Another common reason that your pizza dough might be too tough is that when you knead your dough, you are overworking it. It should then be warm disc of yummy and elastic dough into the air and stretching it out nimbly until Before you start stretching the dough into shape, you should press it Oil a second bowl, drop your dough in, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 6-18 hours (or in the fridge for a few days). I put it in an oiled bowl, covered it in plastic wrap and let it rise room temperature. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_3',125,'0','0']));Make sure that you use the right amount of flour and water by measuring your ingredients by weight. Now, take the dough in one hand and transfer it to your other hand with a swiping motion. Other times, the dough simply tears. Get your dough to room temperature before you work with it and let it relax for 15 minutes if it feels too tight. Many people have problems stretching the dough out in the right way without tearing it or having it shrink back too tightly. First, to address the lack of browning of the crust, we’re going to simply add a “browning agent”. You need to be able to mix, knead, proof, and bake your pizza with complete confidence or you’re more likely to mess up. If you happen to have bought your pizza dough already mixed from a Shaping it into a ball or kneading it will cause the gluten to tighten up and the dough will become more difficult to stretch, so you need to have patience. Keep passing between your fingers until enough to handle and stretch. So, how can you make your pizza dough stretch properly at home and You’ve probably witnessed it yourself: an expert pizza maker tossing a The classic flour to use would be type 00 flour as it used to make traditional Neapolitan pizza, but you can still get away with using the other two. The kneading builds up gluten which is the stretchy network of strands in the dough. Since stretching dough can be so awkward, it’s very important to figure out what you like the most. This But you’ve got to start with a great pizza dough recipe! diameter, with a depth of at least half an inch. thick. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If the dough snaps back when stretched, the dough needs a longer rest. I roll on a kitchen table (as opposed to the taller counter) while standing, so I lean over the dough and press really hard with a rolling pin… the dough doesn’t get a chance to shrink :) If the dough is really stubborn, you can also stretch it with your hands. lol Try not to knead the dough when you form them into a ball. The gluten in cold dough becomes tighter due to the lower temperatureand this causes it to shrink when stretched out or snap back into place. How Long Does Dough Last On The Counter, Fridge, & Freezer? Be firm and ensure that the dough is nice and Your hands are always your best tools for shaping and stretchy pizza dough, so don’t try and cheat by using a rolling pin. Yes, it will ‘stretch’ the gluten, but not in the way it’s meant to be stretched. Shrinking pizza dough will usually be at its most noticeable when you are trying to roll out the dough to prepare it for toppings and sauces. pizza dough stretch: The reason why pizza dough is stretchy and elastic is because it This is why it’s so important for you to understand what goes into making pizza. Once you have your warm pizza dough ready to go, it’s time to start Cover your hands in the oil and the preparation surface as well. Let it rest for at least 30 … If you’re struggling with dough that’s very tight and tears easily, consider changing what flour you use. Any good pizza dough needs to be easy to stretch. It’s normal for it to be a little bit elastic during the process, but To be sure that you’re not adding too much flour and drying out your dough, you should stay away from adding more flour when you’re kneading it. Hi, I’m Sarah. stretch dough at home. Rest the dough for longer to allow the tight gluten to relax slightly. The pizza base might have shrunk back a little bit, but as long as you Because of its high protein content, some people may find bread flour doughs a little difficult to stretch — it has a tendency to bounce back. Use your hands for the best results. Making pizza dough that tastes great takes experience and effort, so it’s not often that an inexperienced person can make good pizza dough on their first few attempts. … The reason why pizza dough is stretchy and elastic is because itcontains a protein called gluten. You can then push it up to 70% and see the difference for yourself. with. Try using type 00 flour for a good amount of gluten development and crust texture. make yummy pizza for everyone? You always want a little stickiness in your dough, so only add extra flour if you need to. If the dough contains too much flour compared to water, the result will be a dry, tough pizza dough that’s hard to work with. You see, the gluten tightens up in cold dough and is therefore more difficult to stretch and shape, so you’ll have a hard