The launch is where confidence collapses. A pizza that sticks to the peel and folds on the way in is the most demoralising failure available, and it is entirely preventable.
Why It Sticks
Dough is wet, and given time it absorbs whatever is under it and bonds to the peel.
Every additional minute on the peel makes this worse. Most launch failures are timing failures rather than technique failures.
Wooden or Metal
Wooden peels are better for launching, because dough sticks to them less readily. Metal peels are better for retrieving, because they are thin enough to slide under a cooked base.
Many ovens are supplied with both for this reason. Sets that include two peels and a scraper, of the kind at piezano.net, cover the launch and the retrieval separately rather than compromising on one tool.
The Rules
- Shape on the work surface, not on the peel
- Dust the peel with semolina rather than flour
- Transfer the shaped base to the peel as the last step before topping
- Top quickly, in under a minute if possible
- Shake the peel before topping to confirm the base moves freely
- Launch with a confident forward motion and a sharp pull back
Why Semolina
Coarse semolina grains act like tiny ball bearings between dough and peel. Fine flour absorbs moisture and becomes paste, which is the opposite of what you want.
A light even scatter is enough. Excess semolina burns on the stone and tastes bitter, so more is not better.
The Shake Test
Before adding anything, give the peel a small forward-and-back shake. If the base slides, it will launch. If it does not, lift an edge and puff a little semolina underneath.
Doing this before topping takes two seconds and is considerably easier than rescuing a loaded pizza.
The Launch Itself
Hesitation is the enemy. Angle the peel slightly down, push forward to the back of the stone, then pull the peel back sharply and smoothly.
A tentative launch leaves the pizza half on the peel and half on the stone, which is unrecoverable. Committing is the technique.
If It Sticks Anyway
Lift the stuck edge with a knife or a scraper and puff semolina underneath, then try again. Do not attempt to peel the whole base up, which tears it.
A pizza that has folded can frequently be unfolded on the stone with a fork within the first few seconds, before the base sets. It will not be beautiful and it will taste fine.
Practice Without Toppings
Launching a bare base a few times, with nothing to lose, builds the motion faster than learning on a loaded pizza.
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