The Complete Guide to Stretching Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Preserving air bubbles to create a light, open crust One of the things that set Neapolitan pizza apart is the light and open crust. It's crunchy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. To create the perfect Neapolitan pizza crust, you need a well-fermented dough with proper gluten development. Stretching Neapolitan Pizza Dough is all in the forearm - and the practice! To achieve the best style pizza you have to master the creation of the cornicione, and to do this, I asked pizza.

The Complete Guide to Stretching Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Part 1 on mixing the dough by hand Part 2 on kneading the dough by hand Part 3 on using the windowpane method to test the dough Part 4 on shaping the dough balls Part 5 on preparing the toppings Once we've got our dough ready, we're ready for the final part before cooking - stretching the pizza! 1. Bring the dough to room temperature. If you're using frozen or refrigerated pizza dough, allow it to come to room temperature in a greased mixing bowl. Bringing the dough to room temperature before the shaping process makes it easier to stretch and less likely to tear. Place the flattened dough on top of your two fists, then stretch it by pulling them apart lightly (make sure not to pull too hard — you don't want to accidentally tear a hole!). Cross your fists one under the other to rotate the pizza slightly, then gently stretch between your fists again. Save HOW TO MAKE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA DOUGH LIKE WORLD BEST PIZZA CHEF Neapolitan pizza is the most recognized in the world, but many get it wrong, so I've enlisted world champion pizza maker, Johnny Di Francesco to teach us his secrets to making the finest pizza dough.

How to Stretch Neapolitan Pizza Dough ilFornino

2. Uncover the risen dough. 3. Divide the dough into about 8 pieces. 4. Pinch method to make a smooth dough ball (use "pinch and tuck" method in recipe steps. 5. Place the dived dough balls in airtight container for final rise (2 boxes with 4 dough balls in each). To stretch authentic Neapolitan pizza dough, once 24hr have passed your dough balls should have risen and are ready to use so sprinkle flour on to the bench and place one ball on top. Starting an inch from the bottom and working your way an inch from the top, gently press down using the tips of your fingers. Then stop, turn it over and repeat. Remove the dough from the fridge and turn it over onto a work surface. Cut into 4, 6, or 8 equal pieces, depending on if you want to make large, medium, or small pizzas. Shape the dough pieces into balls, cover, and let proof at room temperature for two hours before stretching and making pizza. Using your fingers, pull the dough under itself to make a smooth, round ball with the seams tucked into the bottom. Repeat with the second piece of dough, and place each ball seam-side down into a floured bowl. Cover the bowls and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, while your oven preheats.

The Complete Guide to Stretching Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Turn out onto the counter and push and pull the large dough into a tight ball, creating tension in the dough. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let the dough sit for 45 minutes. Using a kitchen scale, portion out the dough into 7 oz dough balls. Place in an oiled tray and cover tightly. Making Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Dough. Get yourself a large bowl and pour in all of the water. The water should be cold. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast. Add the salt to the water and give it a good mix. You want all of the salt to have dissolved. You want to add 10% of the flour to the water. Tips for stretching pizza dough: Don't use a rolling pin Use the right flour Knead your dough to make it more elastic Let the dough relax to make it easier to stretch Make sure the dough is at room temperature Handle the dough carefully to preserve air bubbles that will create a good crust Don't use too high hydration When ready to use, remove dough balls from fridge 1 to 2 hours before ready to use. Heat your oven and stone, or pizza oven as needed. If necessary use floured hands to manipulate the dough. On a floured surface gently press dough ball into a 10 to 12 inch circle leaving about 1 inch of puffed dough around the edge.

How to Use Your Hands to Stretch Pizza Dough

The Neapolitan slap (Lo Schiaffo in Italian), also called The stretch and slap method is the traditional way to stretch Neapolitan pizza dough. Directions. Combine the flour, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic granules, instant dry yeast, and water in a large bowl. Mix until it forms a shaggy dough. Place the dough on a large board or.