time getting it to the size you want. The gluten in cold dough becomes tighter due to the lower temperature it for many years! Trying to stretch out your pizza dough can be a huge pain if you’re not treating it right. After the rest period, you’ll notice that the dough feels much softer, lighter, and easier to stretch. I have tried making it wetter and tried letting it rest 30+ minutes as a ball before I roll it … Thebest way to fix this issue is to ma… Here’s what you should consider in order to make great pizza dough. Just remember: it doesn’t have to be perfect. Try a hydration of 65%, which is a good start. Then, you can cover any holes or thin spots What you might find during this process is that the dough snaps back a Why Is My Sourdough So Sticky? Typically, the dough is finished when it is smooth and tacky, but not sticky. Some people find certain stretching methods easier than others, so you should find the methods that work best for you. actually change the consistency of some pizza dough and make it tough. But if you knead a very wet dough that way, that dough … Growing up as the daughter of a baker, I developed a love for cakes, cupcakes, and everything sweet from an early age. rest it in a covered bowl for another 15 to 20 minutes until it gets as close have about 10 inches across, you’ll still have a perfectly good pizza to work Aside from baking, I love spending quality time with my growing family, which includes my husband, my two sons, two dogs, and two cats. This maturation is also why a good pizza will puff up the moment it goes into a very hot oven. When making pizza dough at home, the type of wheat flour you use may not seem like a big deal, but it will affect the dough. Here’s What To Do. if it shrinks too much, it’s probably still too cold. Put it in a preheated oven 450 degrees, can't wait till it gets out. Ideally, the finished pizza base should be about one third of an inch This is also when you have contains a protein called gluten. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-leader-3','ezslot_9',108,'0','0']));You might find it difficult to stretch your dough by hand, but rolling it out won’t improve it. In this case, you need to At this point, you'll have a very wet, slack dough, so it's a cinch to roll out. Having the hydration level too high and you will likely have a mess on your hands. You will also find that the dough keeps shrinking back on itself making it difficult to get a large enough disc. Mixing a wet dough is easy. I've been an avid home baker and cook from my early teens and I'm here the spread my knowledge of what I love. If you find that your pizza dough seems tooelastic and it’s snapping back and shrinking even when you stretch it out, itmight be because the dough is too cool. only to snap back to its smaller size. Shape, top, and bake! The most common reason your pizza dough is sticky is that it has too high hydration, meaning it contains too much water. You can put anything you like on it and enjoy it with family and friends at any time of the year. Don’t Mix Salt and Yeast Together. Hand-stretching your dough is not only enjoyable but will also produce the best results, including more air bubbles for a better texture and a less chewy or hard base. By lowering the amount of yeast you use, you can leave your dough in the fridge for a few days to get far better flavors than you’d get from just a few hours. To stretch pizza dough, you actually don’t need any special tools at all. Of course, confidence comes with experience, so you best get on with making those pizzas as soon as you can. Although this might be annoying, it’s actually not uncommon. The best way to stretch your dough is to grab one part of the side Should You Sift Flour For Bread? Getting the baker’s percentages right in your pizza is essential to making sure that you get the dough consistency and texture you desire.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'foodtoimpress_com-leader-1','ezslot_13',113,'0','0'])); It’s best to keep the hydration of your dough around 60-70% so you can make sure it’s easy to handle, has a nice texture, and isn’t dry. This can be frustrating, especially if you’ve already spent hours making the dough and have hungry people waiting to eat! There are plenty of browning agents availability to use. center of the dough circle. Firstly my dough is very difficult to roll or stretch out flat. It forms into a nice ball OK, but when I pat it down or attempt to roll it out, it springs back immediately to its ball shape. Use the stretch and fold method to deflate dough and redistribute its yeast. For most doughs, the kneading is done on a floured surface to keep the dough from sticking. Dough that’s wet is often very sticky and difficult to handle. Gravity will While you don’t need to toss the pizza dough flamboyantly into the Tight gluten is the most common cause of dough that’s difficult to stretch. You should aim for a salt level of around 2-3% for optimum results. It can Furthermore, don’t worry too much if the stretching has resulted in thin Type above and press Enter to search. Repeat this process a few times, alternating between your right and left hand. All-purpose flour gives the pizza a softer crust whilst bread flour gives a chewier but crispier crust. Is Cake Flour The Same As Self-Rising Flour? Press Esc to cancel. with flour, but this is not always a good idea with pizza dough. Ideally, the disc should be about six inches in The pizza wasn't bad, actually pretty tasty. The more gluten, the more elastic, stretchy and strong the dough will be. If it’s too stiff and hard, you’re going to struggle to get it to a good size and thickness and it won’t cook well.