What a long ferment demands
Over 24–72 hours in the cold the dough lives a long time, and a weak protein structure simply breaks down over that period. You need a strong flour: gluten from 30%, protein 12–13%. Then the dough ball holds its structure and the cornicione comes out airy rather than flat.
Why «premium grade» is not a sufficient description
The grade tells you about ash and whiteness, but not about the strength of the flour. Two premium-grade batches with identical ash can behave differently if the gluten differs. That is why the numbers in the specification matter more than the name of the grade.
A working scheme for a pizzeria
- Fix your own range for gluten and protein using the batch on which the dough behaved perfectly.
- Insist on a specification with every shipment, and check it against that range.
- Hold 2–3 weeks of stock of a single grade: changing batch mid-ferment gives an unexpected result.
- Change batch deliberately — with a test mix, not on a Friday evening.
For customers like these we reserve volume in the warehouse: the batch stays assigned until you have taken it.