Bruno di Fabio??

[fazzari]

I found a video I haven't seen before featuring Bruno di Fabio (who I have never heard of).  I found his dough recipe kind of interesting because of a 48% hydration rate and the use of eggs.  Here is the video:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju3MEV-dQ0A" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju3MEV-dQ0A</a>

So, just for fun, I broke down his recipe and gave it a try.  The recipe for three 20 ounce dough balls is:

Flour (100%): Water (48%): IDY (.10%): Salt (1.25%): Olive Oil (3%): Sugar (1.25%): Eggs, large (1.30%): Total (154.9%): Single Ball:

1098.13 g  |  38.73 oz | 2.42 lbs 527.1 g  |  18.59 oz | 1.16 lbs 1.1 g | 0.04 oz | 0 lbs | 0.36 tsp | 0.12 tbsp 13.73 g | 0.48 oz | 0.03 lbs | 2.46 tsp | 0.82 tbsp 32.94 g | 1.16 oz | 0.07 lbs | 7.32 tsp | 2.44 tbsp 13.73 g | 0.48 oz | 0.03 lbs | 3.44 tsp | 1.15 tbsp 14.28 g | 0.5 oz | 0.03 lbs | 2.82 tsp | 0.94 tbsp 1701 g | 60 oz | 3.75 lbs | TF = N/A 567 g | 20 oz | 1.25 lbs

My Kitchen Aid struggled to make 10 minutes, so after about 7, I took over and hand kneaded it.  If I were to do this again I would raise the hydration rate to make it easier to mix.  This dough is supposed to be used after 24 to 36 hours of refrigeration.  I got it stretched to what I thought was 16 but it obviously snapped back a bit.  Baked in my home oven, top shelf on quarry stones, average temp about 600 degrees, baking time 5 minutes 10 seconds.

Very nice pizza
John

[Pete-zza]

John,

Bruno's pizza has been discussed before on the forum a few times, including at Reply 10 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,12883.msg125253.html#msg125253. Also, another member, franwake13 (frank), posted a recipe at Reply 5 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,13858.msg139164.html#msg139164 that looked suspiciously like Bruno's recipe. I posted my reaction to frank's recipe at Reply 6 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,13858.msg139176.html#msg139176. I agree with you that the hydration is perhaps too low, especially in a home setting.

Peter

[fazzari]

Thanks Peter
Didn't know that info existed
John

[Pete-zza]

Didn't know that info existed

John,

I was out of town for a little over a week and there were 1255 new posts during that time. So, it is easy to miss posts. By contrast, the PMQ Think Tank had 65 posts during that time.

Peter

[chickenparm]

John,
That looks great! How did it taste crust wise? I will try an experiment soon for a 14 and 18 inch pizza.Have not been in the mood much,to make any the last week or so.
 

[fazzari]

John,
That looks great! How did it taste crust wise? I will try an experiment soon for a 14 and 18 inch pizza.Have not been in the mood much,to make any the last week or so.
 

Bill
There are a couple things to notice about this recipe....there is very little salt, and very little yeast...and so I really didn't know what to expect since the recipes I've been playing with have almost twice the salt and 5 times the yeast.  Anyway, the pizza above was good...not great...but pretty good...I though a bit bland.  So, if all I had made was one dough, I would stop now and look for more recipes to try.  But I always make 3 to 5 doughs so I can see how the dough changes day to day.  The following pizza is made from a 48 hour dough...and I thought it was excellent....easy to open..(all the way to 17 inches...that's a new record for me), baked up excellently, fantastic bottom...just an excellent pizza.  Would I make this again??....only if I increased the hydration rate, and probably the amount of yeast and salt also.
John

[Jackie Tran]

John, all your pies are looking really good.

Chau

[fazzari]

I appreciate that Chau!

[Jackie Tran]

John, I've been curious about trying eggs in my crust to see if it adds any additional crunch as Bruno says it does.  Did you notice or do you remember if this crust was any crustier or crunchier than a typical dough without the egg?

By looking at the recipe and video alone, I would have to agree with you on the salt and hydration levels.  Even with the hydration level so low, did you notice the crumb to be dry at all?  It certainly doesn't look dry in your pictures.  I wonder if the egg would add an additional level of crumb softening effect as well. 

Also do you remember what flour you used here? Was it KABF?

Thanks,
Chau

[fazzari]

John, I've been curious about trying eggs in my crust to see if it adds any additional crunch as Bruno says it does.  Did you notice or do you remember if this crust was any crustier or crunchier than a typical dough without the egg?

By looking at the recipe and video alone, I would have to agree with you on the salt and hydration levels.  Even with the hydration level so low, did you notice the crumb to be dry at all?  It certainly doesn't look dry in your pictures.  I wonder if the egg would add an additional level of crumb softening effect as well. 

Also do you remember what flour you used here? Was it KABF?

Thanks,
Chau

Hey Chau
I can't say for certain if the eggs added any additional crunch, as I've had many pizzas that were as crunchy without using eggs.  It's hard sometimes to figure just what element of the dough or the process does what!!!  I do use eggs in my hoagie rolls that I make from a Reinhart recipe...and I love everything about the roll, but all I can tell you is the roll is good and there are eggs in it...I'm sorry, that's all I can tell you.

Don't let the hydration levels fool you as far as moistness goes.  We make pizza with a 36 to 38% hydration rate, and they are anything but dry, if done right.

I believe I used an ADM high gluten flour for this recipe, I should have been more specific.

You know, I see recipes such as this one, and I wonder if it is simply a try to be a little different than anyone else...obviously, the info is out there that he uses eggs, but how many others are flocking to add eggs to their recipes.  Just a thought, but you know, I tried the recipe exactly once, so a whole lot more experimenting with this might yield different thoughts.

Best wishes
John

[Jackie Tran]

Thanks for the additional info John.  I'll give it a try and post up if I am convinced either way. 

[Pete-zza]

Chau,

Eggs are usually added for crust coloration purposes. They can also provide flavor but, according to Tom Lehmann's post at the PMQ Think Tank at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=822&p=3764&hilit=#p3764, you need to use 8% or more eggs to detect their flavor contribution. The recipe John (fazzari) posted calls for 1.3% eggs. A basic generic large egg weighs about 33 grams (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/112/2). 14.28 grams of eggs as called for in the recipe is a bit less than a half of a large egg. That amount of egg is for three pizzas. For one pizza, the amount of egg is equivalent to about 14/100th of a large egg., or a bit less than 1/6th of a large egg.

For a simple article on how eggs work, see http://www.preparedpantry.com/How-Eggs-Work.htm.

Peter