About container sizes
In the pursuit of the perfect homemade pizza, there’s more to consider than just choosing the right ingredients. The selection of the container size is not a minor detail but a crucial factor in creating perfectly fermented pizza dough. The size of the container proves to be a crucial element influencing the dough’s fermentation process, essential for developing taste, texture, and lightness. Let’s delve deeper into the role of container sizes in achieving the ideal fermented pizza dough.
Before baking your pizza, the dough typically undergoes two rising phases. First in bulk, after kneading, the dough ferments for a certain number of hours, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. After this phase, the “staglio’’, as the Italians call it, follows; this is the moment when you cut the dough into pieces, shape them into pizza balls (panetti), and let them proof again. During both phases, it’s essential to keep the dough in a container with a lid to prevent dehydration.
Container choice when doing bulk fermentation
When the dough is placed in a container that is too small, it can lead to accelerated fermentation. The limited space causes the dough’s heat to accumulate, speeding up fermentation. In extreme cases, the dough might even rise out of the container, resulting in dehydration and an undesirable texture.
On the flip side, placing the dough in an excessively large container can give rise to various challenges. A spacious container might not offer enough support for the dough to rise vertically, potentially resulting in a denser crumb structure.Â
The height of the container should be approximately three times the original height of the dough. For example, if the dough is originally 5 centimeters high (about 2 inches), the ideal container height should be around 15 centimeters (approximately 6 inches). As for the width, leave about a fingertip’s width on the sides of the dough to accommodate the dough’s expansion. This ensures that the dough has enough space to rise.
Container size for pizza dough ball
If the dough ball is tightly rolled and has sufficient elasticity, you might consider placing it, along with multiple dough balls, in a larger container. In such instances, the dough balls can support each other, and the larger container assists in an even expansion of the dough during the final proof. This results in a more open crumb structure in the ultimate pizza crust. However, it is crucial to find the right balance, as an excessively large container combined with a poorly rolled dough ball can still lead to undesirable flatness and a lack of airiness in the texture of the pizza crust.
On the other hand, if you give the pizza ball too little space in the container, excessive pressure, and air can build up. This can lead to undesirable consequences, such as the lid popping off or even the pizza ball rising outside the container. Such a scenario can result in dehydration of the dough and other unwanted effects, such as uneven fermentation and the loss of the desired texture in the final dough. Moreover, insufficient space can lead to uneven dough rising, compromising the pizza’s crumb structure and potentially resulting in a less airy texture.
To avoid these problems, it’s essential to ensure that each pizza ball has enough space in the container, but not too much. The dough should have enough room to rise evenly without exceeding the limits of the container. A handy guideline, similar to containers for bulk fermentation, is that the container should be about three times the height of the individual pizza ball, with some extra space, about a half fingertip’s width on the sides. This ratio helps ensure the optimal rising of the dough and proper development during fermentation.
Cold proof
Another crucial aspect is managing water vapor that evaporates from the pizza ball when left to ferment in the refrigerator. This occurs when you seal the pizza ball in the container immediately after shaping it. Since the dough ball is still warm, the container cools faster than the dough, causing moisture from the dough ball to condense on the inside of the container. The dough ball can’t reabsorb this condensed water. To address this issue, you can place the dough ball in the container without sealing it, and coat the dough ball with olive oil to prevent dehydration. Leave the container in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, allowing the dough enough time to cool before putting the lid on. This prevents moisture from condensing on the inside of the container and helps maintain the quality of the pizza dough.
