
Rolling Out Pizza Dough
By Mitch Mandell
Notes from Mitch Mandell:
One mistake most people make when working with dough is not using
enough muscle. Dough fights back. You push it, it pushes back. Don't
be afraid of the dough. It won't bite you and you can't really damage
it, either. When working with dough, use plenty of flour, but don't
let it get too dry. It should be fun to work with, not too sticky
and not too crumbly.
Form it into a flat ball about six to eight inches wide.
 
Using both hands, one on top of the other, press from the center
outwards on it to start stretching it out, turning the dough a bit
on each push. You can also pick up the dough and squeeze the edges
of it while turning it like a steering wheel. This allows the weight
of the dough to stretch it.

Once the dough is about 1/2" thick all the way around, use a rolling
pin to flatten it out to about 1/4" thick. I usually run the pin
over once or twice, flip the dough over and give it a quarter turn
and roll it again to make it even.
Take a fork and put puncture holes all over the dough. This keeps
it from bubbling up while cooking and it also helps to hold the
sauce on as well.

Transfer dough to pizza
peal sprinkled corn meal or place it on a lightly greased cookie
sheet.
Top with sauce, cheese and/or toppings and bake in a 400°
F. oven until the crust is light brown. Bake on either baking
stones or on the cookie sheet or a pizza pan.
Enjoy!
|