Look for ‘00’ flour; classic for pizzas. Do a cold rise on your dough; takes several days but gives it way more flavor.
I’m originally from NY, so I’m picky about pizzas. Which is sad, because you should see what passes for pizza in Ohio.
Ohio? Jeeze, try getting a decent pizza in the Adirondacks (I was just there on vacation). It is by far the worst I’ve ever had.
Now I have yet another reason to get a wood stove soon.
Shhhh. Here’s a secret. Don’t tell 'em or they’ll all be doing it. Substitute 1/2 cup of DME for a 1/2 cup of flour. That’ll give you maltiness and crispness. You can also take a tablespoon of DME when you’re proofing the yeast instead of sugar. Using darker DME will give you a darker crust. Crunch on that!
Is a “cold rise” simply placing the kneaded dough in the fridge?
[quote]Is a “cold rise” simply placing the kneaded dough in the fridge?
[/quote]
Pretty much. It doesn’t have to be as cold as a fridge (which should be less than 40F but more than 32F), but it’s OK if it is. I usually stick it in my walk-in, which is set around 48F, or in my garage during winter. If it takes a couple of days to double in size, then the temperature is about right. It’s not a precise process; you just want to slow down the yeast metabolism.
If you want to see someone who has really over-analyzed the whole thing, check out http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm