Tips on getting a round pizza?

[moose13]

I have now made 2 home made pizzas and i am more than satisfied with the results.
The dough is just how i like it and the overall flavor is very good.
I am doing something wrong with the stretching and tossing.
Both pizzas are way out of round, i could see the extra dough i needed to make it round, but could not get it to move.
I have watched videos on the hand tossing and is tougher than it looks. Any suggestions for a noobee?

Here is my second pie, Thanks!

[scott123]

One of the most important factors, in my experience, for achieving a round pizza is to begin with a round dough ball.  This means either proofing the dough ball on a flat surface (like a tray) or using a round container, not a square one.

One of the videos you've been watching is this one, right?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjYqw1CLZsA" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjYqw1CLZsA</a>

Don't worry about tossing.  Some people will say it dries out the skin, but I don't buy into that.

[moose13]

Great tip, i did have this dough in a rectangular container.
Sounds very obvious, but i never thought of that, figured i could stretch into any shape needed.
I will have to find some round ones. Thanks!

[patflynn]

Great tip, i did have this dough in a rectangular container.
Sounds very obvious, but i never thought of that, figured i could stretch into any shape needed.
I will have to find some round ones. Thanks!

You can use rectangular containers, just remove from the container and then reform into a (round) ball before you start stretching it out.

[scott123]

Pat, for a Chicago thin crust, with a high amount of oil, re-balling prior to forming can work, but not with NY style.  With NY, the re-balled dough can be difficult to stretch and the end result can get tough.

[TXCraig1]

Scott's right on. Start round --> finish round.

That and practice, practice, practice.

[moose13]

I am getting better, i do agree with the start round.
Sure helped me. Thanks!

[scott123]

Nice job, Moose. I like the arrangement of the pepperoni.

[moose13]

Thanks!
I am getting better.
I had a friend and his wife over for pizza tonight.
The first i tried to stretch and toss the dough directly from a rectangular container, well the pizza was rectangular, no matter what i did to the dough.
The second i reballed and tossed a perfect pie. They both tasted awesome along with the ice cold MGD beer.
Thanks for the help!

[c0mpl3x]

if your dough isnt round, place the (floured) dough on a pile of stretch medium, and spin it like an indian fire starter, but in the same direction (cw/ccw) until it looks round.  press it down a little, if you need more round, spin more.   then stretch

[PHXCobra]

Getting better.  I haven't found any videos on here yet to go from dough ball all the way to ready to sauce skin.  Maybe I could convince the gf to video me doing it.  I learned the PJ's way and mine come out about as round as can be hoped for every time.  Once you know the basics it is actually quite easy.