The Basics Of Hand Tossing Pizza Dough

Friday, February 24th, 2017
pizza dough

Have you ever wanted to toss pizza dough? Maybe you have stopped at your local pizza restaurant to pick up dinner and noticed the cooks in the back tossing like professionals. The act of tossing pizza dough is mesmerizing. With a little bit of practice, you can learn the hand tossing method yourself. If you have ever wanted to try tossing pizza dough, read the following tips.

The purpose of tossing dough

You may think that tossing pizza dough is just a fancy way to shape and stretch the product to fit the pan. There is actually much more to the act. Tossing the dough is one of the best ways a cook can form a good crust. Some pizza restaurants will use a machine press to form the crust. Although using a machine press is efficient, it causes the dough to dry out more.

Hand tossing the pizza dough allows you to keep some of the moisture so the crust is softer. By spinning the pizza dough, the air helps to create a round shape. The airflow over the product also dries it out enough to make it easier to handle and less sticky. Hand tossing allows for a unique crust every time.

How to toss pizza dough

You can purchase different doughs or make this product at home to start practicing your tossing technique. As long as the pizza dough is made with yeast, it will be fine for tossing. Prep the area you will work in with flour and keep an extra bowl nearby. The dough needs to be room temperature and shaped into a ball before you begin. Dust the ball with flour and press out the dough with your hands. Form a disc about 10 inches across and half an inch thick.

Pick up the dough and gently drape it over your hands. One of your hands should be palm up while the other is in a fist. Use your palm to lift and spin the disc through the air, then catch it on the back of your fists. This action will provide a more stable and flat area than that of your palm and fingers. Repeat these steps until the product stretches to around 12 inches, or any desired size.

The best delivery pizza in Amarillo, Texas

You won’t become an expert at tossing pizza dough right away. You may need to adjust your recipe and techniques before you get the perfect dough. If you are ready for great tasting pizza, appetizers, and desserts, contact Pizza Planet in Amarillo, Texas today. You can call us at (806) 352-6666 to place your order or Contact Us by email for more information about what we offer. You can also visit us in person at 6801 Bell St. #100 in Amarillo, Texas or Place Your Order online.