Pizza Dough - Step up & be counted

JM

A have a question about the number of rises the pizza dough should have before making the final product. Here's why I ask.[p]Just got a new bread machine with a "pizza dough" setting to replace my old bread machine. My old bread machine had a "dough" setting. The major difference between the two is the number of rises that the pizza dough goes through. The old bread machine would take about 1 1/2 hours to complete the cycle with the final product producing 2 rises in the pizza dough.[p]The new bread machine takes about 50 minutes and goes through only one rise when it is complete.[p]I have tried both versions (1 rise and 2nd rise) and really haven't noticed much difference in the quality of the final product.[p]My question: Does anyone know the "preferred" method (one rise or two) and the cooking properties regarding what is the purpose of the rise. [p]JM

sdbelt

JM,[p]I have not tried vairous methods, only the one method I use, as I like the result. I make the dough in the morning, let it rise in the fridge until the evening, when I roll it into a crust. That's one long rise.[p]In fact, I'll be rolling out my dough shortly...and I'm hungry, so AZGator better get his butt over here soon.[p]--sdb

JM

sdbelt,
I'll give that a try next time. I'm in the process of making pizza tonight and have a little extra time on my hands. Hope you get to eat soon.
JM

eggaholic

JM,
I live in Atlanta and some Publix have pizza dough already made. Not the kind that is formed and cooked slightly. This dough is made in the pastry department. It comes in a plastic bag. Just take it home and let it sit for 1 hour at room temp and then roll it out. It is very good and definately an easy way out.

JM

Eggaholic,
I haven't tried purchasing premade dough + there is not a Publix here. I prefer making my own. Using the bread machine is pretty painless and doesn't take long.[p]Some time back someone suggested checking out the local pizza restaurant - some will sell you premade dough. I might give this a try some day.[p]Thanks for your info.[p]JM

Rick

JM,[p]Go to the Webber grill site. Go to cook books and down load their recipe book for grilling pizzas. It is great and has the best and easiest method for making and grilling dough.[p]webber.com[p]They used to mail the book out free but now it's only down loadable.[p]Enjoy!

sdbelt

JM,[p]All done. Now I'm stuffed. Made 4 pizzas: 1 cheese, 1 ham/pineapple, 2 pepperoni. Charred/burned the middle 2 cooks, but first and last came out darn near perfect.[p]--sd

Puj

JM,[p]I can't help you with dough in the bread machine since I make my dough by hand. With that said, my favorite dough recipe for pizza calls for an initial fermentation (or first rise) at room temperature for about 2 hours, doubling in size, then dividing the dough into dough balls and refrigerate. The minimum time spent in the frig is 5 hours, with the normal retardation period (or second rise) of overnight.[p]Take the dough out of the refrigerator and shape into a pizza and bake.[p]Keep in mind that there a numerous ways to make dough for pizza, and frankly, no real preferred way except the one that you end up selecting.[p]Puj

Spin

JM,[p]Each rise of the dough makes the final result softer and airier (some French bread recipes require up to 5 rises). Since the requirement of pizza dough is to produce a dough result sturdy enough to support the toppings, over rising the dough can produce a saggy pie.[p]During the rise (occuring from the moment the yeast is introduced to the dough and until it is killed by the heat of the cook), the yeast is consuming the simple sugars in the dough while breaking down the more complex structures into simple sugars. The byproduct of this activity is gas, producing the air pockets.[p]Rise times are quite dependent on the composition of the dough, the yeast used to produce the rise, and the temperature during the rise.[p]Each of your two machines do a timed rise, not a true rise. Pizza dough is the easiest thing to make as the only requirement is to not make the dough to soft. A dough that has not been risen enough has a coarse texture to it.[p]Spin

Zip

Puj,[p]That retardation of the second rise in the icebox makes for some great flavors. That is the method we use in the restaurant. For added flavor, make a poolish and let it sit out a few hours before mixing up the dough. It will make for some great dough.[p]Ashley

Puj

Ashley,[p]I'm with you on that. I pretty much subscribe to the "slow with dough is a good thing" crowd.[p]Any dough that I make these days is built from a wild-yeast starter, poolish, sponge, biga, etc., and it will ferment and rise slowly. It is truly the way to go when one cares about all 4s ...flavor, texture, crust and shape.[p]Later,
Puj

Rick

Correction, the web site is:[p]www.weber.com[p]