As with the Italians: these 10 mistakes you should avoid when preparing pizza

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Pizza is very popular with both children and adults – the Italian classic is available in different variants so that there is something for every taste. Italy celebrates World Pizza Day on January 17 and February 9 is National Pizza Day in the United States.

Pizza is a global trademark of Italy and is part of the national identity. Naples’ pizzerias were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017. Pizza also plays an important role in the country’s economy, with Italians consuming more than 8 million pizzas every day.

In order for the Neapolitan recipe to work at home and taste almost like your favorite Italian, there are a few things to consider. Often the wrong ingredients are chosen, which means that the taste does not approach the original even if the preparation is otherwise correct. Pizza at home will also be a complete success if you avoid the following ten mistakes.

Error 1: There is not enough water

Adequate water is essential for perfect pizza dough that doesn’t dry out too much during baking. Many use only a third of the liquid, which is not enough. It is better to mix 40 percent water with 60 percent flour. An easy mistake to avoid.

Mistake 2: Wrong type of flour

Anyone who chooses only the classic 405 type wheat flour for their dough should not be surprised that the dish does not taste like Italy. Because in the homeland of the pizza we know today, a different flour is used: Tipo 00. This is sold, for example, in some delicatessens or on the Internet. Just the right flour provides an airy and pliable dough that doesn’t re-shrink immediately after opening.

Mistake 3: Too much yeast

A little yeast is enough for the dough to rise well. Adding too much affects not only the flavor but also the texture of the pizza base. One and a half grams of fermentation agent is sufficient for every 250 grams of flour. Also, it is better to use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast.

Error 4: no patience

One factor that cannot be underestimated with this classic Italian dish is patience. For example, if you knead the dough for a short time, it will not get enough air. The ingredients must be mixed for 20 minutes. It’s an effort worth it when you finally enjoy the homemade pizza.

Do not be impatient while the dough you have covered well is resting. There is no fixed guideline, but you should plan at least eight hours for this, twelve hours is better.

Mistake 5: Let the dough rest while it’s warm

Most of the time, yeast dough is left to rest while warm to accelerate its rise. But this will damage the dough, so it is better to store it longer and at room temperature, that is, around 22 degrees.

Mistake 6: Use ready-made sauces or tomato paste

If you have taken everything into account while preparing the dough, you should not make the mistake of applying ready-made tomato sauce or tomato paste on the pizza. It is recommended to make it yourself so that the sauce is not too dry during cooking and tastes good and aromatic.

To do this, wash the desired amount of tomatoes, chop and strain over a bowl in a sieve. You can intensify and speed up this process if you sprinkle salt on them. They also get more flavor this way. Alternatively, chopped canned tomatoes can be used. Then mash everything with some garlic, thyme and basil. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and sugar.

Mistake 7: Not draining the mozzarella well

Many people wonder why the mozzarella cheese on pizza at home is so juicy. This is because the cheese is not draining enough and the heat from cooking causes the cheese to release liquid. You must first cut the mozzarella into slices and then let it drain in a sieve over a bowl. Patience is also required here: at least two hours are required for this.

Mistake 8: Cover the pizza immediately

If you don’t have a stone oven and you cooked the pizza in the oven in the kitchen, you should not immediately fill it with vegetables, meat or cheese. The cooking time for each ingredient varies considerably, as an ordinary oven produces less heat and takes longer to cook. Best to just cook the dough covered in tomato sauce first and cover with remaining ingredients halfway through the cooking time. A homemade pizza in a 240-degree oven takes about ten minutes to a quarter of an hour, depending on the thickness of the dough.

Mistake 9: putting too much stuff on the dough

Another common mistake is topping too many and too tightly distributed. This ensures that the dough is soft and does not come out crunchy from the oven. A rule of thumb says you should only use three ingredients for a pizza. This way, the individual flavors come to them and the dough is not so densely covered.

Mistake 10: Cook at low temperatures

Ideally, you have a stone oven in your garden to cook your pizza the traditional way. But that is the case for very few. And even if a normal kitchen oven doesn’t go above 400 degrees Fahrenheit than a stone oven, if you use high temperatures of around 240 degrees and the ideal time for topping is correct technique as described above.

If you also use a pizza stone in the preheated oven, you can speed up the cooking and get closer to the stone oven and perfect pizza.

Source : Blick