Vineyards of Monferrato with the Alps in the background
This is a beautiful landscape. Rolling vineyards in the foreground stretch towards a quaint village perched on a hill. In the distance, a majestic range of snow-capped mountains dominates the horizon under a clear blue sky. It’s a serene and picturesque scene, very typical of the beautiful regions found in parts of Italy.
This is the Unesco listed Monferrato in Piemonte, we are lucky enough to call it home. We are happy to share it with you. Plan your visit we have plenty of activities for you and the family to enjoy both at Verdmont and the local area!
Imagine picnics with this view or a drive ending at a local winery! It’s all here!
Now it’s our turn! During The Verdmont Pizza experience you will learn how to make pizza dough the base, now to be clear there are as many way to make pizza as there are Pizza chefs so it does depend on where you are in Italy.
You might get it in a teglia a small baking dish the crust is thicker, some prefer a long slow rising while others do not, some Pizza has no yeast, some has very little. Some pizza you can throw about, while others you are better off leaving in on the surface to work it into a round or rectangle (yes that is sometimes better for loading into the oven).
So our Pizza is inspired by Napoletean Pizza, the dough does have a long 24 hour time to rise during which is folded several times during this process, I advise at least 5. It does not like being handled thrown about, over kneeded or played with. By doing any of those things you knock out all the air that has been cultivated during the rising. So our advice is be gentle but firm and confident.
We advise a 24 hour rising time but not longer and to achieve good results we strongly recommend using the right flour!!! As a basic rule it is best to use a quality strong flour, look for at least 14% protein content and this will go a long way to avoiding disasters! Long rising times tend to weaken and digest the gluten meaning it is more digestible and lighter for you but the texture is softer and can be difficult to handle.
In our previous post you saw famous Pizza chefs share their experience and opinions in what makes a perfect pizza. Almost all said digestibility, visual, taste and balance and durability (an odd one but as you eat the pizza after the third slice how do you feel?) Excessive thirst is not a good sign, gloopy pizza also not a good sign the based should remain firm and slightly crisp but not hard.
Rising dough
The secret is a combination of strong good quality flour, high water content and time.
Our recipe to serve 6 – 7 people is
1kg flour (make sure is good quality high protein content, available from us .
800ml water at room temperature
Yeast, you really need a tiny pinch maybe 1cm cubed no more
Salt optional
12-24 hours
Mix the water and yeast then flour with a spoon until smooth add salt at the end. Mix and leave covered in a bowl for 45 minutes. This starts your countdown to beautiful pizza! I recommend a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 24.
At 45 minutes and for up to 5 times during the process you will not kneed the dough you will fold it. I like the Italian term Piega di libri (book fold) in english some say slap and fold which is alot less charming.
Use Semola flour on you hands and surfaces not regular flour. The first time will be wet and sticky this is normal, don’t panic it will get easier. This video shows you how.
Pizza folding technique
You will do this 4-5 times during the 24 hours or your chosen rising time.
Before you are ready to make pizza here is a quick check
Make sure the oven is as hot as it can go . Divide and fold your mini balls and leave to rest for 20 minutes until ready to shape.
Folding and dividing your final pizza dough
Divide your dough, we recommend a ball larger than fist size or 200g for a pizza, however above we show you a focaccia style pizza where you divide among the oven tray and fill the tray. This recipe makes four trays in a standard oven. You can see we are doing that here as a home demo for those who may not have a pizza oven at hand.
We hope you enjoy making this delicious pizza foccacia.
We are happy to hear how you did so always tag us and follow on Instrgram or TIKTOK if you do try any of our recipes we would be delighted to hear from you.
How to recognize a good pizza according to six great pizza makers
Pizza is one of the most popular and beloved dishes in the world, but how can we tell if a pizza is really good? Six experts in the art of pizza making share their opinions and tips on what makes a pizza stand out.
Franco Pepe
Franco Pepe is the owner of Pepe in Grani, a renowned pizzeria in Caiazzo, near Caserta. He is famous for his creative and refined pizzas, made with high-quality ingredients and ancient grains. For him, a good pizza is a pizza that tells a story, that expresses the identity and culture of a territory. He also values the balance between the dough, the sauce, and the toppings, as well as the harmony of flavors and textures.
Ciro Salvo
Ciro Salvo is the third generation of a family of pizza makers from Naples. He runs 50 Kalò, a pizzeria in Naples and London, where he serves traditional Neapolitan pizzas with a modern twist. He believes that a good pizza is a pizza that respects the tradition, but also innovates and experiments with new techniques and ingredients. He also pays attention to the digestibility, the leavening, and the cooking of the dough, as well as the freshness and quality of the toppings.
Gino Sorbillo
Gino Sorbillo is another representative of the Neapolitan pizza tradition. He is the owner of several pizzerias in Naples, Milan, Rome, New York, and Tokyo, where he offers classic and contemporary pizzas. He thinks that a good pizza is a pizza that is simple, genuine, and authentic, that uses only natural and organic ingredients, and that follows the rules of the Neapolitan pizza art. He also emphasizes the importance of the wood-fired oven, the temperature, and the timing of the baking.
Renato Bosco
Renato Bosco is the founder of Saporè, a pizzeria in San Martino Buon Albergo, near Verona. He is known for his innovative and experimental pizzas, such as the pizza in pala, the pizza al metro, and the pizza al taglio. He says that a good pizza is a pizza that is original, creative, and personal, that reflects the personality and the passion of the pizza maker. He also cares about the research, the selection, and the combination of the ingredients, as well as the use of different types of dough and flour.
