On May 16 and 17 we had two groups of students visit Pizzeria Locale at 95th and Quivira to learn all about how pizza dough is made, and to enjoy a pizza lunch courtesy of the restaurant.
The demonstration started with a discussion of the flour and other ingredients that the restaurant uses. The kids then learned about how gluten is formed and makes the dough pliable and strong. The kids had an opportunity to feel the dough before the gluten was activated, and then again after the dough had been worked and made stretchy. They also learned how to toss the dough from hand to hand to make it round and flat for pizza. We saw the oven that the restaurant uses, and the slicer that is one of a kind and made by hand.
The kids then had an opportunity to work the dough themselves, including tossing it from hand to hand. They had a great time learning how to make their own pizzas, and an even better time eating their lunches afterward!
We highly recommend taking a dough-making class at Pizzeria Locale. The staff does a great job of getting the kids interested and involved in making the dough, teaching them about the process used by the restaurant, and explaining how and why the extra time put into their dough gives it such an amazing texture. And the pizzas afterwards were delicious!
Many thanks to Pizzeria Locale for hosting our families – we had a wonderful time!
The tables ready for the kids to practice stretching out their dough.
Explaining the natural, high-quality ingredients that the restaurant uses to create the Neapolitan-style pizza.
The special oven used to bake a perfect crust.
The handmade slicer made specifically for this restaurant.
The dough ingredients before being mixed or worked by hand.
Mixing the ingredients together.
Creating a dough ball that will rest for several hours.
Dough that has gone through the process of being worked by hand, then rested – notice how stretchy the dough is now!
Kids trying out the dough’s stretchiness.
Dough ready to be worked into crust.
Learning how to smooth out and work the dough to make a crust.
Tossing the dough from hand to hand to make it larger and flatter.
A crust that is ready to become a pizza.
Balls of dough for the kids to practice on at their tables.
Getting started.
More kids starting on their dough.
Tossing it from hand to hand.
More hand tossing.
Delicious lunch afterwards!
