I have tears / holes in my base

August 2 2024 9:22am • Est. Read Time: 2 MIN

If your dough is tearing when you stretch it out, this usually means that there’s not enough gluten in your dough.

  • Gluten is what makes your dough elastic and stretchy
  • If not enough gluten has formed, your dough will be more prone to tearing

Follow the steps below to prevent this from happening:

Step 1. Make sure you’re using the right type of flour

  • Pizza dough needs flour with a high protein content in order to develop gluten.

  • Most styles of pizza call for 00 flour or strong white bread flour.

For a classic Neapolitan pizza, follow our Classic Pizza Dough recipe.


Step 2. Make sure you’re kneading your dough for the right amount of time

  • Kneading your dough helps build gluten, but over-kneading will break gluten down.

  • The kneading time will depend on the style of pizza you’re making. For a classic Neapolitan pizza, use the chart below:

If kneading by hand:

If using an electric mixer:

Knead for at least 15 minutes

Mix for 5-10 minutes at low speed


Step 3. Make sure you’re letting your dough rise for the right amount of time

  • Letting your dough rise helps build gluten, but if you let it rise too much, the gluten will break down.

  • The rising time will depend on the style of pizza you’re making. For a classic Neapolitan pizza, use the chart below:

First rise

Second rise

  • After kneading your dough, let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

 

  • After dividing your dough into dough balls, let rise for another 30 - 60 minutes or until doubled in size.


Step 4. Make sure your dough is at room temperature

  • If your dough is too cold, the gluten will tighten up and make it more prone to tearing.

  • Always let your dough come up to room temperature before stretching it out.

If your dough is still tearing after following the steps above, there are a few more things you can do:

  1. Make sure your dough isn’t too thin

    • The thickness of your dough will depend on the style of pizza you’re making. For a classic Neapolitan pizza, aim for 3mm.

  2. Make sure you’re removing any rings or jewelry before stretching your dough

  3. Make sure your toppings aren’t too wet

  4. Make sure your pizza doesn’t sit for too long before you launch it into the oven

To learn more about dough-making, download the Ooni app. It has a dough calculator to help you get your measurements and timings just right.

 

Can I still use dough that has holes in it?

Yes! If your dough has a few small holes, simply pinch them together with your fingers.

If your dough has larger holes, you can salvage it by making a Recovery Calzone!

 



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