The Easiest Way to Roll Homemade Pretzels
If you’ve ever walked past a pretzel stand and witnessed the absolute magic of a professional turning a strand of dough into a perfect curve, you may have been a little intimidated by the process. To the untrained eye, this thread weaves a tangled path. You don’t need that level of dexterity to make pretzels at home; even professionals have to start somewhere. As with most new skills, just use them one turn at a time. Here is a step by step guide to help.
Whether you made your own dough or decided to trick it with a ready-made pizza dough ball , divide it evenly on a lightly floured surface. Using both open palms, roll one piece into a long strand. Imagine that you are a child and make a plasticine snake, or just entrust this work to an unimaginable child. The longer the strand, the bigger the pretzel, but I usually stick with half an inch to one inch in thickness. Don’t roll it too thin or the pretzel will be difficult to lift and cook later.
Make a U-shape out of the dough. Bring the two ends closer to the center. Cross the left end over the right end approximately in the middle of the strand. Cross the new left strand with the new right. Twist if this terminology is more clear.
This is where everything converges. Lift the two ends together, but leave the bottom of the original U-shape on the countertop. Pull the two ends down towards the body so that they reach the bottom of the U-shape. You should now see the overall shape of the pretzel. If you like, pull a little on the top two loops to pull them up until you get the desired shape.
Dampen some water where the ends of the strands meet the rest of the dough and press down so they stick well. You don’t want them to untangle in boiling water.
This twisting method can be used with giant German pretzels, soft New York-style pretzels, or crunchy little pretzels. Boil and salt them as directed in the recipe and bake as usual.