Peel, Turn, Launch: Pizza Oven Essentials

Pizza being launched into an oven

Most sticky peels are a flour or timing problem, not a bad oven. Keep these habits and launches stay calm.

  1. Dust the peel. Semolina or fine flour under the dough so it slides.
  2. Build fast. Sauce and toppings on the peel, then launch within a minute.
  3. Shake test. Give the peel a jiggle before you commit. If it sticks, lift an edge and add more dust.
  4. Commit to the motion. Angle the peel down, slide forward, then pull back in one smooth move.
  5. Turn early. Rotate the pizza once the base sets so colour stays even.

Practise with a plain dough round first. Confidence comes quickly after two or three clean launches.