Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe

Homemade pizza is where it's at around here. It's the perfect vessel for summer garden vegetables, homemade tomato sauce and plenty of cheese. But delicious pizza toppings cannot stand alone, they need the support of a chewy, crispy, yet tender pizza crust and I have, dare I say it, the perfect sourdough pizza crust recipe to share.

To make this recipe you will need 500 grams of active sourdough starter at 100% hydration (equal parts per weight water and flour). Let me extrapolate. To get 500 grams of active starter follow the first step for making sourdough bread. You will need some sourdough starter to do this, so make some starter or bribe, barter, buy some from a friend, sourdough bakery or friendly stranger. On the second day, in the morning, feed the sourdough starter again, but instead of doubling the starter as indicated in the second step for making sourdough bread triple the amount of water and flour added (adding 200 grams water and 200 grams flour).

If I plan on making the pizza dough later that day I leave it in a warm spot to double in size. On the other hand if I plan on making the pizza dough in a day or two I cover the starter and place it in the fridge to slow the fermentation process and then take it out of the fridge on the morning I'm making pizza. Once you have the sourdough starter bit figured out get ready to make delicious sourdough pizza crust.

A couple quick notes: This recipe does include a little bit of conventional yeast the help things along and I usually use Canadian all-purpose flour. I know that white flour isn't the healthiest option for flours but it makes darn good pizza crust so I continue to use it unapologetically for this purpose. Also, if this recipe makes too much dough you can half it or freeze half the dough for use later on.

Sourdough Pizza Crust
Makes four medium to large pizza crusts depending on the thickness.

500g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
1 kg (1000g) all purpose flour
130g semolina flour
600g warm water
60g extra virgin olive oil
30g kosher salt
1 tsp. instant yeast

In a large bowl add the sourdough starter, flour, semolina flour, olive oil and salt. Using a measuring cup mix warm water with yeast until the yeast dissolves. Pour the water and dissolved yeast into the flour mixture. Mix to combine ingredients. Let the dough sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

Knead the dough by hand or machine for 15 minutes. The dough will feel soft and sticky. Feel free to add a little flour to help the dough clear the edges of the bowl (if using a mixer) or to make it easier to work with. I usually add a few tablespoons of flour to help things along.

Place the dough in a very large oiled bowl and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. When the dough has doubled dump in onto a floured counter and divide into four equal (about 600g) pieces. Let the dough relax for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

Roll or press the dough into whatever shape you want and place the shaped dough on a baking sheet or parchment paper that can be placed directly on a pizza stone.

Add the toppings and bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 425F.

Sharing this recipes at Barn Hop and Melt in Your Mouth Monday.