By Aishwarya Sahasrabudhe
July 25, 2023
Baking cakes and breads has become a comforting past-time following the pandemic. There is something therapeutic about rolling out pizza dough at home that also leaves one with a sense of achievement. Here are some handy tips to make a perfect pizza base.
For a fluffy pizza crust, add a bit of beer to the dough. Carbonation in the beer provides natural leavening. In fact, beer can also be used as a substitute for yeast if you have run out.
If you are using instant yeast, make sure that the water is slightly lukewarm to ensure that it activates properly. Remember to adjust the heat according to the weather too!
Working with pizza dough requires more kneading so it can be stretched out later to make the crust. Let the dough rest adequately after kneading to give the base volume and tenderness.
Do away with the rolling pin and use your hands to roll the dough. This might seem a basic hack but it is very important to achieve a light, airy, crispy crust.
The importance of fresh flour, yeast and clean water cannot be overstated. Fresh yeast enables the dough to rise well and stretch properly when it is rolled into a pizza base.
Use flour in moderate proportions while kneading. Dusting a bit around the edges works well. The dough should feel slightly sticky without actually sticking to your hands.