Pizza alla Italiana with my Ferrari

I bought the pizza oven “G3 Ferrari” in the summer of 2024 and turned my back on frozen pizzas. My father-in-law gave me exclusive access to an original Italian recipe for pizza dough, which he brought back from a trip to Italy. Since then, I have occasionally turned into a pizza chef and spoil my family with delicious Italian food.

Flour matters

The right flour is crucial for a good pizza, as it significantly influences the texture, taste and elasticity of the dough. Pizza flour should have a high protein content (10-13%), as this supports the formation of a stable gluten network. Gluten is formed when water is mixed with the proteins contained in the flour (mainly glutenin and gliadin) and the dough is kneaded. The network ensures the elasticity and stability of the dough, which makes it stretchy and helps it to retain the gases produced during fermentation. This makes the dough airy and gives the pizza its characteristic consistency.

The flour should also be finely ground to allow a high level of water absorption. This contributes to a smooth and easy to shape dough. Tipo 00 (Italian flour) or Typ 550 (German flour) are particularly suitable.

Ingredients

• 1000 g pizza flour
• 650 ml or 650 g cold water
• 2 g dry yeast
• 25 g salt

Preparation of the dough

1st Mix flour, cold water, yeast and stir with dough hook for 10 min: The rule of thumb “If you think it’s enough, then do it again” is very helpful, as the gluten needs time to form a stable network. Cold water slows down fermentation, which is important for long resting times.

1. Leave the dough covered for 30 minutes: During the so-called autolysis, the flour proteins hydrate completely and the dough becomes smoother.
2. Add salt and stir again for 5 minutes: Salt should not be added too early, as it can inhibit the yeast activity. The salt also stabilizes the dough and makes it more pliable.
3. Stretch and fold the dough: Stretching by folding is essential to further build up the gluten network. This step must not be skipped.
4. Leave covered in the fridge for 24 hours: The long, cold fermentation is ideal for flavor and dough structure. This ensures that complex aromas develop and the dough becomes more digestible.
5. Stretching and folding the dough: This step reactivates the gluten network after the long resting time and the dough becomes more elastic again. It is important to work carefully so as not to destroy the air bubbles that have already formed. 7 Portion, stretch and fold: I use about 230 g for one pizza and portion accordingly. After this step, the dough can also be frozen for later use. I then usually divide the dough into 700

Baking pizza

This step requires a little more manual dexterity: shaping the pizza base. If you are still lacking practice, I recommend here a video from the world champion himself. As soon as the pizza base is ready, you can start topping the pizza.

The temperature is extremely important when baking pizza. High temperatures of 400-500°C, like in a wood-fired oven, ensure that the pizza gets a crispy, golden-brown crust in just a few minutes, while the dough remains airy on the inside. This temperature cannot be achieved with my domestic oven, which is why I bought the “G3 Ferrari” pizza oven. It works in a similar way to a waffle iron, with two heating coils at the top and bottom and a pizza stone in between. I am very happy with the baking results. The only drawback is that only one pizza can be baked at a time (takes about 5 minutes). We therefore often cut up the pizzas and enjoy them together while the next one is being baked.

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