If you maintain a sourdough starter for bread baking, you’re already 80% of the way to the best pizza dough you’ve ever made. Sourdough pizza dough ferments slowly over 24-72 hours, developing complex flavors that no commercial yeast dough can match.
Why Sourdough for Pizza?
Slow fermentation with wild yeast and bacteria produces lactic and acetic acids that give the crust a depth of flavor — slightly tangy, nutty, complex. The long process also pre-digests some gluten, making the crust easier on sensitive stomachs. And the natural sugars develop better char at high heat.
Ingredients (Makes 3 × 280g dough balls)
- 500g 00 flour or bread flour (or blend — Caputo 00 flour for Neapolitan style)
- 100g active sourdough starter (fed 4-8 hours before, at peak)
- 325g water (65% hydration — add more for softer dough, less for beginners)
- 12g fine sea salt
- Optional: 10g olive oil for a slightly more tender crust
Method
Day 1 (Evening)
1. Mix water and starter until combined. Add flour and mix until no dry flour remains. Rest 30 minutes (autolyse).
2. Add salt (and olive oil if using). Mix by hand until fully incorporated — squeeze and fold until the dough feels cohesive.
3. Perform 3-4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes (wet hands, grab one side, stretch up and fold over the center, rotate 90°, repeat 4 times per set).
4. After folds, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (12-24 hours minimum; up to 72 hours for deeper flavor).
Day 2 (Day of Baking)
5. Remove from fridge 2-3 hours before baking. Divide into 3 equal balls (~280g each). Use a dough scraper for clean cuts. Shape each ball by folding under and pinching — build surface tension.
6. Place balls seam-down in oiled containers or on a floured dough proofing tray. Cover and let rest at room temperature 2-3 hours until pillowy and relaxed.
7. Preheat your oven to maximum with your pizza stone or steel inside for 45-60 minutes. Then stretch the dough correctly, top lightly, and bake.
Troubleshooting
Dough too sticky: Wet hands, not floured — don’t add more flour mid-process. No rise after 24 hours: Starter may not be active enough; feed it twice before next use. Tearing when stretching: The dough needs more room-temperature rest — 20-30 more minutes relaxes the gluten.
A reliable kitchen scale is essential — sourdough pizza rewards precision.
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