Pizza is one of the few foods that is enjoyed by everyone. No matter where you go in the world, it is one treat that you can always count on. From street food stalls to fine dining restaurants, we find pizza and pizza lovers everywhere in India. That's not all. We often prepare it at home and pair it with some fizzy drink. Be it for birthdays, house parties, or simply when we crave a cheesy delight at home, we usually order them in. But we cannot be sure of the quality of cheese, veggies or chicken the restaurants use. But making pizza from scratch at home gives us that assurance. While making pizza at home, we get our pizza bases from the market, but since they are pre-packaged, they may lack the feel and softness of a fresh pizza base. So, how about making pizza dough at home?! If you think it will take an arduous effort, then you are mistaken. All you have to do is to follow a few basic steps and you'll have soft pizza dough in no time. So, without further ado, let's learn how to pizza base at home.
Here Are A Few Tips To Make Pizza Base:
1. Knead On A Well-Floured Surface
A well-floured surface is essential when kneading. You won't have to worry about your dough sticking to your bench or your hands. A lack of flour can significantly slow down the process and possibly lead to the unevenly kneaded dough.
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2. Use Sugar And Yeast
Adding sugar gives the yeast something to eat and speeds up the process. Whisk sugar and yeast in a bowl of warm water with a mixer, wooden spoon, or rubber paddle. Cover the bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.
3. Rest Your Dough
This rest period is an important part of the pizza-making process because it allows the gluten to relax over time. When gluten forms, it becomes extremely tight and strong, causing the dough to tear when stretched. Allowing your dough to set prevents tearing and makes it easier to spread.
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4. Evenly Stretch The Dough
Stretch the dough evenly with your hands, starting from the outside. Extending from the centre will result in a too-tiny stretch, and your dough will be too thin. We also recommend omitting the rolling pin. While rolling pins are great for making cookies, they usually cause problems while making pizza bases.
5. Choose The Right Flour
The main component of pizza dough is flour, and the kind you use can greatly affect the outcome. However, type 00 flour, the finest milled grade of flour, is advised if you want a better hole structure and dough texture. All-purpose flour will also work.
That's all! Follow these suggestions and let us know how they worked for you in the comments below. For more such cooking and kitchen hacks, stay tuned!