Getting the dough off the peel

[pizzastico]

Does anybody have some tips on how to get the dough off the peel in a way that doesn't make a total mess?

[Essen1]

I'm using a blend of flour, semolina flour and cornmeal for dusting my peel. Works like a charm.

[buceriasdon]

I haven't got the trick down to topping a pizza and then getting on the peel, don't think I ever will so I use rice flour and dress the pizza on the peel as quickly as I can and just before loading it give it a little jerk to make sure it will come off easily.
Don

[Tscarborough]

Why fight it?  Use a pan or screen for the first couple of minutes (kitchen oven) or for the first minute (pizza oven).

[ringkingpin]

I use a wooden peel to introduce and a metal one to pull out.  I use a little 00 caputo and "rub" it in to the wood in circular patterns.  Make sure you cover the entire peel.  It doesn't take much to get it not to stick.  I too dress on the peel, when done dressing the pie, I tap the side of the peel a couple of times to make sure it's breaking free and then just slide it in the oven.  Actually it's more of a jerk and pull than a slide.  I'm doing mine on the 2stone rotating oven so that's another factor in the equation. 

[dmaxdmax]

Good quality parchment paper is for wimps but foolproof up to 500 degrees.

Your wimp,
Dave 

[DannyG]

Slide a piece of dental floss (plain, non-wax) under the pie just before sliding it into oven. Works every time. I have also found that when I have a wetter than usual dough, giving the peel a little shake after each step in the build will work as well.

[Mick.Chicago]

A few things I've found from reading here and trial and error.

After I made my peel I rubbed Olive Oil into the peel then rubbed flour into it.

Rub a little flour before each use and make sure your prep is quick if you're building on the peel. 

Having all your ingredients to hand is a big deal, having to look around for that one more thing can be a disaster if you have a moist topping sitting on the pie.

In an ideal situation you'd not prep the pie on the peel though.

[jerrym]

i've only had a go on one batch of intended 4 off 11" pizza. i ended up cutting the dough balls in half and will stick with "small" dia until i get the hang of it.

the best tip i read from the site was to give the peel a shake periodically to make sure it's still free. i found i needed to add back a sprinkling of flour around the uncovered part of the peel now and then. the only downside of the "shake" was that the dough tended to move in-wards with the shake (less after the tom sauce was added) effectively shrinking the area of the pizza - i then had to stretch it back out - which sort of defeats the idea of the shake.

[Lespaul20]

I use a metal peel and dust it with bread flour and semolina flour or flour and corn meal. I stretch the dough on top of the same mixture on the counter before transferring it to the peel. I found this method removes the need to shake much. I've made many mistakes with the dough sticking to the peel. I've had a lot of ugly looking calzones, that were indented to be pizzas, as a result. If you are worried about excess flour, shaking or modifying your dough recipe are two options that come to mind.

I think the dough style has a lot to do with the chance of sticking.

[jerrym]

Lespaul20,

you're right for sure the dough style is the root cause.

i have looked for semolina flour and corn meal in my local UK supermarkets without success. we do have corn flour which is very fine and used to thicken gravy - i presume it's not corn meal which i think of as being a rougher flour.

the dough coming out of the cold ferment is very soft. as result i can only bench stretch to about 50% as otherwise i can't lift it onto the peel.

do you use the peel to transfer the dough onto the peel ie push it underneath the stretched dough. my ad hoc home made peel is too thick (3mm, 2/16") to push underneath and maybe something i need to look into.

[PaulsPizza]

Jerry,
Sainsburys sell semolina in their 'world foods aisle' it's only a couple of quid for a 1.5kilo bag I think.

Paul

BTW, the name on the bag is 'Natco semolina'

[jerrym]

PaulsPizza,

many thanks for heads up on the semolina flour - will get some (never thought to look in the world foods aisle).

[PaulsPizza]

No probs buddy, if you can't see it just ask a member of staff, all the sainsburys around here sell it so I'm sure you will find it ok. Let me know how you get on.

PaulsPizza,

many thanks for heads up on the semolina flour - will get some (never thought to look in the world foods aisle).

[Tscarborough]

I buy my semolina at Indian stores, they all have it, several different varieties, in fact.

[sconosciuto]

Lespaul20,
i have looked for semolina flour and corn meal in my local UK supermarkets without success. we do have corn flour which is very fine and used to thicken gravy - i presume it's not corn meal which i think of as being a rougher flour.

Jerry,

Just a quick note, you might not find anything specifically labeled "semolina flour", that's really a term that's been misused by people online and marketers.  What is refered to as semolina is a course grind Durham wheat.  Mine is labeled as "fine" semolina.  Who knows you may find "semolina flour." 

[sconosciuto]

Does anybody have some tips on how to get the dough off the peel in a way that doesn't make a total mess?

Follow the advice here and you should develop the technique.  As mentioned by somebody else it helps to dust the peel lightly with a flour/semolina mix to keep the dough from sticking to the peel.  Other than the semolina/flour mix, I find the most important part to keep the dough from sticking is to do the shake right after placing it on the peel and before topping.  I also do a test shake before moving to the oven after topping to make sure there won't be any issues once I have the door open.  I try to make my dough a little oversized because it will have a tendency to shrink back a little when you do the initial shake.  Another tip, make sure you are using sauce that is as close to room temperature as possible.  Sauce that is too hot will have a tendency to make the dough soggy and stick to the peel if the dough is extremely thin in areas.  Also, try to have everything ready to go once you start topping as you want to get the job done as fast as possible.  The longer the dough sits the more likely it will bond to the peel.

Make sure you're using a wood peel (for loading) as someone else mentioned.

[jerrym]

sconosciuto,

real good words of wisdom - many thanks - i can see you've mastered this art.

thanks for the tip on the semolina - i'd pretty much come to the same conclusion having had to ask again in Sainsbury's today following a real good search of the world foods aisle. anyhow now sorted with a bag of semolina. i love indian stores myself and will most likely buy mine in future from same.

is there any optimum ratio of semolina to flour or just trial and error.

totally agree on that 1st shake after placing on the peel and the test before oven. i like the idea of oversize a little to compensate for the shrink back too.

for info sauce is at room temp (taken out fridge same time as dough boxes)

[Mick.Chicago]

Jerry,

Try using a 50/50 mix, semolina to AP flour, you may want more or less. 

[jerrym]

Mick.Chicago,

many thanks - will go with the 50/50.