Autolysis consists of preparing a dough via the semi-direct method using carryover dough, or through a pre-ferment. It is a kneading method often used during the first phase of the bread-making process. This technique gives the final product a characteristic flavour, excellent development and the possibility of longer conservation. The use of this method in fact allows the dough to be made more elastic, with a smooth, malleable consistency, with better water absorption capacity and wider alveolation, making the final product softer and tastier and allowing a soft and tasty result to be obtained. . All the advantages of this technique are the result of different processes, physical and chemical, which take place during the resting of the dough and is divided into three different phases:
- Initial mixing of flour and a part of the total water required
- Rest of the resulting autolytic mixture
- Final preparation of the dough
We begin the autolysis by preparing an autolytic dough, i.e. a preparation obtained by kneading (in a particularly delicate way) the flour, and a part of the water required by our recipe (about 55%). This first mixture must then be left to rest for the necessary time, a period which can last from twenty minutes to even twenty-four hours. The duration of this period of time is defined by the characteristics of the flour itself, in fact, the stronger and more resistant it is, the longer it will take for it to be ready for the third phase. It is precisely this rest that defines the autolysis phase. Once the autolysis period has passed, it is time to work the final mixture obtained. All the other ingredients necessary for the recipe are added, i.e. the yeast, the remaining 45% of water, the salt and the oil (if provided). It is this technique that gives the final product a characteristic flavour, together with a longer shelf-life, reducing processing times, and giving the dough a smooth consistency, easy shaping and a product that is voluminous and with a soft crumb. .
But how does autolysis work from a chemical point of view? The use of autolysis subjects the dough to various changes. Hydrolysis is the protagonist, triggered by the various enzymes present, such as amylase and protease, activated by the water assimilated from the dough. Thanks to the action of these enzymes, the starch is divided into sugars, allowing the formation of nutritional elements for the yeasts contained in the dough. This results in a particular facilitation of the dough fermentation process, which will also accentuate and improve the organoleptic characteristics of the final product, giving your preparation a particular taste and aroma. This reaction, called proteolysis, occurs thanks to enzymes called proteases: it is a process that occurs in all doughs, but which has its peak during the period of time in which the dough rests, shattering the gluten mesh of the dough into smaller pieces. This phenomenon lengthens the protein chains, giving the pasta greater extensibility. Although proteolysis is the basis of autolysis, it is not the only phenomenon that operates on the gluten properties of the dough. It should be known that an opposite reaction also occurs, i.e. the strengthening of the gluten network, thanks to the effect due to the oxygen present in the pasta due to processing (this phenomenon is called oxidation reaction). The thiol groups of the gluten chain (SH-) are transformed into disulphide bonds (-S=S-). This results in a strengthening of the gluten, the first factor to influence the elasticity of the dough, making it able to absorb more water. This happens especially in the first and last phases of autolysis, the final one. However, reactions occur within the dough even during the resting phase. Oxidation and proteolysis therefore act simultaneously on the gluten network, lengthening the protein chains, absorbing water, incorporating air and achieving complete hydration. It is in this way that the dough reaches the best consistency, during the final processing phase, in less time and with greater quantities of water. In conclusion, the autolysis technique allows the dough to reach perfect extensibility, benefiting the absorption of water without taking too much time. The results are clear when observing the smooth dough with a homogeneous consistency obtained. This technique is very useful, especially for bread-making using natural yeast, which due to various characteristics is increasingly difficult to work with, and less smooth than that worked with compressed yeast, due to its high acidity. This characteristic is even more marked by the use of a stronger or more acidic yeast, or by the use of very strong flours. Autolysis is a technique we recommend trying, because it might be right for you.
