Forming your pizza dough

There are a couple of options when forming your pizza. You can rollout the dough using a rolling pin, or you can shape it with your hands…if you are feeling adventurous you can even practice tossing your pizza dough.

Using a Rolling Pin

Place the dough ball onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingertips push down on the center of the dough applying outward pressure. You want to flatten out the dough ball and increase the diameter, stretching it to 6 or 7 inches. The tendency of the dough will be to resist stretching and snap back to its former shape. Don’t be afraid of it…continue applying pressure, stretching and shaping the dough.

Once the initial shape is established, use the rolling pin to continue flattening the dough. Roll in one direction, rotate 90 degrees and roll in the same direction. Continue until you achieve your desired thickness and diameter.

At this point transfer the pizza to either an oiled Pizza Pan or a Pizza Peel topped with corn meal. You are now ready to finish assembling your pizza…

By Hand

I begin with the same process by hand as I do with a rolling pin. Place the dough ball onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingertips push down on the center of the dough applying outward pressure. You want to flatten out the dough ball and increase the diameter, stretching it to 6 or 7 inches. The tendency of the dough will be to resist stretching and snap back to its former shape. Don’t be afraid of it…continue applying pressure, stretching and shaping the dough.

Next, pick up the dough and place over the back of your hands. Start in the middle of the dough with your hands close together and slowly pull your hands apart. Gently stretch the dough using the back of the hand, letting the weight of the dough assist. Continue this process, turning the dough 15 or 20 degrees stretching the dough thinner and thinner.

When the dough is a consistent thickness and the diameter you desire, transfer the pizza to either an oiled pizza pan or a pizza peel topped with corn meal. Finish assembling your pizza.

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