There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time preparing the perfect homemade pizza, only to have it stick to the peel just as you’re about to launch it into the oven. Instead of a beautifully cooked pizza, you end up with toppings everywhere and a doughy mess!
The good news is that this is one of the easiest pizza-making problems to fix.
Suzanne from Jalando Pizza Ovens recently caught up with professional Pizza Chef Julian Sanchez, who shared his top three tips for getting your pizza to slide effortlessly into the oven every time. Whether you’re new to pizza making or have been cooking for years, these simple techniques will instantly improve your results.
Julian’s first tip is one of the most important—use semolina under your pizza dough.
Unlike regular flour, semolina has a coarser texture that acts like tiny ball bearings between the dough and the pizza peel. This allows the pizza to glide smoothly when it’s time to launch it into the oven.
Semolina also absorbs less moisture than plain flour, helping to prevent the dough from sticking while you add your toppings.
Be generous with your semolina, but don’t overdo it. Too much can burn on the floor of your pizza oven and create unwanted smoke or a bitter flavour. A light, even coating is all you need to keep things moving.
Moisture is one of the biggest reasons pizzas stick.
Before stretching your dough or assembling your pizza, make sure your pizza peel is completely dry. Even a small amount of moisture can cause the dough to cling to the surface, making it difficult to launch cleanly.
If you’re making multiple pizzas, take a moment to wipe your peel dry between each one. It’s a simple habit that can save a lot of frustration.
It’s also a good idea to prepare your toppings before stretching the dough. The faster you build your pizza, the less chance moisture has to soak through the base.
Many people hesitate when launching their pizza, but confidence is key.
Julian recommends using the lip (or front edge) of the pizza peel with one smooth, quick motion. Rather than slowly trying to slide the pizza into the oven, give the peel a short forward push followed by a gentle pull back. This motion allows the pizza to release cleanly onto the oven floor.
Before launching, give the peel a gentle shake. If the pizza moves freely, you’re ready to cook. If it doesn’t, carefully lift the edge and add a little more semolina underneath before trying again.
Making pizza is a skill that improves with practice, and small changes often make the biggest difference. Using semolina, keeping your peel dry, and launching your pizza with confidence will help you avoid sticking bases and create pizzas that look as good as they taste.
At Jalando Pizza Ovens, we’re passionate about helping our customers get the best results from their pizza ovens. Whether you’re cooking on one of our traditional wood-fired ovens or a modern gas pizza oven, mastering these simple techniques will make every pizza night more enjoyable.
If you’re looking for more pizza-making tips, recipes, or advice on choosing the right oven, browse our website or visit our Melbourne showroom. Our team is always happy to help you take your homemade pizza to the next level.
Match the paddle to the largest pizza you cook. A 30 cm pizza needs a paddle with at least a 30 cm working surface, plus a bit of edge for sliding the pizza off. Too small and the pizza overhangs and folds during the launch.
Two main reasons: the dough has been sitting on the peel too long, or you’ve used a solid peel where a perforated or wooden one would work better. Build the pizza fast, give the peel a small shake before launching to confirm the dough is loose, and add a sprinkle of semolina under any spot that has stuck.
Wipe it down with a damp cloth after each use and dry it straight away. Don’t put a wooden peel in the dishwasher and don’t soak it in water. Once or twice a year, rub a thin coat of food-safe mineral oil into the surface to stop the timber drying out and splitting.
A single timber board can cover the occasional pizza night. The compromise is that you’ll struggle to turn the pizza cleanly mid-cook, so you’ll need to pull the whole pizza out, rotate it on the board, and slide it back into the oven. Workable, but slower than working with a dedicated turning peel.
Suzanne is the owner of Jalando Pizza Ovens, which she founded in 2014 and named after her two sons James and Orlando. The Preston-based business supplies Australian-designed wood-fired, gas, hybrid, and DIY-kit ovens through a national retailer network and online. Jalando ovens featured on The Block 2024.
Julian, a trained chef and pizza chef, appears in the video on behalf of Campoli Foods, a Reservoir-based Italian ingredients wholesaler founded by the Ieraci family in 1952 and now in its third generation. The business supplies pizza shops, chains, and restaurants across Melbourne and regional Victoria, with a product range built around the needs of the pizza trade.
