perforated wooden peel?

[canadave]

I was just looking at prices for a metal perforated 16" pizza peel, and it is insane. I have a spare 16" wooden peel, so I was wondering...can I just drill a bunch of holes/slots in this thing? What would be the difference between that and a metal perforated peel (other than one is wood and other is metal)?

[TXCraig1]

Probably not much difference assuming you sanded the edges of the holes REALLY good.

[02ebz06]

Are you talking launching or retrieving ?
Retrieving would be a little harder since the wooden one would be thicker.

[canadave]

Are you talking launching or retrieving ?
Retrieving would be a little harder since the wooden one would be thicker.

Launching. I have to use a lot of flour on the peel when shaping the dough and making the pizza, because I make gluten-free pizzas and it really tends to stick. Would like to be able to make the pizza and then transfer to a perforated peel and shake out a bunch of the flour before throwing it on the pizza stone.

[02ebz06]

Have you tried using rice flour on the peel ?

[canadave]

Have you tried using rice flour on the peel ?

Yep that's what I use. That's the problem, there's so much of it

[02ebz06]

Maybe try dropping the dough ball in a bowl of flour, flip it over, then onto the board to shape it.
I only have 60% hydration, but use very little in any flour on the shaping board and just a little on peel.

Here's another option, watch this video   -->   https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=73516.msg702819#msg702819
Amazing how the dough changes.


Also, I would think that if you are not continually shaking the pizza on the peel, the dough could sag into the holes making it even harder to launch.

[Jon in Albany]

When I was trying to launch gluten free pizza, I was shaping the dough on parchment. then I'd flip the dough onto a screen and par-cook the crust. Cool it on a rack.

then I'd take it off the screen, top the crust and slide it back in the oven. I never got good color on the crust without the par bake and the par bake took a lot of the trouble with the launch away.

Not sure if you have a steel pan, but Detroit style GF has been my favorite GF so far. Very easy to launch!

[rascali]

Have you tried insufflation? Some Pizzaiola's will lift the dough and puff a little air under the pie. I keep a drink straw handy for that purpose, but if you have an audience, or a health inspector, a simple turkey baster will do the trick.