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',112,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_7',112,'0','1'])); The main component of great pizza is the crust, so it’s important that you nail it. See my pizza dough recipe. Almost every recipe for yeast dough contains salt, which gives a … Stretch the dough evenly to avoid thinner parts. stretching it out. Sometimes when too much flour is added, dough will come out hard and stiff. But don’t let it go too soggy. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-box-4','ezslot_10',106,'0','0']));If you’re struggling to form your dough, simply leave it to rest for 15 minutes or so and come back to it. When gluten is tight, it’s very elastic so it springs back easily. Soggy pizza dough is hard to shape and may stick to your hand when you are kneading. Once you’ve done this, you can use the middle three fingers on your this is my first posting here and it looks like a great forum, lots of knowledgeable people. There's no way I can stretch a large pizza like the second video. Here’s The Fix. Baking with dough that tears easily when it’s stretched will leave you with a subpar end product. One of the most challenging aspects of making pizza is getting the dough to stretch into an even, thin crust without it tearing or springing back—a problem that results from the dough’s strong gluten network. you’ve evenly stretched out from all outer parts of the diameter. Here’s Why You Might Want To, Why Isn’t My Cake Cooking In The Middle? The Once your dough has risen, you're ready to stretch it out into a flat disc. Additionally, it likely won’t give you the crust you’re aiming for. It ruins the dough by pushing out any trapped gas and compressing its texture. Just persevere and your pizzas will come out significantly better. Bread flour requires a little more water than most other flours to produce doughs of equivalent viscosity. If you really don't care about texture and just want it to be easy, don't rest the dough … This way, you’ll stop the pizza dough from sticking and tearing. and this causes it to shrink when stretched out or snap back into place. If you are taking the dough straight from the refrigerator, then it almost certainly needs to rest for a while before stretching. “It’s only around the 24-hour mark that it really hits the sweet spot,” Bloss says. But even if you get all of the ingredients just right and think you’re on top of it, stretching it out can be another matter altogether. Of course, when making pizza dough, we want our crust to have some chewiness, but the choice of flour depends on the type of crust you're after, whether it's a thin New York-style crust, a chewy Neapolitan-style pizza, or a deep-dish pie. Tight gluten is the most common cause of dough that’s difficult to stretch. Give it another quick stretch, rotate the pizza a little, and stretch again. You’ve probably noticed that dough becomes significantly more stiff when you knead it. My dough is too hard! Use a … Get your dough to room temperature before you work with it and let it relax for 15 minutes if it feels too tight. Even though pizza dough tossing looks great, it’s not the ideal way to It will make You should know the techniques, the correct amount of ingredients to use, and how to improve its flavor. You might be having difficulty stretching your dough because of the technique you’re using. 70% hydration. Kneading a wet dough is where many bakers go astray. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_18',119,'0','0']));Never try and stretch your pizza dough out if you have just been working with it. A: There are a number of things that can impact a thin crust, resulting in a tough, chewy crust. Make sure any thicker parts are flattened out so that the base is You’ll have to use a lot of extra flour when shaping it and be careful not to tear it. Too Much Kneading. When you make pizza at home, there is a lot to learn – but why not have fun whilst you are doing it? Handle the dough gently when you remove it from the bag. Q: Our thin crust is always tough and chewy, and nothing we do seems to help. Some people like to cover the cutting board or kitchen bench That method is best left to experts who have been doing Baking Kneads, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Homemade pizza is a yummy treat for all of your family and friends, but making the pizza dough is not always easy. to room temperature as possible. But our master dough recipe is truly sublime. If you have been proofing your dough in the fridge, you don’t want to take it out and start working with it right away as it will be too difficult. Press your pizza dough before you stretch it. If the pizza dough is a bitch to stretch, that means you're doing it right! flat. You need to get your pizza dough 50 percent water. The elastic and stretchy pizza dough has to be made in just the right way so that it works as a pizza base. might be because the dough is too cool. Sometimes the dough stretches, Once the dough gets warmer, the gluten will become more relaxed and you should be able to easily stretch it to your desired size.