Caputo pizzeria hydration issues...

[Pete-zza]

REMOISE,

The reason I spoke up about not re-balling or re-kneading the dough when ready to be used is that I did not want our readers to think that as a general proposition it was proper to do so. It is not, and leads to one of the most common complaints among our members about the dough being overly elastic and almost impossible to stretch out to make the pizza. However, as I have pointed out before, this condition is not usually fatal to the dough. If you let the dough relax again, preferably at a slightly elevated temperature (like in a slightly warmed oven or in a proofing box), the gluten will relax again and the dough should be much better to handle again. The problem with this solution is that it can take an hour or two or more (at room temperature) for the gluten to recover from the re-rolling or re-kneading. Even then, the dough ball may still end up having a bit of elasticity but not as much as when the dough was first re-balled or re-kneaded. If you gave your dough sufficient warm-up time on the counter, you may have overcome the problem without fully realizing it. And maybe it wasn't as severe as with a dough made from a higher protein/gluten flour.

About the only time that I am aware of where the above approach does not work is where the dough is just about dead (severely overfermented) and subject to tearing and ripping when being shaped and stretched out. Usually the dough is also quite wet, and the natural tendency is to add more flour and re-ball and re-knead the dough. In my experience, this does not work. At this point, it is too late.

Peter

[Bill/SFNM]

I think Peter's replies in this thread underscore the reason why "formulas" for pizza dough are not particularly useful past the beginner stage. The characteristics of a ball of dough can have as much to do with how it was handled through the different stages as it does with its composition. And blindly following the procedures that worked before can result in disappointments. You need to get the "feel" of your dough so you can adjust the composition and handling for changing conditions. IMHO, this makes all the difference in the world.

Bill/SFNM

[REMOISE]

Thanks so much Peter now atleast I understand this better and can work at being careful shaping the dough and  transporting between counter,peel and the stone in the oven.i am confindent that oneday i will get it like most members.You have been so helpful.
 
Remoise

[Pete-zza]

REMOISE,

More than once I have said on this forum that the Caputo 00 Pizzeria flour was, for me, the most difficult, and humbling, flours to work with. And I think it is because of the reasons I mentioned in my earlier Reply #13. If I had the right oven, I am sure that I would have overall better results on a much more consistent basis. And if we all had the right ovens, there would be far less discussion and debate about dough formulations and management. We would all be cranking out first rate pizzas like Bill/SFNM does, despite his modest and thoughtful protestations to the contrary. I suspect then the debate would be about starters and oven design (as it is now on other threads), optimum hydration, types of wood to use, the best 00 flour to use, pizza toppings, etc.

Peter

[REMOISE]

Hi Peter I totally agree with you,caputo flour is made for brick oven or those pizza ovens that go really high like in pizza restaurants.Our home oven can only do so much.Also i think that we cannot toss nor handle the dough too much.It really needs practice.My first batch went straight to the garbage.it was so wet that even with a flour scraper i was really frustrated.It was like lava oozing out of the oiled bowl my son called it my science project! The one I made recently turned out well but I lessened the hydration and added a few more minutes of kneading,I cheated a bit I used my bread maker on dough only mode insted of the kitchenaid.It really turned out with e better and wezll structured dough.i guess we new pizza makers will really inch our way into being good at this oneday.