Hi all,
I am attempting my second round of pizzas in the Roccbox. Last time they were good but far from perfect. I felt like the dough really didn’t rise very much.
I had used [this recipe](https://www.seriouseats.com/basic-pizza-dough-for-high-temperature-outdoor-pizza-ovens-5211302), as it seemed perfect for what I wanted to achieve. I also read a few other recipes on Serious Eats as they rarely steer me wrong (namely [this recipe](https://www.seriouseats.com/the-pizza-lab-three-doughs-to-know) and [this one](https://www.seriouseats.com/basic-neapolitan-pizza-dough-recipe)), and noticed the yeast percentage is quite different to the recipe I had tried.
The “outdoor pizza oven” Neapolitan dough suggests 0.4%, whereas the others suggest 1.5%. The recipe says this is because it recommends fermenting in the fridge for a couple of days (up to 4). Last time I did it I had it in the fridge for 48 hours and it wasn’t that airy. I kept some back for another 2 days and they weren’t that much better.
The other recipe (with 1.5% yeast) states the dough should be rested for 2-4 days in the fridge as well so I’m confused.
Any advice for this newbie much appreciated.
by imghurrr
6 Comments
Hello /u/imghurrr!
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Have you got PizzApp on your phone? It is worth installing and learning to use.
Recipes from a site or a video are great to get started with, but usually don’t factor in two important things.
– temperature of the room. (less important in the US where everyone seems to run climate control, but for us in Australia we tend to just ride out the heat)
– how to adjust if your plans change
​
Once you understand PizzApp, you will be able to adjust temperatures, and times based on your schedule.
For the most part when doing a poolish, I find nothing changes for me. Basically follow the instructions. Put it in the fridge for 16 hours or so.
You can then make slight adjustments. If you accidentally leave it 20 hours, and only have 2-3 hours for the final rise, you can make that adjustment and it will give you the exact measurements.
I use between 1% and 2% of fresh yeast. The longer the fermentation time, the lower the yeast %.
I make a preferment (poolish) and let it in the fridge for 24h before making the dough.
The yeast just gets things going. It isn’t that important to have it dialed in super precisely. The important thing is you need to give the dough time to proof before you put it in the fridge for the ferment stage, usually once the dough doubles.
The time it takes to proof is variable and depends on the temperature, amount of yeast you use, type of yeast you use, the vigor of that particudepending. The flour you use, and the presence of yeast inhibiting things in the dough like salt.
So some instructions call for smaller amounts of yeast but longer RT proofs. Others use more yeast and have shorter proof times. If your kitchen is warm, you can use less yeast. If it is cold, you may want to use a little more.
Their are lots of reasons why you may want to do things one way or the other. Longer RT proofs and higher temperatures ferments affect the taste and texture of the dough differently than short proofing periods and longer ferments. And it isn’t arbitrary. Most recipies call for different amounts of yeast and different proof/ferment approaches based on things like the protein level and strength of the flour, hydration level, and use if adjuncts, etc.
My recipie, which I developed myself based on the type of crust I like and my equipment/process uses 00 flour at about 12.5% protein, 61% hydration, 0.6% SAF instant dry yeast, 1.6% salt, and 1.2% olive oil (%’s are bakers percentage). I follow a “no kneed” process with two folds in the first hour then usually a second hour RT proof until doubled. Divide into balls and then cold ferment in a 36⁰ F fridgr for 48 to 72 hours.
Over time and based on experience I have learned how to adjust things based on changing variables like available ferment time, flour type, etc. This includes adjusting the yeast % up or down dependind.
It depends on the time out, the temperature, the time in fridge, the quality of flour, the quantity of water, even the oil or the salt you put in your dough.
Ie : good flour (manitoba), 22°C in the kitchen, 70% water and 24h out + 24H in fridge, I use 0.8 to 1 g of dry yeast for 1Kg of dough.
I’ve learned that dough recipes are a good starting point, but in the end you have to tweak them to what works for you. Your flour and yeast and even your mixing and needing will be different from those in the recipe.
If you are just starting off, I would stick to a basic recipe, normal hydration (low 60s) and no more than one night in the fridge. Once you have got that to the point where you are comfortable with it, then start branching out.
Serious Eats is ok for general baking, but not a place I would go for information on Neapolitan Pizza. Alarm bells go off for me when I see thing like a food processor, pepperoni, and the word “pie” in the same article that is supposed to be about quality pizza.