Dividing Pizza dough to balls before baking
I see in a lot of recipes for Pizza baking that you need to divide the whole mass into several balls before the first proofing or before you make the pizza. I find it more convenient to just have the whole mass together until I actually need to bake and then I just take a chunk and leave the rest in the container.
Anyone know why they recommend dividing it before? What's wrong with the method I mentioned?
Best Answer
Probably so that the gluten can relax before you go for the final forming.
By forming it into a ball you are starting it towards "pizza pie disk shape" from "formless mass of dough." If it rests for 10 minutes or more in that shape, proceeding to further shape it into a disk will go easier (and further, if desired), with less spring-back from the gluten network.
I use roughly the same process in making bagels or long strips for braiding. You can work it until it just won't go anymore, take a break, and come back to find it pliable and willing to stretch further.
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Should you divide pizza dough before rising?
Some like to prove all of the dough in one large container. You simply cover the bowl with cling film or kitchen towel and leave it until it doubles or triples in volume. Warm place, 1 to 1\xbd hours usually. The method we recommend doing is to split to the dough into individual pizza amounts at this stage.Can you divide pizza dough?
If we shape our dough balls as soon as we have finished kneading they will lose all their strength at the end of the long prove (24 hours). This is why I recommend proving your dough for around 18 hours (for a 24 hour prove) before shaping.How to Divide and Ball Neapolitan Pizza Dough
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