Pizza Today - September 2022 - 22

to consume and produce, but when the
dough ages to a point where there is
too much alcohol, a different bacteria
known as Acetobacter comes in and
feeds on the excess of alcohol and then
produces acetic acid which is more
astringent like white vinegar.
All of this is happening within our
dough as soon as we mix a batch of
dough. The goal is to balance the length
of fermentation so that we create maximum
flavor while still ensuring usability.
Right now, everyone loves to talk
about how hydrated their dough is and
how old it is. Well, there's a tightrope
we walk when it comes to this. Yeast
is most active in warm environments,
but you do not want them to be so active
that they consume all of their food
source before the bacteria is able to
produce the acids needed for flavor. The
clock starts as soon as you begin mixing.
For those who live in warm environments,
temperatures can be a blessing
and a curse. In Italy there isn't as much
refrigeration space as here in the U.S.
This means a lot of pizzerias are fermenting
their dough in ambient warm
environments. The key to this is control.
22 / PIZZATODAY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2022
If the day is warmer than usual, icecold
water in the batch will help slow
down yeast activity. As well, decreasing
the total amount of added yeast in the
dough will ensure it ferments properly
at the warmer ambient temperature. If
you do not compensate the amount of
yeast when fermenting in warm temps,
your dough will most likely not reach
the length of maturation time you are
aiming for, resulting in less flavor. If
you think about it, less yeast in a batch
means a larger food source available.
If there's too much yeast, that means
there's less of a food source available
resulting in your dough dying sooner.
Cold fermentation on the other
hand is a blessing if used correctly.
In the U.S. we are always trying to
maximize refrigeration space. For
dough the use of cold fermentation can
be a tool to increase flavor as well as
make sure your dough ferments on your
timetable. There are so many moving
parts to restaurants that your dough
schedule needs to be as streamlined as
much as possible. For those using solely
warm fermentation, this requires a lot
more attention to detail. If the room
becomes too hot, you will be moving
your dough around. If the room is too
cool, then you are chasing the warm
spots. The use of refrigerators gives you
more time if you have it. When yeast
is in a cold environment, activity slows
down. In a refrigerator held between
35 and 40 F, yeast slows to a crawl.
When yeast activity is slowed down,
bacteria has a chance to produce the
acids needed for flavor. When someone
says they are using five-day-old dough,
they are most likely using a refrigerator.
Neither solely using warm or cold
fermentation is better than the other.
Both are great and useful when it
comes to making tasty dough but
understanding the effects of both is
crucial. We are always looking for a
way to control our product and make it
as consistent as possible. Knowing the
role temperature plays in the lifespan
of your dough is essential. As soon as
you understand the balance of time and
temperature, the real fun begins.
LAURA MEYER is owner of Pizzeria da
Laura in Berkley, CA.
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM
Pizza Today - September 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - September 2022