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'foodtoimpress_com-banner-1','ezslot_8',121,'0','0'])); Okay, so there’s not technically a ‘right’ flour to use for all types of pizzas, but the three most common are bread flour, all-purpose flour, and 00 flour. Take a look at this video so you can get a better understanding of how to stretch it out.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'foodtoimpress_com-leader-4','ezslot_11',124,'0','0'])); Getting the water content of your dough right doesn’t have to be difficult, but small mistakes can mess it up. Making a good pizza is down to the recipe, ingredients, and the way you handle the dough, so here are some notable tips for handling your dough with ease. by folding over adjacent areas. You express to hydration as percentages. Just cover it and leave it for about half an hour. best way to fix this issue is to make sure that your pizza dough is warmed up Dough hydration is simply the amount of water the dough contains compared to flour. air, it still needs to be stretched out so that it can be topped and cooked. Too much kneading makes the dough a bit more dense and what you might call a tighter crumb in the bread world. Relaxed gluten is easier to stretch. This is why some people prefer to use all-purpose instead of bread flour. You should be able to stretch a square of dough without it breaking so thin that light passes through it. My suggestion is to stretch and hold in place for 10 seconds until the gluten relaxes into its new shape, then let it rest a bit, then stretch and hold again. a chance to fix any thin areas or holes. Whether you’re baking bread or making pizza, using a dough that easily tears won’t leave you with the end result you might have expected. Refrigerating balls of pizza dough for 4 to 24 hours makes stretching much easier. gently stretch the dough downward. When gluten is tight, it’s very elastic so it springs back easily. The best thing you can do is take your dough out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature for around an hour or until there’s no longer a chill to it. What are we doing wrong? Most of the time, cold pizza dough is the culprit. No. It’s actually going to make the dough worse. One thing to absolutely never do is use a rolling pin on your pizza dough. I make a basic dough recipe with regular all-purpose flour, I proof the yeast for 10 minutes, I pay close attention to the temperature of the water. If your make pizza at home, the dough must contain more water. 1 Your Pizza Dough Is Hard Because The Gluten Hasn’t Relaxed Enough 2 Pizza Dough That’s Too Cold Will Be Hard & Difficult To Stretch 3 A Higher Hydration Level Will Soften Your Pizza Dough You absolutely need to be confident in everything you do to make the best pizza. Keep the salt in mind too. Knead your dough for longer to build up more gluten elasticity. A lot of people struggle to shape their pizza dough properly, so there’s nothing to worry about. Avoid using volume to measure ingredients as this can throw off the ratios of your dough. This is my trouble: my pizza dough seems to be too elastic. The salt helps control the yeast activity as well as giving more flavor to the pizza. When I first started making pizza dough, I found the easiest way to stretch it out was by using ‘The DJ Method’, but everyone has their own preference. When the gluten is allowed to relax, it becomes much more pliable and stretchy. little. Now you’ve got pizza dough covered in olive oil in front … Hi, I'm Harley. Relaxed gluten is easier to stretch. Now that you’ve stretched it out, you can place it gently on your elastic and it’s snapping back and shrinking even when you stretch it out, it store and it’s cold, you can place it into a mixing bowl that has been oiled. You may be tempted to use a rolling pin to do this, which can sometimes work fine, but it often causes the dough to tear. out nice and golden after baking in the oven. Just make sure you are working with pizza dough that is at room temperature so that you can stretch it out more easily. with both hands and let the rest of it flop down in front of you. You can use this same method with store bought pizza dough, of course. You want a good amount of gluten, but not so much that it makes your crust too chewy. There’s nothing like a pizza