Gabriele Bonci
Gabriele Bonci is the owner of Pizzarium, a famous pizza al taglio place in Rome. He is also a TV personality, a cookbook author, and a consultant for many pizza places around the world. He defines a good pizza as a pizza that is artisanal, seasonal, and sustainable, that uses only local and fresh ingredients, and that respects the environment and the producers. He also focuses on the quality, the hydration, and the fermentation of the dough, as well as the variety and the creativity of the toppings.
Simone Padoan
Simone Padoan is the owner of I Tigli, a pizzeria in San Bonifacio, near Verona. He is a pioneer of the gourmet pizza, a pizza that is refined, elegant, and sophisticated, that uses high-end ingredients and elaborate preparations. He considers a good pizza as a pizza that is expressive, evocative, and emotional, that stimulates the senses and the imagination of the customers. He also experiments with different kinds of dough, flour, and leavening agents, as well as different cooking methods and temperatures.
If you are looking for a refreshing and elegant white wine to enjoy with seafood, cheese, or light pasta dishes, you might want to try cortese and gavi. Cortese is a grape variety native to Piedmont, a region in northwest Italy famous for its red wines like Barolo and Barbera. Gavi is a wine made exclusively from cortese grapes grown in a specific area around the town of Gavi, near the Ligurian border.
What is cortese?
Cortese is a white grape variety that has been cultivated in Piedmont since the 17th century. It is known for its high acidity, low alcohol, and delicate aromas of citrus, apple, pear, and almond. Cortese is also resistant to diseases and adapts well to different soils and climates, making it a reliable and versatile grape for winemakers.
Gavi is considered one of the top-ranking Italian whites, and the jewel of Piedmont’s white wines. It is characterized by its bone-dry, flinty, and fresh style, with floral and fruity notes of white flowers, lemon, green apple, and honeydew. It also often shows hints of almonds on the finish, a typical trait of cortese. Gavi is a wine that reflects its terroir, influenced by the mineral-rich soils and the Mediterranean climate of the area.
Gavi can be produced in different styles, such as still, sparkling, or aged. The most common and traditional style is still, vinified and matured in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness and acidity of the grape. Some producers also use oak barrels to add complexity and richness to the wine. Sparkling versions, either spumante or frizzante, are also made, using either the Charmat or the traditional method. Aged versions, called riserva, must be aged for at least 12 months, of which six in the bottle3.
How to enjoy cortese and gavi?
Cortese and gavi are wines that are best enjoyed young, within two or three years of the vintage, to appreciate their freshness and fruitiness. They are also best served chilled, at around 8-10°C (46-50°F), in a tulip-shaped glass that enhances their aromas.
Cortese and gavi are excellent wines to pair with food, especially seafood, as their acidity and minerality complement the salinity and freshness of fish and shellfish. They also go well with cheese, especially fresh and soft ones, such as mozzarella, ricotta, or goat cheese. Light pasta dishes, such as pesto, carbonara, or primavera, are also good matches, as well as salads, chicken, and vegetable dishes.
Cortese and gavi are wines that can be enjoyed on any occasion, from a casual lunch to a formal dinner, from a picnic to a party. They are wines that can please any palate, with their balance, elegance, and versatility. If you want to discover the charm of Piedmont’s white wines, cortese and gavi are a perfect pairing to start with.
Bracchetto wine is also known for its sparkling quality. In fact, it is one of the few wines in Italy that can be labeled as frizzante or spumante (fully sparkling). The sparkling version of bracchetto wine is similar to Lambrusco and Moscato d’Asti, but with more complexity and elegance. It has floral and fruity notes, such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and peaches12
Bracchetto wine is classified as a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) since 1996 and previously as a Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) since 1969. This means that it has strict rules on how it can be made, where it can come from, and what it can contain. For example, bracchetto wine must be made from 100% bracchetto grapes that were harvested at no more than 8 tonnes/hectare. It must also have an alcohol level of at least 5% for frizzante and 6% for spumante1
Bracchetto d’Acqui wine is a delicious and versatile drink that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with various dishes. Some suggestions are cheese platters, salads, desserts, seafood, poultry, pork dishes, or spicy foods. Bracchetto wine can also be used as an ingredient in cocktails or mocktails. It has a light ruby colour a fine perlage and taste that is distinctly floral and light, the aftertaste that lingers is that of almonds.
Acqui DOCG
Acqui DOCG summer aperitivo
Brachetto the grape today is also offered in a dry format. Gone is the sweetness, the alcohol content is higher and the result? Is a beautiful elegant a light rose cipriano colour with a beautiful perlage. The taste is still floral, aromatic and elegant without the sweetness. It pairs with light summer food or along as a perfect Aperitivo, more elegant and refined than the ever popular Prosecco.
Passito, after dinner
At the other end of the spectrum Bracchetto is also late harvested to produce passito. In fact as a cousin to Moscato it was originally left on the vines longer, then taken into large trays to mature and sweeten left in open air fro some weeks. This process is called “appassimento”.
There are different way to effect his process but here in Piemonte it is usually not on the vine but on large grates left in a covered but open environment over weeks (another way is to use thermoregulated rooms with fans) The effect of this was that the fruit would dry lowering the water content and increasing sugar concentration.A
After a few weeks, the grapes are then processed and vinified into wine and left to mature, some are aged for additional complexity.
The passito is a sweet after diiner wine that is both aromatic, fruity while full bodied and saatisfying. It is not heavy like port and maintains a lightness and floral notes.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post on the variety from just one humble bracchetto grape!
Verdmont Bed & Breakfast; Family apartments 