy to any party or family gathering.
