Q: I love the no-knead bread technique and use it all the time for artisan bread, but I'm having trouble translating it to pizza. Because the dough is so wet, it is very tricky to shape, even into something as rustic as a pizza. It sticks like the dickens to my hands or rolling pin, no matter how much flour I use.
I'd consider myself a reasonably experienced baker, so I'm puzzled that I can't get this right. I use the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day recipes, but from what I've seen of other no-knead recipes this question would apply to them as well. Any tips?
Sent by Anna
Editor: Anna, I use Jim Lahey's no-knead recipe with no sticking problems, and Faith swears by Peter Reinhart's dough recipe, which rises overnight in the fridge. See if you have better luck with either of these recipes:
→ Peter Reinhart's Best Pizza Dough Ever
→ Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough at Bon Appetit
Readers, do you have any tips for handling no-knead pizza dough?
Related: Bake Bread! 20 Tips, Tricks, & Ideas for No-Knead Bread
(Image: Faith Durand)
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Have you tried using oil instead of flour to keep it from sticking?
I've found that refrigerating the dough before handling really helps, if you want it to rise up a bit just let it sit after you shape it. That and wetting your hands with water keeps the dough gloves off for me
This is Anna here. I've made a pizza with olive oil twice now, since I read @SOFIE's suggestion. (Yes, I've eaten pizza every day this week!) It really is better. I also did the following: Let the dough rest a bit after pulling it out of the fridge. (EKOZY is right; cold dough is a lot easier.) Plop it on a piece of parchment paper and don't roll it so much as smoosh along the paper into an acceptable pizza shape. And coat your hands with olive oil during the smooshing. I'll try water next time, I'm curious how that would work too.
So since that about does it for my original batch of ABI5 dough, I'll try Peter Reinhart or Jim Lahey's dough next and see if I can't improve even further. Thanks for the great suggestions everyone!
I love the Reinhart approach to both bread and pizza: The wetter the better!
My method to dealing with sticky pizza dough is: Use two sheets of greased baking parchment paper per pizza. Put dough ball on one sheet and place second one on top. Let rest if taken directly from fridge. Gently press into shape - from middle to edges. Let rest if dough is still not subtle. When ready to bake, peel off top paper and sprinkle with coarse durum flour. Replace paper on top. Flip with pizza-peel. Peel off bottom (now top) paper. Spread sauce and toppings (except mozzarella). Slide peel under parchment paper with pizza and bake in oven at full whack for 3-4 minutes or until pizza will come away from paper. Remove pizza (WITH paper) and distribute cheese. Slide pizza back in oven (WITHOUT paper). Bake until done - 4-5 minutes.
Also great for baking multiple pizzas. Depending on your needs you can either leave dough between paper or dress them. The moist dough prevents it from drying out.
Undressed (the pizzas!) - you can stack and freeze them.
All in all it keeps your hands and counter tops out of direct contact with the dough, thus eliminating much mess. Good luck!
Forgot to stress the ABSOLUTE must of using a baking stone! I also do not use oil in the dough, but am quite liberal in proofing bowl and and on the paper...