What it is.
To knead is to work dough with your hands or a machine. Push it away with the heel of your hand, fold it back, turn it, and do it again.
Bread, pizza, flatbread and some pasta doughs are kneaded. Some recipes knead minced meat too, so kebabs and meatballs hold together.
Why it works.
Wheat flour has proteins that join with water to make gluten. Gluten is stretchy, like a net of tiny rubber bands.
Kneading lines up those strands and makes the net strong. The net traps gas from the yeast, so the bread rises and has a good chew.
In meat, kneading with salt makes the proteins sticky, which binds the mince.
What to look for.
- The dough goes from rough and sticky to smooth and soft.
- Poke it and it slowly bounces back.
- Stretch a small piece thin. If light shows through before it tears, it is done.
Common mistakes.
- The bread is dry and dense.
- Do not keep adding flour. Knead a few minutes first; dough gets less sticky as you go.
- The dough tears when stretched.
- Knead longer. It needs more time to get smooth and stretchy.
- The dough is hard to work.
- Cover it and let it rest 10 minutes, then keep going.
