When making pizza dough, you stretch and fold the pizza dough during the bulk fermentation, often in sets every 30 minutes to 60 minutes, which builds strength and creates intervals for the gluten in the pizza dough to relax, so that the pizza dough becomes smooth, elastic and domed, instead of being flat, which also indicates that the pizza dough is ready for shaping.
When stretching and folding pizza dough, start after the initial mix of the pizza dough, then wait about an hour and perform 3 to 4 sets of stretching and folding of the pizza dough with rests in between, like 30 minutes apart.
Then the final set of the pizza dough is often being a coil fold, before allowing the pizza dough to rest fully.
When making pizza dough, the pizza dough should be moderately wet and tacky as well as pliable.
You want the pizza dough wet, but not too wet and not dry.
The hydration level for the pizza dough should be between 60% to 70% for a balance of airy and chewy crust and easy handling of the pizza dough.
Having higher water content of closer to 70% to 75% in your pizza dough, also creates a lighter and airier pizza crust along with better and larger bubbles.
Having pizza dough that is too dry results in a denser and tougher texture.
Real authentic Italian pizza dough is made of 5 core ingredients which includes flour, water, yeast, salt and extra virgin olive oil.
The flour used for Italian pizza dough is Italian Tipo "00".
When making Italian pizza dough, Italians often also add a touch of sugar to activate the yeast, which creates a simple and yet flavorful base for classic pizzas.
Authentic Italian pizza dough uses special flour—Type 0 or Type 00, or a combination of the two.
When compared to all-purpose flour, Type 0 or 00 flours have less gluten, which creates absorbs less water and can ferment longer, which enhances the flavor.
And for the yeast in Italian pizza dough, Italians often use fresh Neapolitan yeast or fresh brewer's yeast which is required for great Italian pizza dough.
While Italian pizza and American Pizza seem similar they do differ.
Italian pizza emphasizes fresh, simple ingredients, a thinner crust often charred in wood-fired ovens, and eating with a knife and fork.
American pizza typically features more cheese, cooked/spiced sauces, diverse toppings piled high (like pepperoni), a softer or crispier crust, and is often eaten by hand.
The key differences between Italian pizza vs American Pizza lies in simplicity vs. abundance, freshness vs. heartiness, and traditional methods vs. regional adaptations.
Italian pizza is also healthier than American Pizza.
Italian pizza often stands out as a healthier option when compared to its American counterpart, primarily due to fundamental differences in preparation and ingredients.
Italian pizzas typically include raw crushed tomatoes like San Marzano and fresh mozzarella.
The sauce used for Italian pizza is raw and thin to allow the taste of the tomatoes not to be overpowered.
It's all about selecting fresh and quality ingredients to make your own delicious sauce for an Italian-inspired pizza.