Servings: 16 slices
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1/2 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the filtered water, sourdough starter, and salt. Stir until fully combined.
- Add flour and olive oil. Mix until no dry flour remains, forming a shaggy dough.
Rest (Autolyse)
- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or lid. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will help the flour absorb the liquid and form a gluten network.
Stretch and Fold
- Perform 3 sets of stretches and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. Wet your hands to prevent sticking. Gently pull one side of the dough up and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you’ve stretched and folded all sides in a full circle. Cover the bowl after each set.
Bulk Fermentation
- After the final set of stretches and folds, cover the dough again and let it rise at room temperature until it has roughly doubled in size. Depending on your environment's temperature, this may take 4 to 8 hours.
- If you don’t want to bake then, store the dough in a covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight. This will slow down the fermentation process and keep it from overproofing.
Shape the Dough
- Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it in half (for two pizza crusts) or keep it whole for a larger crust.
- Roll out each portion of dough on a floured surface to your preferred thickness (adding more flour as needed), or shape it directly on a hot pizza stone by wetting your hands and gently stretching the dough toward the edges, pressing it evenly to cover the stone.
Preheat Oven
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). If you're using a pizza stone, place it in the oven as it heats.
Bake
- Once your dough is shaped (if you haven’t already placed it directly on a pizza stone), transfer it to a greased baking sheet or a pizza peel. Add your favorite toppings.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden and crispy around the edges. Baking time may vary based on your oven and the thickness of the crust.
Video
Nutrition values are approximate and may vary.
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