Getting the Pizza Dough Right

The preparation of pizza dough requires a few basic ingredients. However, you may notice a distinction in the crusts; this is because the techniques are known to vary, which makes all the difference between the good and bad ones.

For preparing pizza dough, you need oil, salt, water, sugar (as required) and flour. Some people will tell you that the flour matters; however, others will beg to differ and suggest you use any dough - such as the gluten-free, sourdough, half white flour, white flour or wheat flour varieties - and the difference lies in the technique and not the flour-type. However, if you consider several aspects, you can be sure that you will meet with success.

You can be using any type of dough, but learning how the dough rises is important. For the pizza dough, all ingredients should be mixed in a bowl and then, set aside. As a result, the gluten tends to build up. Also, during the process and for the rising of the dough, the yeast is known to metabolize the sugars in the flour and exude carbon dioxide – a byproduct. Where the gluten-free variants are concerned, Xanthan gum is substituted for gluten and helps to keep the bread together.

If you want your pizza dough to be light and fluffy, you should, also, pay attention to the following 3 details.

Firstly, avoid adding oil when mixing the rest of the ingredients. If you mix oil, then the flour is not able to hydrate sufficiently and generate sugars for the yeast. Instead, you should mix the ingredients properly and follow by pouring oil into the mixing bowl. Then, set aside the dough for its rising. By doing so, the flour is well-hydrated and the dough is prevented from sticking to the sides of the bowl. Here, you are on track to get your pizza dough and just the way you like it.

The second step to getting pliable pizza dough is your manner of handling the dough after the mixing part. When you keep the dough in the bowl, it doubles in size and you must upturn the bowl onto parchment paper. Your following step is to work on the pizza dough, ever so lightly, using 2 fingers.

You should avoid tossing the dough in the air or kneading like bread or using your elbows, knuckles, palms. You may be wondering why you should press lightly, well, it helps to preserve the bubbles in the yeast – the very reason for getting fluffed-up dough. If you are tough on the dough, the bubbles get smashed and the dough hardens. In Pizzerias, you will see the chefs tossing the pizzas and serving perfect dough - because they have very hot ovens, within the range of 700 – 1000 Fahrenheit. Also, they put extra gluten in the dough. Therefore, if you do not have the expertise, then shun the tossing part.

 The third well-kept secret for ideal pizza dough is baking via a pizza stone; they are effective to uniformly bake the pizza. Cooking sans a pizza stone, will only brown the top and leave the underlying layers uncooked – not yummy at all.

Conclusion

Here, now we have revealed the 3 secrets to make awesome pizza dough. Nevertheless, the more you practice, better will be the results. Like they say,’ practice makes perfect’, and it is indeed true.