OUR DOUGH

Our pizza dough is something that is always being tweaked, worked on and changed to suit environmental changes, taste and oven conditions. We’ve been tinkering big time in the last few weeks and have made a major change to our dough. Will everybody notice? Probably not, but it’s something that we are all excited about here, and it’s making us really happy to be working with a far superior base product.

What’s actually changed?

We’ve moved our dough over to a biga recipe with higher hydration.

Biga is a pre-ferment: flour, water and yeast mixed into a stiff dough and left to do its thing overnight before we make the “real” dough by adding more flour and water and finally salt. It builds strength, flavour and aroma and this allows us to add a higher percentage of water to the mix.

Higher hydration gives a softer, airier crumb and better oven spring, especially in Neapolitan dough.

Why use a biga?

Using a biga lets the yeast slowly break down starches and build a tighter gluten network a day earlier. When mixed into the final dough the next day, the result is a base that’s stronger and more elastic, so it holds its shape when we stretch it, and it traps in all that carbon dioxide the yeast produces, giving the dough plenty of big beautiful bubbles in the crust.

That slow fermentation also gives you better flavour, and makes the pizza much more digestible, as more carbs are broken down throughout the leavening process and not in your belly. You will know the difference between fast proved daily white bread and proper slow proved sourdough bread. The flavour is far superior, the texture is superior, and it’s better for your gut.

Will it make a difference when you taste it?

Yes absolutely. The result that has made us most excited is the taste and the lightness. To use a horribly uncomfortable term (on a par with “moist”), the “mouthfeel” is much lighter, the dough is infinitely more delicate, and it just feels lighter to eat. It’s less heavy and you won’t feel stodgy after you eat it. We’re very proud of it.

You’ll still recognise it as Coke Lane dough. Same style, same char, same pizza, but with a bit more lift, a bit more texture, and a bit more work going on behind the scenes to make each pizza feel that little bit more special.

Thanks for tuning in to my nerd session. Onwards and upwards.

Dave