how to make a pizza with Caputo flour

[PizzaArthur]

Thanks James!

Actually I've been making pizza for 15 years in my home electric oven so I'm not that much of a quick learner.

As for the sauce, I probably put more on than what's officially accepted by VPN but I kind of like more sauce. I have heard that theory and it's probably a good practice.

I don't typically use any oil in the dough or on the pizza - none in these pictures. In the past I have added oil after baking the pizza using just a measuring cup since it has a lip to prevent too much oil being poured. I have tried extra virgin and non-extra virgin olive oil but haven't found a great oil for pizza.

[james]

Arthur,
I realized I forget to answer this -- and it's a good question. I definitely think that olive oil is one of the big flavors in a great pizza. But you need to use a good, relatively strong oil to really stand out.

My thinking about olive oil in the states is to look for the boutique labels. Look for either a specific DOP (Denominazione d'Origine Protetta) or IGT (Idicazione Geografico Tipico) from Tuscany, Liguria and Bari. These will be hand picked oils made locally from olives grown in the region. I think the food labeling system works pretty well with Italian products, so you have a pretty good idea of what you are getting. A good oil will be green or golden, and will have a strong flavor, possible even a little hot or peppery. I don't like the grassy oils, but that is the exception.

The mass produced oil from the big International brands are made from olives grown in Spain, Turkey, Algeria, etc. and they are highly processed and don't taste like anything. Even if the bottle is EVOO, you can cook with it, but don't want to use it on salads or pizza. You want an oil that you can taste -- right up there with the tomatoes and cheese. Everything fuses together, and you can't do it without the olive oil.

Your bottle won't be inexpensive, but you don't use a lot of it, and it will be worth it.

Let us know how this works.
James

[mikeyr]

I agree about the Olive Oil, it has to be strong so you can taste it.

I am still experimenting with the Caputo, it makes the best crust of all the flours I have tried and now experimenting with combinations of flours. The reason being that I don't like working with the slush that the Caputo makes at 62 to 65%, its just not workable, but the best tasting

I did my experiments with hydration, found that I have to go below 60% to make the dough workable and then flavor and the "crispiness yet cheweyness" factor went away. 50% Caputo and 50KA flour did not work out to my liking, so experimenting away (twice a week at least).

I for one must say I am shocked at the difference the Caputo flour made, I never would have believed it would make that much a difference.

[james]

Living on the edge

Mikeyr,

I think you have captured something. Your pizza dough wants to live on the edge of perfection; where if it is easily controlled, you don't get the flavor, oven spring, and texture you want. But if it go over the line, it's is unmanageable.

I guess that is the dilemna faced by pizzaioli, and wine makers, around the world every day. That's a pretty good problem to have.

Do you find yourself thinking about the type of dough, or pizza, you want for a different group of party guests?

James

[maver]

Mikeyr, I'm trying to follow what makes your pizza unworkeable at the high hydration. I was used to a lower hydration dough, but having moved to the 65% it seems like it was pretty easy to adjust - lots of flour on the bench, a light touch, the dough balls really spread very easily (the flip method is my favorite). If you are experimenting, I hope you have tried blending with pastry or cake flour. My second best efforts have been 75% bread flour and 25% cake flour. But even a few days ago when I thought I had it right with the blend (good spring, nice crisp to the crust, still foldable) the next time I used caputo it was much better. Caputo really stands up to the heat of a wood oven the best. Also, if you have any left over, the caputo tastes pretty good the next day whereas my blends are always a bit gummy. I'm about to buy the big bag from fornobravo.

[mikeyr]

Do you find yourself thinking about the type of dough, or pizza, you want for a different group of party guests?

Actually yes When I have company, I go with a lower hydration dough and no Caputo flour so I can make a good dough ball that I can throw and roll out without having to mess with it. For me or family, I always use Caputo and high hydration.

Mikeyr, I'm trying to follow what makes your pizza unworkeable at the high hydration.

I am used to dough that I can work with and throw, etc. when I first started using Caputo at high hydration, I was putting holes in the dough as I spread the dough out. It also was getting stuck a lot on my hands and board and I was using way more flour than I was used to, then it stuck to my peel too. I solved all that with extra flour. I have adjusted and can make a great pizza with Caputo but I find that I have to be extra careful to not put holes in it and work a little harder to get a nice thin crust, for me only, no problem but when i have company its not as quick and I don't use it. High hydration is just not easy to work with, worth the work but not easy. When I first started this thread, my hydration was so high I felt I could use a paint brush to put the dough on the peel, yes that is a exageration but its very different.

Either way, I highly recommend the Caputo flour, nothing has tasted even close.

50-50 did not work but I will be trying 75-25 tomorrow with KA flour, I have not tried (ever) pastry flour, guess I need to go buy some and try that also.

Mike

[maver]

Pizzaiolo

Mikeyr, this has been posted here before, this is a great demo of how to use a high hydration dough quickly. I don't flip anywhere near as long, maybe only takes me 5 seconds of flipping to get to 12-14". Hope the link works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAyyQQh2QXY

If it fails, look up Il Pizzaiolo Pazzo on YouTube.