The Art of Pizza Classes. Brasserie Bread

Have you been breaducated?. You can now do Pizza Classes at Brasserie Bread as well as their breaducational bread classes. Pizzzzza!

Can’t get enough Pizza?.

Want to be able to make it at home and impress family and friends?.

Yes?

Well here’s the answer. The Art of Pizza Classes at Brasserie Bread. I attended one this week and here’s what happened.

at The Art of Pizza Classes

I learned that it takes so few ingredients to make great Pizza that all the ingredients you use need to be the best.

There is no better place to learn this than at Brasserie Bread bakery. Not only do they have a specially designed kitchen for you to learn in, but they also partner with some of the best local brands to get ingredients that will make your Pizza perfect.

To start, this isn’t any ordinary bakery, here they use single origin flour for their bread and pizza. The grain for the flour comes from the Flinders Ranges in South Australia and it was chosen because they have very unusual (for Australia) methods. Most grain is milled in a central mill along with grain from hundreds of farms, so no one particular flavour profile or property the wheat has is carried through to the flour. Flinders Ranges grain is grown by a collective of 5 farms. They tweak their conditions so that they have some control over the flavour and even protein levels of the grains they grow and then they mill alone. It isn’t mixed with any other flour before or after milling. That makes pure single origin flour and the benefits are flavour, nutrition and control over every aspect of growing it, well besides of course Mother Nature, she has the last say.

That’s the flour you will be using to make your Pizza. It does taste different and it makes amazing bread and pizza. You can buy the flour here but don’t worry you can also use any other strong flour and get a great result too.

You’ll be introduced to some of the terms for Pizza / bread making….hydration and fermentation. I know, you thought I was going to say tomato and cheese didn’t you? Don’t worry they’ll guide you through the things you need to know to make that great Pizza you are craving

The demonstration is hands on so you’ll get to feel your way around that hydration question and have it answered all at the same time. You’ll also see two types of dough, a traditional Pizza dough and the one we are all used to and the more focaccia style Roman “al taglio” Pizza. It’s square shape allows it to be eaten by the slice (a taglio). But that comes later.

All Pizza dough needs to be worked till smooth and elastic and then have time to “‘ferment” . This is what will create a Pizza that is chewy and fluffy around the outside. Head Chef Anthony Silva explains that this is really a chemical process where the yeast begins to digest carbohydrates, producing carbon dioxide in turn causing air bubbles in the dough, helping it to inflate and swell. The fun begins when our friendly instructor encouraging us to slap and roll our dough. Ten people slapping and rolling is both noisy and slightly chaotic with empty jugs bouncing and flour flying. It’s quite exhilarating. Our dough is left to ferment while we move over to the oven. Anthony demonstrates how to shape our pizza with dough that has had time to rest and ferment.

He makes it look easy and although we struggle at first with the stretching technique after a little practise everyone manages to make a great looking pizza. One by one we step up to the bench and practise folding and stretching with Anthony coaching gently. Once the pizza is constructed Anthony slips it onto the paddle, an art that definitely requires practise. Once the Pizza, glistening with olive oil, is on the paddle he helps you slide it into the mouth of the giant, firing at between 320- 380 C ( Anthony says this is the sweet spot and it is ready for us to feed it). Cooking is quick. About 1.23 minutes to be precise. The pizza rests on the bottom of that oven and needs to be turned and rotated at least 2-3 times to stop it burning to a crisp. We each get the opportunity to turn our own Pizza with Anthony assisting and guiding.

I think this is the best thing about Pizza. So much thought and care (anticipation) goes into the ingredients and the preparation, but when you are ready to eat it is instantaneous gratification. It’s perfect.

As each Pizza leaves the oven blistered and steaming it is deposited onto the bench and we cut our own with a wheeled cutter feeling like proud Pizzaiola’s.  Selfies are mandatory because we are as pleased as any producer can be of our efforts. We’re offered a glass of Lowe organic wine from Mudgee and for 10 beautiful minutes I am alone in my gluttonous heaven. I also eat mine with a different appreciation of what goes into the making of this simple and revered feast. Pizza making is like stir frying. Everything needs to be ready before you start. The topping doesn’t need to be anything other than a tomato passata (we used San Mazarno Tomatoes simply pureed), Fiore di Latte  ( we used Vannella from Sydney– it’s a mozzarella style fresh cheese), Olive oil (Alto- Southern highlands NSW) and basil leaves.

Solo cosi.

After our little break we head back into the kitchen to learn all about the ultra hydrated dough that makes a Roman style Pizza al taglio (by the slice). This is a dough that is hydrated beyond 70% and it has cold fermented for 72 hours. Our dough is given to us in bowls and looks like a lacy bubbling cauldron. Anthony tells us to treat it very gently and to pour it on to the tray with out working it.

Knocking the air out of it now will mean we will have a flat pizza to take home.  It’s very delicate. Once we gently stretch into a nice square shape, swath it in lots of olive oil and cover it in thin slices of potato all their is to do is sprinkle it with salt and rosemary. I  know you are probably thinking, OK if someone messes their Pizza up how do you make sure you get the one you have put all of your love and care into?

Easy.

Write your name on the tray.

The trays are put into the oven. When they come out there is even more cause for celebration (and photos). They are gorgeously golden and incredibly light and crunchy. And they are delicious.

Due to carb overload by the time this class is finished I couldn’t eat mine straight away. I ate it over the next couple of days, oven heated with extra olive oil and a dusting of parmesan. So very simply perfect.

Are you are interested in doing The Art of Pizza Class in Sydney?

Find out more information and book here AND here.

Classes are selling out fast and there are offers for bringing a friend.

My Kitchen Stories attended the class as a guest of b+Brasserie Bread just so I could tell you all about them!