An exclusive recipe, enhanced by wood-fired cooking
In his establishment Lo Pichotòme in the heart of Forcalquier, chef Manu Barthélémy celebrates the authentic pleasures of wood-fired cooking. Vice-champion of the ethical pizza world in 2016, he cultivates a rigorous savoir-faire, passed down through the family and nourished by a constant demand for excellence, sharing and authenticity.
Among his most emblematic creations is a natural sourdough pizza dough, made in the purest Italian tradition. Baked in an Ephrem Le Loule wood-fired oven wood-fired oven, reveals subtle aromas and a perfectly mastered texture.
Tasty, artisanal pizza dough
The recipe that Manu Barthélémy shares with us today is the fruit of many years’ perfecting. It is based on organic and/or local ingredients, rigorously selected for their quality.
Ingredients for 3 dough pieces (pizza ~ 29 cm)
- 1 kg wheat flour type 00
- 200 g natural sourdough (see our tips for making your own natural sourdough)
- 600 g water
- 20 g salt
Preparation method
1. cold ripening
Then place the dough pieces in an airtight container or in trays lined with damp cloths, and store in the refrigerator for slow fermentation overnight.
2. kneading & first fermentation
Knead the ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous, supple dough. Form into a ball, then leave to rest at room temperature (26-27°C) for 1 hour.
3.Division & rest
Divide the dough into three 250-300 g pieces. Leave to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
Same-day baking?
If you want to bake your pizzas the same day, you can dispense with the cold ripening stage. Note, however, that slow fermentation will bring more aromatic complexity and better digestibility.
Before baking
Gently lower your dough pieces onto a bed of durum wheat semolina, directly onto your wooden shovel, for smooth handling towards the oven. Garnish with fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
Wood-fired cooking in a traditional Ephrem oven
Baking is the key step in this recipe. Preheat your wood-fired oven until the top is completely white – a sign that the temperature is optimal. This heat-up takes about 2 hours.
Checking the hearth temperature :
- Without a thermometer: throw a pinch of flour onto the hearth. If it burns instantly, the hearth is too hot. If it browns after a few seconds, you can put it in the oven.
- With thermometer : aim for a temperature between 350°C and 360°C.
For a Neapolitan Pizza revisited, add :
- 80 g tomato passata
- 80-90 g Fior di latte mozzarella
Cooking time: 3 minutes in a wood-fired oven
Remove from oven and add :
- cherry tomatoes preserved in olive oil and garlic
- raw zucchini tagliatelle
- a few basil leaves
- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Serving tip: after baking, place the pizza on a wire rack or perforated tray to prevent moisture from softening the dough. This ensures a perfectly crisp base.
Make the most of your oven’s thermal inertia
Your Ephrem wood-fired oven stays hot long after your pizzas are done. When your oven reaches 200/250°C, take advantage of the low heat to cook stews, gratins or candied vegetables. Choose high-temperature-resistant earthenware or cast-iron dishes, which are perfectly suited to this type of slow cooking.
You now have all the secrets of a genuine sourdough pizza dough, enhanced by traditional wood-fired baking. Whether you’re a professional or an enlightened amateur, this recipe embodies the spirit of authentic gastronomy, as we value it at Ephrem.
