If you're the type of pizza maker who likes to experiment in your kitchen, you've probably already tried making your own homemade pizza dough. If so, you may have discovered that beyond the flour mess it creates, there's a debate among pizza makers about whether to let the dough ferment for a long time or just a short time. While this might seem like a minor detail, it has a pretty significant impact on the overall result of your pizza.

What is fermentation and what is its role in pizza?

The dough takes time to rise because of the yeast. Yeast is one of the basic ingredients of dough, along with flour and water. The yeast feeds on the sugars in the flour, which produces carbon dioxide (the same gas that makes soda fizz). The carbon dioxide is trapped in the tiny air pockets that form during fermentation, which makes your dough light and fluffy when baked .

Why is fermentation time important?

Because the yeast has more time to consume the sugar in long-fermentation doughs, it doesn't ferment in your stomach. Have you ever gone to bed after a pizza night only to wake up at 3 a.m. so thirsty you could just drink straight from the tap? Well, that's a sign that the dough finished fermenting right there in your stomach. So beware of recipes that promise perfect dough in under an hour. Chances are, the amount of yeast you're using is out of this world. Sure, it will rise faster and the pizza will look nice… but instead of fermenting on the counter, it'll ferment in your stomach!

So what is short enough and what is long enough?

For short fermentation, the fermentation process takes place quickly at room temperature, approximately 6 to 8 hours. For long fermentation, it occurs much more slowly – often more than 24 hours, up to 72 hours – at cooler temperatures.

Now, fermentation time isn't something you decide on the fly. It needs to be proportional to the protein content of the flour you're using. For longer fermentation (days), use a flour with a higher protein content, such as Caputo Chef flour . For shorter fermentation times (hours), use a flour with a lower protein content, such as Caputo Pizzeria or Classica .

What do we recommend regarding fermentation time?

Well… You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been, or so they say. I don't know who "they" are, but I do know that your experiences in your 20s have some influence on your 30s—maybe not a life-or-death influence, but it provides perspectives you can't gain if you never try. So why not try both types and see which works best for you? Our conclusion is that trial and error is worth it.

And make sure you get your hands on one of our fermentation trays ... we wouldn't want to see all your efforts wasted by your precious dough balls unintentionally drying out while rising on the counter or in the refrigerator.