If you make pizza yourself you understand the issue of shaping a pizza. If you never make pizzas yourself, just skip this article!
There we go, the secret behind pizza dough shaping.
We got inspired by some relatives who have the most cosy evenings in summer around the pizza oven. Having a fire, making pizza together, be creative with the toppings and eat it. I can tell, it’s the best way to have a summer-eve with family & friends. Kids love it!
So last summer we also spoiled ourselves with a pizza wood-oven. Since than we have been making lots of pizza’s… it looks so easy when you see an Italian pizza maker trowing the pizza dough in the air to stretch the dough. I never realised it, but it’s magic. And we need to know the trick. So we went to Italy with a mission.
Last week in a restaurant near Ugento, Puglia, my husband asked the chef if he could join him making the pizza from flour to melted cheese. And of course he did found the million dollar tip on how we could improves ourselves by shaping the pizza dough.
The Shaping Pizza Secret : Never touch the centre and edges of the pizza dough disk.
Read the explanation of the pizza-chef himself.
So first of all divide the dough into even balls. Place them on a plate, sprinkle it with flour and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the balls of dough rest until you poke them and see an indentation.
Now we gonna ‘roll’
and don’t use a dough roller.
Put some flour on your hands and surface and put the pizza dough ball on it. With your fingertips press down the dough into a small, flat still thick disk. Working from the centre, push the dough outward while spreading your fingers, making the disk larger and larger. Important, do no touch the centre and the edge of the pizza disk, let’s say 0,5 centimetres. If the disk is the size you wish, pick up the dough. Move your hands along the edges, allowing gravity to pull the dough into an nice round disk.
On top of this I will tell you some tips & tricks from my own experience:
- Try to mix the dough with a mixer for at least 30 minutes so it gets airy.
- Don’t put too much (watery) toppings on it and only place it in the middle – not near the edges – again app. 0,5 centimetre away from the edge.
- Use mascarpone cheese, it’s so creamy yummy on a pizza.
Thanks for the secret!
So sst… Enjoy & get wood-fire heated on a summer-eve!
