Making pizza dough from scratch can be time-consuming. That's why it's important to know how to store pizza dough using different methods, how long you can store it, and how to prepare it for use after storing it.
If you plan to make the pizza dough and use it the same day. Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, and leave it at room temperature for a few hours.This method is ideal as it allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to stretch and the yeast to ferment, making the dough more flavorful.
To save time you can make enough dough for several pizzas and place it in the fridge or freezer until you want to use them. To make pizza dough ahead of time, scale up your favorite pizza dough recipe. Simply double or triple the ingredients and make a larger batch of dough. Once you have made the dough, divide it into portions the size of a single pizza. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge or freezer.
If you make your dough a day before, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent air from getting in. Then place it in the refrigerator. The dough will rise slowly in the fridge resulting in a more flavorful crust. The cold temperature will keep the dough fresh for up to 3 days. When you're ready to make pizza, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before stretching it.
Freezing pizza dough is a great option if you want to make a large batch of dough and use it later. Here's how to do it:
When ready to use the frozen pizza dough, take it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. If you're in a hurry, you can keep it at room temperature for a few hours. Once the dough has thawed, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before using it.
Leaving pizza dough out overnight can make it go bad, leading to an unpleasant smell and taste. Bacteria can grow on the dough when it sits out too long, and it's not worth the risk of getting sick. Always store the dough in the fridge or freezer to ensure freshness and safety.
If you have thawed frozen pizza dough but ended up not using it, you might be wondering if it's safe to refreeze it. It would be best if you didn't refreeze the thawed dough.