Stretching the Dough
There are several methods for stretching the dough. We recommend using a few different ones at different stages of the stretch, and finding the ones that work best or you.
To start, throw a little flour on the counter (or better, a silicone mat) and place the ball in the flour. Press the ball firmly from the center to the edge, and then rotate the ball slightly and do it some more. Do this until you've gone around a couple of times, and the dough is about 2 times the diameter it was when you started.
The next method is the "pull and stretch." Holding one half of the dough down with one hand, pull the other half away from the center. Rotate the dough and repeat. Again, do this several times around until the dough is stretched about twice as much as it was.
Another method is the gravity method, aka the "steering wheel." Hold the dough with two hands by the edge and lift it up, facing it in front of you. with your hands slightly separated, rotate the dough around as if you're steering the wheel of your car. Left or right, it doesn't matter. As you do this, gravity will stretch the dough. Allow gravity to do its work, more on the thicker sections, less when it starts getting thin.
Finally you can stretch the dough from underneath. Using your knuckles, get under the dough towards the edges and pull outwards. Be careful with this one because it's easy to rip the dough, so be gentle.
If you do want to get fancy, you can try tossing the dough. It is very similar to the gravity method but uses centrifugal force to stretch outwards. This technique actually works really well, but of course it's tough to master.
If you do rip a hole in the dough, the best thing to do is to pinch the hole closed before adding the sauce and cheese. You can also lay a basil leaf over the hole to stop any sauce from getting through.
Here are some helpful videos on stretching techniques;
https://youtu.be/NQXtz-1KEvY?si=kGCVaZm0CaNdMEQh