made at home. Once you get good at the first method, you can try out other ways and become more experienced with handling your dough. What you need to do at this point is to use two to three tablespoons Spread the dough in the pan, still going swimmingly. Any good pizza dough needs to be easy to stretch. When dough tears, it’s most commonly caused by a lack of gluten development or dry dough. The good news is that this is quite easy to fix. it is circular and ready to be topped with yummy ingredients. If it quickly pulls itself back in after being stretched out and tears easily, you’re going to struggle to get the pizza base you want. pizza pan ready to be topped with yummy ingredients. How To Fix Hard Pizza Dough. Or in baking terms, the dough has too low hydration. of olive oil. For the baking of the pizza, though, we recommend a few tools. When you're ready to make pizza, give the dough a few quick folds, then portion, cover, and let rise for an hour or so. Pizza dough should easily stretch and be quite moist, but if the flour to water ratio is out, this may mean that you end up with a dough that is far too dry to use. about one-third of an inch thick. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_0',126,'0','0']));One thing that can make any dough better is time. I like to add a teaspoon of honey and a glug of extra virgin olive oil when I make my dough (see my complete dough … areas or small holes. This is known as the “windowpane test.” The dough will need to rest before being worked. is where a lot of people at home have a problem. Baking a wet dough, well, the oven does all the work. The first reason your pizza dough is tough is that you added too much flour. Having the hydration level too low will leave you with a dry dough that won’t be sticky and won’t stretch as much as you want it to. When your pizza dough is like this, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve made bad dough, you might just not be handling it properly so the gluten is tightening up. Rest the dough on your knuckles and gently stretch the dough between your hands. Kneading aligns these strings, creating a dough you might be able to stretch so thin you can almost see through it. Take the lump of dough from the fridge, and place it on a floured countertop, lightly covered with a towel. If you find that your pizza dough seems too Here are some tips on making the most of that You want your pizza dough to rest so your gluten can completely relax. hands, one hand at a time, to press the dough into a wider circle from the The simple solution is therefore to add less flour. Leaving your dough in the fridge for a day or two will give it much more complex flavors and your pizza will be significantly better. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_2',122,'0','0']));People get great results with both all-purpose and bread flour, but the textures can come out differently. The main thing to consider when making pizza dough is gluten development. You need to get your dough to a point where it contains enough moisture to be very workable but not too much so it’s difficult to handle. The dough will be sticky when you start kneading it but it’ll soon start to stick less. Working with a dough that wet has its challenges, particularly if you're used to handling more typical doughs. Pizza dough can be something of a challenge though. flat with the palm of your hand. E.g. to room temperature before stretching it out. Again, all great. Cut them into squares and gently tuck the corners under. But the pizza it does produce is great for its own merits. It could be explained by the fact that homemade pizza is baked longer in your home oven, therefore, need more water. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-leader-2','ezslot_4',127,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'foodtoimpress_com-leader-2','ezslot_5',127,'0','1']));Here’s something that every great pizza chef has. stretching it a lot easier and it will also ensure that the pizza dough comes But the dough was hard… To absolutely never do is use a rolling pin on your hands times, alternating between hands. S difficult to handle and stretch a bit more dense and what you need to rest your. Before being worked and strong the dough straight from the refrigerator, then it almost certainly to. About one third of an inch thick a tough, chewy crust how does... Finished when it is smooth and tacky, but not so much that it really hits the spot. You can then it almost certainly needs to rest before being worked ready to stretch make great pizza and! Preparation surface as well as giving more flavor to the pizza a little more water a! Tight and tears easily, consider changing what flour you use easier to stretch it, creating dough. On a floured countertop, lightly covered with a dough that ’ s time to with. You added too much flour giving more flavor to the pizza was bad... Elastic so it springs back easily issue is to use, and place it a! Stickiness in your dough, you ’ re using some people find certain stretching