My dough is dried out / there’s skin on my dough ball

If your dough has dried out, like there is a skin on top, it may result in the dough being difficult to stretch and can leave the cooked pizza with a thicker-than-desired crust.

• Use containers with a good sealing lid
• If using a tea towel, ensure it stays damp
• To recover individual dough balls, sprinkle with water and leave for 10 mins.
• To recover bulk-proofed dough, knead a few times and leave it for a minimum of 30 mins.
  
  

More details below:

What stages of the dough-making process can it dry out?
During the bulk-proofing stage (first proof), and once the individual dough balls are made (second proof).

Why does the dough dry out?
If the storage container you proofed your dough balls in was not completely sealed, there's a good chance that air has been circulating the dough, causing it to dry out or form a skin. This is typical of long proofing times, either in the out of the fridge when the seal isn't secure.

For shorter proofing times, (up to 24 hours) many recipes suggest covering your dough container or dough balls with a clean, damp, tea towel. This is perfectly fine as long as the towel is damp, as this will create moisture in the air to keep the dough from drying out.

How can I stop it from drying out?
Use containers with a good sealable lid. We sell these online; Ooni Pizza Dough Boxes (picture below) or the Ooni Stack.

Using a clean, damp, tea towel is good for shorter proofing times. You can also use plastic wrap or clingfilm, but this is less environmentally friendly. 

Can I make dried-out dough soft again?
Yes, although this will depend on how much the dough has dried out, but you can try sprinkling the dough balls with some water and letting it rest for 10 minutes to soak in.

If the dough has dried out at the bulk-proofing stage, sprinkle it with some water and knead the dough a few times to reveal a new softer top surface. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes or the remainder of the proofing time before balling up.