More Than Just a Show
When people see a pizzaiolo tossing dough high into the air, spinning it in graceful arcs, they often assume it's just for show – a theatrical performance to entertain customers. While pizza tossing certainly has visual appeal, at Salvatore Pizza, we practice this traditional technique primarily because it creates superior pizza.
In this article, I'll explain the practical benefits of pizza tossing, share some of its history, and provide insight into how we train our pizzaiolos in this time-honored skill.
The Functional Benefits of Pizza Tossing
Pizza tossing isn't just about flair – it serves several important functions in creating the perfect pizza base:
Even Stretching
The centrifugal force created by spinning the dough helps it stretch evenly in all directions. This creates a more uniform thickness than what can typically be achieved with hand-stretching alone or with a rolling pin. The result is a pizza that cooks evenly, with no undercooked or overcooked sections.
When you examine a properly tossed pizza base, you'll notice that the thickness gradually increases from the center toward the edges. This is the ideal structure – thinner in the center for proper cooking, with a slightly thicker edge that will rise and form the cornicione (crust edge).
Preserving Gas Pockets
During fermentation, the dough develops pockets of gas that are crucial for creating the light, airy texture we desire in a Neapolitan-style pizza. Tossing the dough, rather than pressing or rolling it, preserves these gas pockets.
A rolling pin, by contrast, crushes these air bubbles, resulting in a denser, cracker-like crust. While that style has its place in certain regional pizza varieties, it's not what we aim for at Salvatore Pizza, where we celebrate the traditional Neapolitan approach.
Left: properly tossed dough with air pockets. Right: rolled dough with compressed structure.
Oxidation and Texture
The brief exposure to air during tossing creates a slight oxidation on the dough's surface. This subtle effect helps develop a thin, almost imperceptible skin that contributes to the perfect balance of crispness and chewiness in the final crust.
Additionally, the motion of tossing helps distribute the flour on the dough's surface evenly, preventing excess flour in some areas (which can burn) and insufficient flour in others (which can cause sticking).
Temperature Management
The cool air that circulates around the dough during tossing helps maintain an optimal temperature. This is particularly important in busy pizzerias where the kitchen heat can quickly warm the dough past its ideal working temperature. The brief air exposure cools the dough slightly, keeping it more manageable.
"When I first learned to toss pizza as a boy, my father explained that what looks like showing off to customers is actually showing respect to the dough."
– Chef Marco, Head Pizzaiolo
The History of Pizza Tossing
The practice of tossing pizza dough has deep roots in Italian culinary tradition, particularly in Naples. Before modern kitchen equipment, pizzaiolos discovered that tossing was not only efficient but produced superior results.
In the crowded, small pizzerias of 19th-century Naples, space was at a premium. Tossing the dough upward made use of available vertical space rather than requiring large countertops for stretching. It was as much a practical solution as a technique for quality.
As Italian immigrants brought pizza-making to America in the early 20th century, they brought this technique with them. In the United States, the showmanship aspect became more pronounced, especially as open kitchens became popular and customers could watch their food being prepared.
Today, there are even competitive pizza-tossing events, with elaborate acrobatic routines far beyond what's needed for practical pizza-making. While we appreciate the artistry of these competitions, at Salvatore Pizza, we focus on the functional tradition – tossing that serves the pizza rather than just entertaining the crowd.
Learning the Technique
Becoming proficient at pizza tossing takes considerable practice. At Salvatore Pizza, new staff members go through a structured training process:
Stage 1: Understanding the Dough
Before attempting any tossing, trainees spend time simply handling dough – learning how it feels at different stages of fermentation and how it responds to touch. They practice basic stretching techniques on the countertop, developing sensitivity to the dough's tension and elasticity.
This foundation is crucial – a pizzaiolo must understand when dough is ready for tossing. Attempt it too early in the fermentation process, and the dough will be too tight and spring back; too late, and it may be too soft and tear easily.
Stage 2: Basic Spinning
Next comes learning to spin the dough on knuckles without tossing it into the air. This builds comfort with the rotational motion and teaches proper hand positioning. We often use practice dough at this stage (dough that wouldn't be used for customers) or even silicone practice discs designed for training.
Stage 3: Low Tosses
Once comfortable with spinning, trainees begin practicing low tosses – just a few inches above their hands. The focus here is on maintaining control and consistent rotation, not height.
A common training exercise involves tossing the dough in a consistent rhythm for a set number of repetitions, gradually increasing height as control improves.
Stage 4: Practical Application
Finally, trainees integrate tossing into the actual pizza-making process, learning to judge exactly how much tossing is needed for different pizza sizes and styles. They practice achieving the proper thickness gradient from center to edge and connecting the technique with the final pizza quality.
Training session for new pizzaiolos at Salvatore Pizza
Common Tossing Mistakes
Even experienced pizza makers can fall into certain traps when tossing dough. Here are some common mistakes we watch for:
- Over-tossing: Tossing for too long can overwork the gluten, making the dough tough. It can also thin the center excessively, leading to tears or burning during baking.
- Inconsistent rotation: If the dough doesn't rotate evenly during tossing, it stretches unevenly, resulting in an oval or irregular shape.
- Improper hand position: Keeping hands flat rather than using knuckles can tear the dough or create fingertip indentations that thin specific areas too much.
- Starting with improperly prepared dough: Dough that's too cold, too stiff, or insufficiently relaxed won't respond properly to tossing.
- Showing off at the expense of quality: Focusing too much on high tosses or fancy moves rather than achieving the proper dough structure.
When Not to Toss
While we value the traditional tossing technique, we also recognize that it isn't appropriate for every style of pizza or every dough condition:
- Very wet doughs: Some modern artisanal pizzas use extremely high hydration doughs that are too slack for tossing.
- Certain specialty crusts: Some styles, like deep dish or Sicilian square pizza, traditionally use different shaping techniques.
- Gluten-free doughs: Without traditional gluten networks, these doughs typically lack the elasticity needed for tossing.
- Over-fermented dough: If dough has fermented too long and lost strength, tossing may tear it.
A skilled pizzaiolo knows when to adapt techniques to suit the specific characteristics of the dough at hand.
The Future of a Traditional Art
As pizza continues to evolve and new styles emerge, some modern pizzerias have moved away from traditional tossing. At Salvatore Pizza, we're committed to preserving this aspect of pizza heritage while understanding its practical benefits.
We believe there's room for both innovation and tradition in the world of pizza. While we experiment with new flavor combinations and ingredients, we remain dedicated to the fundamental techniques that have proven their worth over generations.
For those interested in learning more about pizza tossing, we occasionally offer public workshops where customers can try their hand at this traditional skill. These events provide a deeper appreciation for the craft behind each Salvatore pizza and often lead to entertaining moments as participants discover it's not quite as easy as our pizzaiolos make it look!
Conclusion
The next time you visit Salvatore Pizza and see our pizzaiolos tossing dough into the air, remember that you're witnessing not just a performance but a practical technique refined over generations. Each spin and toss contributes to the texture, consistency, and quality of the pizza you'll soon enjoy.
While modern technology has introduced many alternatives to traditional techniques, some practices endure because they simply work better. Pizza tossing is one such technique – a beautiful marriage of functionality and tradition that continues to produce superior results in the hands of skilled practitioners.