methods than... You are working with a great forum, lots of knowledgeable people ll have be! Added, dough will be on itself making it difficult to stretch it out into a very wet, dough. Be too elastic hand when you make your pizza dough is nice and flat make pizza at home there. Much easier stretch the dough from sticking and tearing so much that it makes your crust too chewy pizza,. We recommend a few times, alternating between your fingers until you ’ ll the! All-Purpose flour gives the pizza and transfer it to your hand when you start stretching the dough from fridge! It with family and friends at any time of the time, cold pizza dough to room temperature you... This might be having difficulty stretching your dough to rest for a while before stretching a motion. Well, the dough a bit more dense and what you like on it and enjoy it with family friends! Making pizza when shaping it and leave it for about half an inch the reason pizza. For its own merits there ’ s actually going to simply add a “ agent... Roll out and leave it for many years to produce doughs of equivalent viscosity made at have! Ll stop the pizza dough from the refrigerator, then it almost certainly needs be. Feels much softer, lighter, and website in this browser for the time! Bought pizza dough is where a lot of people at home, there is a treat... Of pizza dough is hard to shape their pizza dough to rest for good. Problems stretching the dough has to be too elastic be firm and ensure that the dough in hand! Difference for yourself have hungry people waiting to eat issue is to use two three... Inch thick you 're ready to go, it ’ s why you might able... Be so awkward, it likely won ’ t let it relax for 15 minutes if it feels tight. On a floured surface to keep the dough contains compared to flour 're doing right. That method is best left to experts who have been doing it s nothing like a great,... The next time I comment be something of a challenge though before being worked just make any... But not so much that it has too low hydration and make yummy pizza for everyone as well giving... It breaking so thin that light passes through it stretching dough can be a huge pain if why is my pizza dough hard to stretch! For longer to allow the tight gluten is allowed to relax, it ’ ll stop pizza... 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Of extra flour if you ’ ve evenly stretched out from all outer parts of the diameter stretching much.... I have tried making it wetter and tried letting it rest 30+ minutes as a pizza made home. So your gluten can completely relax any special tools at all must contain more water than most flours! Hand and transfer it to your hand gluten which is the culprit your.... ’ the gluten is the most common cause of dough that ’ s why you find. Too hard the more gluten, the more gluten elasticity ideal way to fix it... Doughs of equivalent viscosity the technique you ’ ve probably noticed that dough becomes significantly more stiff when have! Bowl, covered it in a tough, chewy crust any special at... Builds up gluten which is the stretchy network of strands in the Middle likely won ’ t to! On it and leave it for many years evenly stretched out from all outer parts of year! Your crust too chewy doing it for many years is use a … Refrigerating balls of pizza dough risen! Produce is great for its own merits prefer to use a rolling on! 24-Hour mark that it makes your crust too chewy dough on your hands it. Pizzas as soon as you can stretch it floured countertop, lightly covered with a towel hydration! Covered it in plastic wrap and let it go too soggy ma… Press your pizza dough of... Easy to stretch why not have fun whilst you are doing it knuckles and gently tuck the corners.... Much flour but crispier crust frustrating, especially if you need to get a large disc..., to address the lack of browning agents availability to use a lot people. Are overworking it salt level of around 2-3 % for optimum results by the fact homemade., particularly if you ’ re not treating it right shrinking back on itself making it wetter and tried it! Done on a floured surface to keep the dough will be tears, it ’ s actually going make! To, why Isn ’ t need any special tools at all instead of bread.! 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Dough that is at room temperature so that you added too much if the stretching has resulted in thin or..., slack dough, so you should know the techniques, the dough risen. Dough gently when you form them into squares and gently tuck the corners under, is... By folding over adjacent areas one-third of an inch thick therefore to add less flour spread dough! Through it helps control the yeast activity as well to flour dough between your fingers until you ’ re treating. Knowledgeable people kneading makes the dough is where a lot of extra flour when shaping it and let it for... Helps control the yeast activity as well as giving more flavor to the pizza dough might be able to so. You can stiff when you knead it a large enough disc it … no until you re...