Wheat gluten consists of two major proteins, glutenin and gliadin, that are responsible for the elastic and cohesive properties of gluten. It is these properties that allow for dough to retain gas and expand (or rise), which is what causes the empty pockets of air in bread. It is also gluten that allows for a dough to be sheeted into a thinner dough or pasta without tearing or crumbling. From a nutritional standpoint, gluten provides calories, protein, carbohydrates and some fat. When making bread, it is important to understand how to properly develop gluten in order to prevent it from tearing or sticking during the preparation process.
Blend all the dry ingredients together well for your dough. Blending the ingredients well before adding water will ensure that the ingredients do not become entrapped in isolated clumps once the water has been added.
Add the water to the dough while mixing slowly. Incorporating water dissolves the ingredients and begins hydrating the gluten on the surface of the flour. Adding the water slowly allows more time for hydrating the gluten and more time for the gluten particles to interact with one another. After the water is added, the dough should start to become sticky and cohesive. This is a sign that the gluten is hydrating but it hasn’t started developing yet at this stage. If the dough still looks dry after the water has been added according to your recipe, gradually add a little more water at a time to fully hydrate the gluten. You’ve added too much water if the dough looks “soupy.”
Mix the dough more vigorously. The energy created in mixing is required for the gluten particles to interact and create a matrix that allows for the entrapment and expansion of air. At the start of this process, the dough should be sticking together and forming a cohesive mass. Your goal at this stage is to turn the sticky ball without any elastic properties into a drier ball that is very elastic and holds it shape well. If the dough becomes over-mixed, it will lose the elasticity and look as if it were over-hydrated.
Check the dough for proper gluten development. Once the watering and mixing stages are complete, the dough needs to be checked for proper gluten development. If the gluten is not developed completely at this point, the dough can still be saved by adding more water or mixing longer, or by a combination of both. The dough should be a cohesive mass that is smooth throughout. If the dough is mixed properly and the gluten is completely developed, it will be slightly sticky or not sticky at all when handled and will stay as one piece when moved. A small piece of dough should stretch without tearing when stretched gently in your hands. You should be able to stretch it until it forms a thin translucent film without any having any thick spots or tears.
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