How to stretch dough

[Mitchamus]

here's a great 'how to' on stretching your dough:

[Les]

Re: How to stretch dough

Very cool! I think I am challenged with the personal size pizza. After this video, I might get that right.

Thanks!

Les...

[Mitchamus]

Re: How to stretch dough

It's about the right size for me before he puts in on his knuckles!!!

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: How to stretch dough

There was a video showing this sort of slapping technique, where it is almost like you are clapping your hands...
I found this...but I know there is another one that showed this technique.

[Mitchamus]

Re: How to stretch dough

holy shit... that guy is GOOD!

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: How to stretch dough

Lol...we posted at the same time...

Here is another video that shows a similar method.

I like the way this guy drapes the dough over the sides of the peel. I have seen that before. I think it may help the pizza come off the peel in the oven...

[Les]

Re: How to stretch dough

Crap!!! This dude is a machine. I'm going to watch it every night just to get the sauce thing down. A pizza god!

Les...

[texassourdough]

Re: How to stretch dough

The slappy approach is very common and fast among the WFO guys. The first video is good and will work for WFOs but the dough is clearly a conventional dough of lower hydration. I have been working on the slap and have yet to find the key. I need to get my local pizziolo to give me a lesson!

Thanks for posting!
Jay

[Mitchamus]

Re: How to stretch dough

When I was watching the first one - I thought to myself... wow i wish my dough stretched that easily!

[texassourdough]

Re: How to stretch dough

One thing you want to note is that they press on the outer "ring" of the dough and leave the center thicker when they are pressing it on the bench. That helps prevent you from having thick edges and super thin centers to your pies. That last guy is really, really fast. Two minutes 5 seconds from forming the dough to finished pizza! WOW!

[Frances]

Re: How to stretch dough

Nah... I recon they speeded up the film. Its the only realistic explanation.

[KiwiPete]

Re: How to stretch dough

Sorry but I don't think it has been sped up...If you do a search on Youtube you will find many clips that demonstrate a similar speed.

I saw a clip about a year ago that featured a japanese pizzaiolo (who also was the first foreigner to win the pizzaiolo championship in Naples). He cooked either 8 or 9 pizzas in about 3 minutes. And I mean starting by stretching the dough balls, topping, cooking and plating up in that time...

[Mitchamus]

Re: How to stretch dough

Nah... I recon they speeded up the film. Its the only realistic explanation.

I agree!

[KiwiPete]

Re: How to stretch dough

Update:

I just found the clip I referred to above.
It shows the guy cooking the pizzas with a stopwatch being shown continuously in a corner of the screen. He does 8 pizzas in 3mins and 48 secs.

you see for yourself here: YouTube

The amazing thing is that he doesn't even look stressed out or overly hurried..

[texassourdough]

Re: How to stretch dough

I am not so sure it was sped up either. If it was the acceleration is subtle. The guys motions aren't particularly fast nor are the flames. The key times are the dough is finished at 24 seconds. The toppings are on by 45 and on the peel and in the oven at 55. He turns the pizza at 1 min 26 sec. At 1 min 52 or so he lifts the pizza up in the dome to finish it and pulls it about 1 min 59 sec.

The oven appears pretty hot and the flames are large. While they may have chopped some frames during the baking it isn't obvious. I don't routinely cook pizzas in an oven hot enough to do a 1 minute pizza but it is probably doable if you pay attention like he did. I might try it next time I fire up - do one early for the fire gods! )
Jay