Description
Master the art of homemade sourdough pizza dough with this easy, no-fail recipe perfect for beginners. Achieve a crispy, chewy crust with beautiful airy pockets reminiscent of a wood-fired pizzeria. This recipe guides you through mixing, fermenting, shaping, and baking, ensuring a delicious sourdough pizza base every time.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 420 grams Bread Flour
- 285 grams Water, lukewarm
- 85 grams Active Sourdough Starter
- 8 grams Olive Oil
- 10 grams Salt
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix bread flour, lukewarm water, active sourdough starter, salt, and olive oil thoroughly. Knead by hand for 5-7 minutes until smooth or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on speed 2 for about 4 minutes. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes, keeping it warm to encourage fermentation.
- Stretch and Folds: Perform a full round of stretch and folds by wetting your hands, gently lifting one side of the dough, stretching it, and folding it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and repeat until all four sides are folded. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat one more round (total 2 rounds). This builds gluten for a chewy yet crisp crust.
- Bulk Fermentation: Cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 3-8 hours until it almost doubles in size, has bubbles along the sides, a domed top, and pulls away from the bowl sides. Temperature affects timing; warmer environments speed fermentation.
- Pre-Shape, Rest, and Final Shape: Divide dough into two 400-gram portions, pre-shape into rounds and rest uncovered for 15 minutes. Final shape each dough ball, place into lightly oiled containers, cover, and refrigerate for cold fermentation up to 3 days (or freeze up to 30 days).
- Bake: One hour before baking, remove dough from fridge to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 475°-500°F. Oil a pizza sheet and shape dough into a round by gently pressing and rotating the pan with your fingertips. Add sauce and toppings as desired. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese melts.
Notes
- Use bread flour for the best gluten development and texture.
- Lukewarm water helps activate the sourdough starter without killing it.
- Keep dough covered with a shower cap or plastic wrap during fermentation to maintain humidity and warmth.
- Stretch and folds help develop gluten for structure and chewiness.
- Bulk fermentation time varies by room temperature; warmer rooms speed it up, cooler slows it.
- Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 30 days for convenience.
- Adjust oven temperature based on your appliance; 500°F is preferred but 475°F works well.
- Shaping with oiled hands and pan prevents sticking and creates an evenly round crust.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pizza Dough
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
