Storing and letting pizza dough rise in the fridge

• Where does pizza come from? – the origin of this classic dish
• Storing pizza dough at home in the fridge
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The origin of pizza, as we know it today, lies in southern Europe – in Italy. The first records of a flat dough topped with tomatoes, olive oil and oregano date back to the 18th century. The pizza later arrived in Germany thanks to migrant workers from Italy, and met with an enthusiastic response. Since then, it has become one of the most popular Italian dishes in Germany. Since 2017, the art of preparing the classic ‘Pizza Napoletana’ pizza has even been included in the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The process of baking traditional pizzas does, however, require some attention. The dough needs sufficient time to rest for the flavours to evolve and for the unique consistency of the dough to develop. The yeast dough is then kneaded and can be tossed in the air in the traditional manner, if desired.

Instead of yeast, a sourdough starter can also be used when making the dough. Are you already familiar with the term lievito madre? This defines a mild Italian sourdough made from wheat flour. This starter for pizza dough is stored in the fridge. Water is mixed together with type 405 flour in a ratio of 1:2. The subsequent fermentation process, which lasts about three weeks, causes yeasts and lactic acid bacteria to multiply. This seed yeast can then be used in various recipes with flour, and ensures that the dough rises during the resting period. In addition to pizza, the sourdough is also perfect for the preparation of breads and baguettes. To keep the bacteria and yeast culture going, all you need to do is store the pizza dough starter in your fridge and give it a weekly feeding by adding fresh flour and water.

The topping of a traditional pizza consists of the aromatic ingredients tomato, basil, garlic, olive oil, and mozzarella. It is then baked in a very hot wood-fired oven at 430–485 °C for 60–90 seconds. Of course, you can also prepare the perfect pizza in your own kitchen. The first thing is to choose the basic ingredients for the dough. In this regard, flour with a low degree of milling and with a sufficiently high protein content is advantageous in order to produce a very smooth dough. Particularly suitable for this are flour types 405 or 550 or – if possible – an original Italian flour with type 00, which you can usually find in delicatessens. After flour, the main players in the dough are water and yeast. Ultimately, it is the patience required to let the dough rest that is the greatest factor in successfully producing a traditional Neapolitan pizza. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave to rest at room temperature. You can then leave the pizza dough in smaller, round balls in the fridge to rest for another twelve hours in an airtight container. This will ensure that you have an excellent base.

Are you planning a party with lots of guests, or want to invite the family over for an Italian evening? Then why not prepare pizza dough in advance and store it in the fridge. You can easily store the finished pizza dough in your BioFresh Meat & Dairy safe for three days. Be sure to place the pizza dough in your fridge in an airtight container so that it does not dry out. Have you prepared too much pizza? Then make your own frozen pizza, which can be whipped out when you’re after a delicious fast snack. To do this, briefly bake the finished pizza in a preheated oven for five minutes. Once the pizza has cooled down, you can store it in your chest freezer for up to a month. Remove it when needed and finish baking. In addition, leftover pizza dough in the fridge can also be used to make wonderful pizza buns as a snack between meals! You will certainly find plenty of delicious options for the rest of the pizza dough in the fridge.