Retard pizza dough -- anyone have any experience?

I've been reading a book about A16, a San Francisco restaurant. There's a section on making pizza, including a method of addding older, fermented dough to fresh dough to build a more complex flavor.

Does anyone have experience with this approach?

Thanks, Bob

Yes Bob, I never make pizza withou using a starter. Read what Jeff Varasano says about why....it has to do with the fact that yeast at higher temps provides the gas for the rise while the bacteria in a starter multiply at lower temps providing flavor. Flavor in the crust is a key element in a great pizza for me. Since doing this I am disappointed with an ordinary bready crust.

Thanks, Christina. The conceptual problem I'm having is understanding the purpose of adding new dough to the old dough -- why not just age the dough for a week and then use it as is?

Best, Bob

Bob, I think the yeast would collapse after a week in the fridge. The adding of the old dough is a bit like the concept of the Italian biga, which is added to ciabatta to increase complexity. Even a sourdough would have trouble lasting a week in the fridge, and most pizza doughs are made with commercial bakers yeast, which peak and die off much faster.

Thanks, Celia. That makes sense.

I try for the thinnest possible pizza and the week old dough wouldn't have much living yeast. In a fluffier style like the one you suggested awhile back, the older dough would add complexity without reducing the rise.

I'm going to try both versions once my grill comes out from under the snow banks on our deck.

Best, Bob

I'm going to try both versions once my grill comes out from under the snow banks on our deck.

Make sure you take photos and write up a report!

We do find that dough made a day or two ahead is just about perfect. We just have a difficult time letting it sit in the refrigerator and not making a pizza out of it! Which reminds me, it's Wednesday and our new routine is to make the sauce for Saturday's pizzas today and let it meld in the fridge until then.

[David M. Bueker]

Some day Laura will finish her diet & I can make a pizza again. For now I am skipping one of my favorite foods in a bit of a show of solidarity (since a pizza would cause her to break down).

I've done the old dough trick, but now prefer to just get a biga or sponge going the prior night.

Stuart and Robin have been my mentors in the pizza dough world, Cynthia, and my pizza is generally superb, due in part to their training and in part to my grill which can reach 900F.

(I've recently "built" a oven to put inside my grill. I've always used a stone, but now I've put together a three sided tile contraption with a top, a little bigger than the stone, sort of a hiker's hut on the Appalachin Trail.)

Back to Stuart and Robin, I missed the technique of aging the dough, have always frozen it for future use, but never just aged it in the fridge. Makes great sense -- melding the sauce works great and it will be fun to see if aging does as well for the dough.

Best, Bob

(I've recently "built" a oven to put inside my grill. I've always used a stone, but now I've put together a three sided tile contraption with a top, a little bigger than the stone, sort of a hiker's hut on the Appalachin Trail.)

Now I must have one! Thanks, Bob!!

Yes Bob, I never make pizza withou using a starter.

I usually keep a sponge going for sourdough bread. Are you using a special starter for pizza dough, or should I just toss in the sourdough sponge?
It would have helped my Calzone crust on the weekend but I didn't even think of it!(it was pretty good, but not stunning -- I want stunning!)
thanks

Ruth

Thanks, Celia. That makes sense.

I try for the thinnest possible pizza and the week old dough wouldn't have much living yeast. In a fluffier style like the one you suggested awhile back, the older dough would add complexity without reducing the rise.

I'm going to try both versions once my grill comes out from under the snow banks on our deck.

Best, Bob

Bob, tell me about this grill of yours that is presently buried in a snowbank out back. Is it a gas grill, or can you burn either charcoal or wood in it? I swear that when I get off my diet I am going to do a pizza on my Kamado, and will feed the fire with a bit of either oak or hickory to the charcoal.

Gas, Bob. It's a fancy Viking -- works very well but I wouldn't go so upscale next time.

The snow is the result of spaying Janet's new German Shepherd -- she couldn't climb steps for a couple of weeks so our deck is mostly dog run with a snow bank to keep her away from the grill. Melting today, though, so I may get to make pizza soon.

I may try a Kamado grill at our second house in Santa Fe. Sounds like a nice unit. Best, Bob