How To Stretch Pizza Dough? – Stretch Like A Pro

A perfect pizza is defined to have a perfect crust. Whether you like it to be deliciously thin and crisp or thick and chewy, this result would all depend on how you manage and stretch the dough. Learning how to stretch pizza dough is not only limited to one technique. Read on to know more.

Stretching Pizza Dough Techniques

There are different ways on how to stretch pizza dough. But remember that none of it is a rolling pin. A rolling pin removes the gas from the dough, leaving you with a thick and chewy crust. Here are several ways of stretching the dough and choose whatever works for you.

1. Finger press technique  – Put your ball of dough on a flat surface. Start pressing it with your fingers outward around the dough. Try to pull your hands away from each other to stretch the dough even further outward but be careful not to stretch the middle too much, leaving it too thin. Also, try to avoid stretching the outside rim and maintain the round shape of the crust. 
2. Disc technique  – Place the ball of dough on a flat surface and flatten it. Next is cup one hand lightly and put it down on top of the dough but leaving about an inch for the outer rim. Stretch by pulling your hands away from each other, turn the pizza clockwise or counterclockwise and cup your hands back on the dough again to stretch. Do this until you reach full rotation. 
3. Hand flop technique  – Place the flattened dough on one hand. Ensure that your hand is positioned in the middle of the dough. Then gently swipe it over to the other hand and pass it back to the other hand. Do this for a couple of times until the dough is evenly stretched. 
4. Hand knuckle technique  – Lay the flat dough on your knuckles. Your hands are cupped lightly, and palms are facing down. You will have to stretch, pulling your hands away from each other, allowing your knuckles to do the stretching. Then slightly toss the dough to rotate and repeat the stretching step.

Helpful Tips For Dough Stretching

Here are some tips for making your dough stretching experience a whole lot easier.

1. If you will work with frozen dough, make sure that it is completely thawed and at room temperature before you start stretching. You won’t be able to flatten and stretch the dough while it’s frozen.
2. Rub olive oil in your hands and on your work surface. This will prevent the dough from sticking. Flour commonly use, but sometimes the flour you put on the work surface sticks with the dough and making it tough.
3. Make sure to flatten the dough into a disc before you start stretching.

Conclusion

Learning how to stretch pizza dough is probably one of the skills you should master when making a pizza. You can choose one from the stretching techniques mentioned above, or you can use a combination. Find out more about pizza dough.