How to Knead Pizza Dough to Perfection

What You Will Need

To ensure an unforgettable dish, it is important to start with fresh ingredients, especially when preparing the dough. The required ingredients are: 

• – 4 cups ‘00’ flour 
• – 1 tbsp olive oil 
• – 1 1/3 cups water
• – 2 tsp dry yeast 
• – 2 tsp salt 
•  

The Preparation Process

To start making the dough, warm up the water to around 100℉. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can heat it until it feels warm to the touch (check out our pro tip below). After you have gathered all your ingredients, we can move on to the preparation method.

First, mix the yeast and oil. To make sure the dry yeast is evenly smooth, use a whisk. Then, sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the middle of the flour and add the water and yeast. Use a wooden spoon to stir and form the dough.

Pro Tip: If you’re struggling to reach 100℉ when warming up the water, try this: pour 1 cup of cold water into your mixing bowl and then add ½ cup of boiling water. This should bring the water to the desired temperature. 

Why You Must Knead Pizza Dough?

Kneading dough changes the molecular structure of the gluten, which gives it strength and structure. Gluten is made of proteins found in wheat flour, but when these proteins are first combined, they are randomly arranged. As you knead the dough, the proteins line up and form chains of amino acids, creating a matrix. This matrix allows the dough to rise and results in a soft, chewy, and delicious crust. 

Hand Kneading Is the Best, And Here Is Why

It’s time to learn how to knead dough after going through the preparation process. Non-breadmakers might get nervous at this part, but there’s really nothing to worry about. Kneading dough is easy as long as you have a good understanding of how to do it.

To knead the dough for pizza, follow the same process as shown in movies where chefs are seen kneading. You’ll need to press down on the dough with your palms and roll it back and forth for about 10-12 minutes. Be patient, as this process is crucial for the perfect pizza dough. Additionally, here are some extra tips to help you in the process. 

• – To prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, sprinkle flour on the surface before kneading. It’s important to use enough flour to prevent an unevenly kneaded dough. 
• – To check if your dough is ready, keep kneading until it becomes smooth and fluffy. You will notice a transition from lumpy to smooth texture. 
• – To determine if the dough is well-kneaded, hold it up in the air. If it maintains its shape, it’s good to go. If it sags or oozes from the sides, just add more flour and keep kneading. 
• – An effective method to check if your dough is ready for use is to gently poke it. If the indentation created by your finger springs back, then it is an indication that the dough is ready. 
• – To check if the dough is ready, you can use a trick that many chefs rely on. Break off a small piece of dough and stretch it into a thin film by gently pinching it between your fingers. If it doesn’t tear, then it is good to be used. 

Remembering these tricks and tips will help you make a delicious pizza every time!

Conclusion

Congratulations for making it to the end of the article! You have learned the perfect way to knead pizza dough. After the dough is ready, roll it out, add the ingredients, and bake it in the oven.