If you’ve always wondered what salt does for pizza dough, UK-based Ooni Ambassador and Community and Product Support Manager, Lewis Pope (@unholypizzauk), is here to help. He’s broken down the most important aspects of salt, including what kind to use, the ideal quantity and more so you can make the most delicious pies possible. While we won’t be touching the question of when to add salt, we plan to get into that debate in the near future!
What kind of salt should you use?
There are four types of salt that most people have in their cupboards: salt flakes, coarse salt, table salt and fine sea salt. When it comes to making delicious pizza, Lewis recommends using fine sea salt, because it’s the easiest of the three to dissolve in water for your dough.
Salt flakes and coarse salt, on the other hand, take much longer to dissolve than fine sea salt. That means there’s a higher chance that your dough will end up with gritty deposits, definitely not ideal for a pizza. If all you have is table salt, you can use it, but many pizza makers will tell you that using fine sea salt will enhance the flavor.
Salt isn’t just for flavor. It also plays an important role in the fermentation process. It helps tighten the gluten structure within the dough, which helps strengthen it, so your dough is less likely to tear or fall apart. Salt also helps regulate the yeast. Using less salt means more active yeast and a weaker dough. Using too much salt will slow fermentation.
So, the question remains: what’s the ideal quantity of salt to use when it comes to pizza dough?
For Neapolitan-style pizza, Lewis recommends around 2.5 to 3% salt. For example, if you have 8 cups (1 kilogram) of flour, 2.5% of that will be 25 grams of salt.
Tip: For help, check out the Ooni app, which features a Dough Calculator and takes the hassle out of calculating percentages!
Lewis conducted an experiment to demonstrate the power and effects of salt. He made pizza dough balls using no salt, 3% salt, and 6% salt. For each dough ball, he used 63% hydration and left them to proof for 2 hours at room temperature (around 73 °F or 23 °C). Here’s what happened (which you also can see for yourself here):
0% salt:
Ingredients:
184 grams flour
116 grams water
4 grams fresh yeast
0 grams salt
Results: After two hours, the dough ball was bursting out of the container, and the yeast was quite active. The dough ripped easily, there was no strength in its structure at all.
3% salt:
Ingredients:
181 grams flour
115 grams water
4 grams fresh yeast
5 grams salt
Results: The dough ball was looking pretty great. It rose a good amount. The dough stretched well, with nice elasticity.
6% salt:
Ingredients:
178 grams flour
112 grams water
4 grams fresh yeast
11 grams salt
Results: The dough ball rose a tiny amount, and there was very little change to the volume. Although the dough still stretched well, the flavor was unpleasant.
Lewis’ overall recommendation? Use 3% salt to achieve an easy-to-work-with dough full of delicious flavor. And if you’re not sure how to top your pizza, we've got tons of recipes to get you started.
I am a seasoned enthusiast and expert in the art of pizza making, with a deep understanding of the key elements that contribute to crafting the perfect pizza dough. My expertise extends to the intricate details of ingredient selection, fermentation processes, and the science behind creating a dough that is not only delicious but also structurally sound.
In the provided article discussing the role of salt in pizza dough, the featured expert, Lewis Pope, sheds light on various aspects of salt usage, drawing from practical experience and experiments. Let me break down the concepts used in the article:
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Types of Salt:
- Salt flakes
- Coarse salt
- Table salt
- Fine sea salt
Lewis recommends using fine sea salt for pizza dough, emphasizing its quick dissolving properties in water compared to salt flakes and coarse salt. Fine sea salt is favored for its ability to enhance flavor without leaving gritty deposits in the dough.
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Salt's Role in Pizza Dough:
- Salt tightens the gluten structure in the dough, imparting strength and preventing tearing or falling apart.
- It regulates yeast activity; too little salt results in more active yeast and weaker dough, while too much salt can slow down fermentation.
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Ideal Quantity of Salt:
- For Neapolitan-style pizza, Lewis suggests a salt quantity of around 2.5% to 3%.
- Example: For 8 cups (1 kilogram) of flour, use 25 grams of salt (2.5% of the flour weight).
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Experiment on Salt Levels:
- Lewis conducted an experiment using different salt percentages in pizza dough (0%, 3%, and 6%).
- Results:
- 0% salt: Dough was weak, easily ripped, and had excessive yeast activity.
- 3% salt: Dough exhibited good rise, elasticity, and pleasant flavor.
- 6% salt: Dough had minimal rise, little volume change, and an unpleasant flavor.
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Recommendation:
- Lewis advises using 3% salt to achieve a well-structured dough with a delightful flavor.
- The Ooni app, featuring a Dough Calculator, is suggested for easy percentage calculations.
In summary, salt is not merely a flavor enhancer in pizza dough; it plays a crucial role in gluten development, yeast regulation, and overall dough quality. Lewis Pope's practical insights and experiments provide valuable guidance for pizza enthusiasts aiming to elevate their dough-making skills.
