FOOD NEWS
The Correct Way To Throw Pizza Dough
By Betsy Parks
The art and science of throwing pizza dough are simple as long as you are up for a bit of practice. With a stretchy dough at room temperature, start by sprinkling olive oil or flour on your work surface; then press the dough into a dinner-plate-sized disk, and pass the dough from hand to hand to start gradually stretching it (per America’s Test Kitchen).
Chef Justin Wadstein explains that you first need to master the initial toss, saying, “I put my fingertips at the edge and kinda stretch it like a rubber band […] And then you’re gonna twist and throw up with one hand and catch with the other.” The next step is to practice spinning, making sure to use the side of your hand instead of your fingertips.
Spinning the dough creates centrifugal force, which turns it into a perfect circle; the pros will repeat tossing and spinning, often using a flip or whip maneuver to keep the unruly blob from going oblong. Keep practicing your throws until you get the perfect pizza shape, and don’t be discouraged by a few failures — even if it doesn’t look perfect, it’ll still taste good.