LESSON #4

PANNING THE PREPARED PIZZA DOUGH

To "pan" pizza dough, first rub or brush the inner cooking surface of a 12" round pizza pan with a thin layer, (about 1 tbsp.), of olive oil.

Place a 15 oz. prepared dough ball on a lightly floured tabletop. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and begin flattening out the ball with your hands until it is about  1" thick, forming as circular a shape as possible. At this point, try either of the following methods:

Rolling Pin Method

With a rolling pin, roll out a circular sheet of dough, about 1/4" to 3/8" thick, about 14" to 15" in diameter. Lightly dust your tabletop or a large cutting board with flour. Place your dough portion in the center of tabletop and dust the top of the dough with a sprinkling of flour, as necessary, to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin.

Rolling from the center outward, press the pin to the top, the bottom, to the left and to the right. Repeat this process several time as the dough begins to stretch outward. You will find that its elasticity tends to want to draw it back into its original shape.

This is normal. Be patient and persistent.

Lift the dough sheet up from the tabletop and sprinkle flour underneath it from time to time. Continue rolling until the dough "relaxes," loosing Its elasticity, and eventually maintaining the prescribed thickness and diameter.

Place the "sheeted" circle of dough down in the center of the baking pan. The edges of the dough will droop over the edge of the pan. Starting from the center of the dough, draw the dough evenly out to the edge or wall of the pan, letting out any air trapped between the dough and the pan. The dough will conform to the shape of the baking pan.

Trim the excess dough away from the outer edge of the pan with a dough knife. With your thumb, press the dough edge inward around the pan edge, "fluting" it as you go.

Hand Pressing Method

Place the flattened portion of dough in the center of the pan. With palms and fingers, begin pressing the dough outward to the edge of the baking pan.

Make every effort to maintain a consistent thickness of dough on the bottom of the pan. Continue to stretch and press the dough until its outer edge meets and begins to bunched up against the inner wall or curled edge of the baking pan.

Finish the crust edge by fluting it with your thumb or a fork.

A Final Precautionary Procedure

At this point, some pizza bakers will prick several series of small holes around the flattened dough sheet, (going all the way through to the baking pan surface), with a fork to prevent the dough from "bubbling." This is often caused when air builds up and is trapped underneath the dough as the pizza bakes.

Now that you have a perfectly shaped, "panned" sheet of dough you are ready for sauce, cheese and toppings. Or, after covering it or tightly wrapping it, you can store it in a freezer for use in the future, or, in the refrigerator for prep and baking later in the day.