Question for all pizza dough experts

happy chick

Mon, May 03 2021, 4:55 pm

how do you roll out the pizza dough so that it doesnt keep bouncing back and end up smaller than when I started?
also, how do you roll it round so that it looks like a pie of pizza rather than a map of the US?

singsong

Mon, May 03 2021, 5:30 pm

I don't use a roller. I use my hands to stretch the dough into whatever shape I need (circle or rectangle). If it bounces back too much try pricking the dough once you have it stretched to the size you need it to be.

nicole81

Mon, May 03 2021, 5:34 pm

It's always going to retract a bit; that's the nature of the dough. Make sure you are making enough for the size of the pizza pan you're using, and you've let it rise long enough (I prefer a cold rise for 2-3 days)

I open it by hand and use a technique similar to the one in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR2Teqs4qc4

Even easier (and I wish I could find a video to explain), once it's initially opened and the gas pressed to the crust, I hold the dough so it's perpendicular to the counter and use the pads of my fingers to just rotate round and round and round in circles. If there are any uneven areas, just over/under compensate.

Also, a tip- I've torn my pizza dough and come up with things that look pretty funky over the years. All you do if have to take a small piece from an area of the dough with excess, roll it super thin (with a rolling pin), and place it over where you need to patch. I've also used shears to make the shape more idea at times lol. As long as you don't degas the crust and the rest is pretty thin, it will come out great.