Autolyse & Fermentolyse in Pizza Dough
30 to 60 minutes of rest with pure flour and 55–60% water allows gluten to bond completely passively. The kneading time is reduced by half, and the dough hardly warms up.
The Autolyse (discovered by Prof. Raymond Calvel) is the secret trick for highly hydrated pizza doughs and long kneading processes: one mixes all the flour with about 55–60% of the water for just 2 minutes into a coarse, shaggy mass – without salt and without remaining water – and lets the bowl rest covered for 30 to 60 minutes. During this pause, the proteins fully hydrate on their own, and natural protease enzymes break down internal tensions. When you then knead in the yeast, salt, and the remaining water (bassinage), the mechanical kneading time is halved, the dough stays cool (< 24 °C), and can later be opened like silk.