Carmen’s Whole Wheat Pizza Dough 

Our Whole Wheat Pizza is the same basic recipe, but we substitute organic flour for the enriched flour.  After more than a decade of selling whole wheat pizzas, we switched to organic whole wheat flour in 1990 when we realized it was the only way we could guarantee that the flour was not processed.

Most major mills process wheat grain into white flour, and then add back those ingredients originally stripped out to make it whole wheat.  By purchasing certified organic whole wheat flour, we were able to guarantee that the flour we used was 100% unprocessed stone ground whole wheat.

The cost of this flour is approximately three times the cost of traditionally milled flours.  Additionally, because the flour is unprocessed, it is very unpredictable and difficult to work with.  However, the health and flavor benefits of using certified whole grain far outweigh any additional monetary and labor costs.

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BY THE WAY,  WHAT’S NOT IN OUR PIZZA DOUGH...

Hydrogenated oils (Shortening) 

Hydrogenated oils are far cheaper than extra virgin olive oil.  They make the dough more tender, thereby reducing processing time by reducing the number and length of the proof cycles.   They also extend product shelf life.  They are also very bad for you.

Each time the dough proofs (raises) and is knocked down, it raises again with smaller air pockets.  To make a true gourmet pan pizza requires several proofs, and lots of time.  Care must be taken not to over proof the dough, or it sours and must be thrown away.  The final product should be light and tender with cake-like air pockets. 

The common shortcut to making pan pizza is to make the dough with excessive amounts of shortening.   However, gourmet pan pizza is oven baked and should never taste deep fried.  Nor should it be greasy or taste like pastry dough, all indicators of dough loaded with shortening. 


Excess salt and sugar

We only use enough salt to enhance the natural flavor of the dough, less than ½ teaspoon per pound of pizza dough.  Any more would mask the subtle taste of the extra virgin olive oil.  This is far less than most recipes for home made bread or pizza dough, and certainly far less than any other pizza on the market.  We can use this minimal amount because we have nothing to hide, and are not trying to mask the taste of cheaper ingredients with excess salt.   

We only add enough sugar to activate the yeast, less than ½ teaspoon per pound of pizza dough.  Most of this sugar is consumed by the yeast during fermentation prior to baking.  More sugar would accelerate the proofing process but would also mask the subtle taste of the extra virgin olive oil, since there would be more residual sugar left over after fermentation.  Again, this is far less than most recipes for home made bread or pizza dough, and certainly far less than any other pizza on the market.   

Unfortunately in America, the cheapest shortcut to flavor is excess salt, sugar and fat.  As Carmen used to say,” There is no shortcut to quality and flavor.”  We have strictly followed this tradition since 1959.

 

Dough Conditioners 

These products are available commercially under a number of brand names.  They act to relax the wheat gluten without shortening its length, reducing proofing and processing time by making the dough more pliable without decreasing its strength.  Their primary list of ingredients may include:

• Reducing agents such as L-cysteine, proteases (enzymes), and sodium metabisulfite
• Oxidands such as potassium iodate, azodicarbonamide and ascorbid acid
• Emulsifiers such as mono- and di-glycerides, calciumstearoyl-2-lactylate, ethoxylated mono- and di-glycerides, and the diacetyl tartaric esters of mono- and di-glycerides

Milk 

Powdered or scalded milk acts as a dough conditioner and helps in the browning process.


Vital Wheat Gluten 

Vital wheat gluten is the protein that gives pizza dough its texture and strength.  Adding extra gluten adds strength and toughness to the dough, allowing it to be accelerated through the stretching process without adequate proofing.  Of course each proof requires time, and eliminating or shortening the proof cycles saves time, labor and money.   Even with added dough conditioners, added gluten makes the final baked product less tender.