| Becoming a Pizzailo | | | | throw it down hard on your counter or table top 3 |
| Once you try this dough, I suspect you will never go | | | | times. The process should elongate the dough. Now |
| back. It is a classic Napolitano pizza dough learned | | | | place the dough perpendicular to your waist. Ok, here |
| from a pizzailo (pizza chef) from Napoli (Naples, Italy). | | | | we go. Start at one of the ends and hammer away |
| You will get about 12 to 14 pizza dough balls from the | | | | with your fists moving along the elongated dough. Each |
| ingredients which will make that many 11 inch pizzas. | | | | fist should hit the dough as parallel to the surface as |
| There are several secrets to the Napolitano dough | | | | you can get (be careful not to bang up your knuckles |
| that should be remembered. Never use anything but | | | | by hitting the table - I have had a spastic attack a few |
| 00 flour (I suggest Caputo 00 flour which can be | | | | times doing this and skinning them up). Once your fist |
| purchased in the US and is imported from Napoli). I | | | | hits the dough roll it up and over the dough. You just |
| know it is difficult, but don't even think about using a | | | | march your way down the dough alternating fists. |
| rolling pin or bread-dough machine. You will be tempted | | | | Once you get to one end, come back doing the same |
| when you break into a sweat, but stick with your | | | | thing. Keep doing this until the dough stretches far |
| hands and fists. It will make a huge difference. And | | | | enough away from you that it is uncomfortable to |
| remember, it takes at least 4 to 8 hours for the dough | | | | knead. At this point, just roll up the dough (like a jelly roll) |
| to rise after you have finished. | | | | and throw it down on the surface 3 times repeating |
| Ingredients for 12 to 14 dough balls: | | | | the process. Keep kneading in 5 minute intervals |
| - 4 cups water at 75 to 80 degrees F (this is more | | | | allowing yourself to have a one minute rest |
| cool than warm) | | | | in-between. It should take about 30 minutes of |
| - 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast (compressed yeast cake is | | | | kneading until the dough turns a lighter color and |
| better but hard to find in the US - use 0.2 oz instead, if | | | | becomes smoother in texture. If you have not worked |
| you can find) | | | | up a sweat, then you are not working hard enough. |
| - 8 teaspoons sea salt | | | | Once you have finished form the dough into a large |
| - 4 lbs Caputo 00 flour (or equivalent 00 flour) | | | | ball and cover with a cool damp cloth for 15 minutes. |
| The fun part | | | | The hard part is over! |
| Combine the water and salt in a large mixing bowl and | | | | Pinching dough |
| mix with one hand until completely dissolved. Add the | | | | Purists demand that you never pull the dough apart |
| dry yeast to the salt water and mix until you are sure | | | | while forming individual pizza balls (they say it can |
| that it is completely dissolved. You may have to let it | | | | change the taste). In keeping with the tradition, take the |
| stand for a few minutes until you see the dry yeast | | | | ball and elongate it a bit and start to pinch 7 to 8 oz |
| absorb the water. | | | | dough balls off. You can squeeze or pinch the dough |
| The messy part | | | | between your thumb and index finger and use your |
| Now here is where it gets messy. Add the flour | | | | other hand to force dough back in-between the thumb |
| gradually while mixing with whichever hand you prefer. | | | | and index finger while you are pinching. This helps to |
| You should stop once the dough stops sticking to the | | | | thin the dough so it will drop off while you are |
| bowl. I generally spend about 5 to 10 minutes. Don't get | | | | squeezing. Remember to pinch until if freely drops off |
| discouraged at first when the dough sticks to your | | | | (don't twist the dough). I use a scale to make sure I |
| hand and feels like it will never come off. As you add | | | | have 7 to 8 oz balls which I roll and place in a lightly |
| more flour, the dough will come off. If it starts to feel | | | | floured dough box. After all the balls are in the dough |
| lumpy stop adding flour until the lumps disappear. Then | | | | box, lightly sift flour over each and then cover the box. |
| add more flour if there is any left. | | | | Let stand at room temperature at least 4 to 8 hours. If |
| Time to rest | | | | you want to wait until the next day, retard it by placing |
| When the dough starts to feel smooth and the bowl is | | | | in the refrigerator over night, but make sure you let it |
| mostly cleaned, stop mixing. Place the dough ball on a | | | | rise for 4 to 8 hours after you have retarded it |
| lightly floured surface and cover with a damp cool | | | | overnight. |
| cloth for 5 minutes. It is extremely important to catch | | | | There is going to be only one way you get good at |
| your breath at this point, because you will need all the | | | | this - practice, practice, and practice more. The nice |
| strength you can muster for the kneading. | | | | part is that you will get to eat a lot of great pizza as |
| The hard times - you need to knead | | | | you practice. |
| After five minutes, take the large ball of dough and | | | | |