Sourdough pizza is what happens when you give great ingredients all the time they need. Naturally leavened with your sourdough starter, this dough ferments slowly over 24–48 hours, developing a complex, tangy flavour and an exceptionally light, open crumb that commercial yeast simply cannot replicate. The long fermentation also makes the pizza significantly more digestible. Patient pizza makers are rewarded generously.
Feed your starter 8–12 hours before mixing so it is at peak activity. It should have doubled in size and be bubbly and domed. A float test works: drop a small amount in water — if it floats, it is ready.
Combine flour and water, mix until no dry flour remains. Rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). Add active sourdough starter and mix vigorously until incorporated. Add salt with a few extra drops of water, mix until fully dissolved. The dough should be slightly tacky.
Over the next 2 hours, do 4 sets of stretch-and-fold every 30 minutes. Wet your hand, stretch the dough up and fold over itself. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat 4 times per set. The dough becomes noticeably stronger and more elastic with each fold.
After the folds, cover and bulk ferment at room temperature (22–24°C) for 2–4 hours until the dough has grown by 40–50% and looks domed. In cooler kitchens this takes longer.
Turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface. Divide into 3–4 equal pieces. Pre-shape each into a rough round by folding the edges under. Rest 20 minutes. Then shape tightly into smooth balls using a bench scraper to tension the surface.
Place balls in lightly oiled containers or a semolina-dusted tray, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 24–48 hours. This cold retard is where the magic happens — flavour develops, gluten relaxes and the crust structure improves dramatically.
Take the dough balls out of the fridge 1–2 hours before baking. Cold dough tears when shaped. It should be soft, puffy and smell pleasantly sour. The longer you leave it at room temperature, the more relaxed and easier to stretch.
Working on a floured surface, flatten each ball with your fingertips from the centre outward, leaving a thick border. Lift and stretch by rotating over your knuckles or by pulling gently. Aim for 28–30cm.
Add your chosen toppings. Bake on a preheated stone or steel at maximum oven temperature (250°C+) for 8–10 minutes, or 60–90 seconds in a wood-fired oven at 450°C. The crust should have large, irregular bubbles and a deep golden-brown colour.
Use our free calculator for exact measurements tailored to Sourdough pizza.
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