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Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 81 reviews
  • Author: Bara
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings (4 individual 10 to 11-inch pizzas)
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian

Description

This sourdough pizza crust recipe creates a flavorful, chewy, and airy base from natural sourdough starter. With a slow fermentation process and simple ingredients, it delivers a hearty dough perfect for homemade pizzas topped with your favorite sauce, cheese, and toppings. The method involves stretching and folding the dough for gluten development and a high-temperature oven bake to achieve a golden, crisp crust.

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

  • 1½ cups warm water (80 to 85°F) (360 mL)
  • ⅔ cup fed sourdough starter (150 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more for brushing)
  • 4¾ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (570 g)
  • 2½ teaspoons salt (15 g)

Toppings

  • 1 to 1½ cups pizza sauce (240 to 360 g)
  • 8 to 12 ounces mozzarella cheese (226 to 340 g)
  • Fresh vegetables, cured meats, or other pizza toppings as desired

Instructions

  1. Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the warm water, fed sourdough starter, and olive oil with a fork until combined.
  2. Add dry ingredients and form dough: Add the flour and salt to the wet mixture. Stir using a silicone spatula until all the flour is moistened and a shaggy dough forms. Scrape sides of bowl; knead the dough a few times with lightly floured hands until combined, even if the dough is still lumpy.
  3. Initial rest: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm place (about 72°F) for 1 hour to begin fermentation.
  4. First stretch and fold: Wet your hands with warm water. Slide fingers or bench scraper under an edge of the dough to the bowl bottom, pull that section up, stretch it over the center, press down to hold in place. Turn bowl 90°, repeat 3 to 5 more times to complete 4 to 6 folds. Form dough into a ball and cover bowl tightly.
  5. Additional folds and rests: Let dough rest 30 minutes, then repeat the stretch and fold process three more times for a total of 4 sets, with 30-minute rests in between each set to develop gluten.
  6. Bulk fermentation: Lightly olive oil the inside of a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place (72°F) until it increases by 50% to 75% in size, about 3 to 5 hours. Optionally refrigerate up to 24 hours at this point.
  7. Divide and shape dough balls: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces (~275 g each). Shape each piece into tight balls by pinching edges to the center, then flip seam-side down and tighten circular shape by gently pulling dough towards you in rotation.
  8. Final proof: Place dough balls seam-side down on lightly floured quarter-sheet trays. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours until puffed.
  9. Prepare oven and baking sheet: Position oven rack in bottom third and preheat oven to 500°F. Generously brush a large baking sheet with olive oil.
  10. Shape pizza crust: Using a bench scraper, transfer a dough ball to a floured surface. Flip it multiple times with flour coating to keep it workable. Place seam-side down, dimple the center with fingertips creating a raised rim about ¾ to 1 inch thick. Stretch dough to a 10 to 11-inch circle maintaining the rim. Brush or shake off excess flour.
  11. Top and bake: Place stretched dough on the prepared baking sheet and reshape into a circle if needed. Add pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and desired toppings. Brush crust edge with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Repeat for remaining dough balls.

Notes

  • Ensure the water temperature for mixing the sourdough is between 80 to 85°F to activate the starter without killing the yeast.
  • Using a fed and active sourdough starter is crucial for proper rise and flavor.
  • Stretch and fold technique strengthens dough gluten without intensive kneading.
  • You can refrigerate the dough after bulk fermentation for up to 24 hours to develop more flavor and retard fermentation.
  • Preheating the oven to 500°F ensures a crisp and well-cooked pizza crust.
  • Olive oil on the baking sheet and crust edges adds flavor and prevents sticking.
  • The dough hydration and proofing times may vary depending on ambient temperature and starter strength.

Find it online: https://yumbara.com/sourdough-pizza-crust-recipe/