I usually roll it out first and then stretch, but not too much, because I prefer a thicker crust. I also use a little bit of corn meal on the bottoms and poke a couple holes in the top with a fork to let the air escape.

I've also found pre-cooking just the dough for 5-6 minutes before topping gets it a little crispier.

So I have this fresh pizza dough from Trader Joe's.

Do I have to roll it out, or can I just stretch it and pat it into a rectangular pan?