The Secret Behind Our Perfect Pizza Dough

At East Side Mario's, we take pride in our authentic Italian pizza. The foundation of any great pizza is the dough, and ours has been perfected over decades of trial and experimentation. Our secret? A 48-hour cold fermentation process that develops complex flavors and the perfect texture.

The Science of Great Pizza Dough

Great pizza dough is a blend of science and art. The basic ingredients are simple: flour, water, salt, and yeast. But it's how these ingredients interact during mixing, fermentation, and baking that creates the magic.

When we mix flour with water, gluten begins to form. Gluten is the protein structure that gives dough its elasticity and strength. The longer the dough ferments, the more complex its flavor becomes, and the better its texture will be when baked.

Our 48-Hour Cold Fermentation

One of our biggest secrets is our extended cold fermentation. After mixing our dough, we let it rise slowly in refrigerated conditions for 48 hours. This slow, cold process allows for:

• Enhanced flavor development through the breakdown of complex carbohydrates
• Improved gluten structure for better elasticity and chew
• Natural leavening that creates those beautiful air pockets in the crust
• More digestible final product due to the pre-digestion of complex starches

The Right Flour Makes All the Difference

We use a custom blend of flours with varying protein contents to achieve the perfect balance of strength and tenderness. High-protein flour provides structure, while lower-protein flour ensures the crust doesn't become too tough.

Our flour is milled to exacting specifications and comes from wheat grown in specific regions known for their quality. This attention to ingredient sourcing is part of what makes our dough special.

Hydration Levels: The Key to Texture

The ratio of water to flour (hydration level) in our dough is carefully calibrated. Higher hydration doughs produce lighter, airier crusts with larger bubbles, while lower hydration creates denser, chewier crusts.

Our signature dough sits at about 65% hydration – the sweet spot we've found that works perfectly in our ovens and creates that distinctive East Side Mario's crust.

Hand-Stretching vs. Rolling

We never use rolling pins on our dough. Rolling compresses the carefully developed air pockets and damages the gluten structure. Instead, our trained pizza makers hand-stretch each dough ball, preserving those bubbles that create the light, airy texture in the finished crust.

The Baking Environment

Finally, the baking environment plays a crucial role. Our ovens are specially designed to reach high temperatures (over 700°F) and have stone decks that help draw moisture from the dough, creating that perfect crispy exterior while maintaining a tender interior.

The combination of high heat and the right baking surface creates the characteristic leopard spotting on the crust – those slightly charred bubbles that add flavor and visual appeal.

Try It For Yourself

While we can't share our exact recipe (some secrets must remain in the kitchen!), you can experience the results of our perfected dough at any East Side Mario's location across Canada. Whether you're dining in or ordering for takeout, you'll taste the difference that proper technique and quality ingredients make.

For those brave home pizza makers, we encourage you to experiment with longer fermentation times and higher hydration levels – you might be surprised at how these simple changes can transform your homemade pizza.