Sourdough Pizza Dough (Chewy Crust, Same-Day or Overnight)

What Makes This Recipe Work

A moderate 65 percent hydration keeps the dough easy to stretch by hand while still opening into a light crust. The long ferment develops gluten strength and flavor, so the dough resists tearing when you shape it.

Ingredients for Sourdough Pizza Dough (Chewy Crust, Same

• 500 g (about 4 cups) bread flour (100 percent)
• 325 g (1 1/3 cups) water, lukewarm (65 percent hydration)
• 100 g (1/2 cup) active sourdough starter, 100 percent hydration, at its peak (20 percent)
• 10 g (1 3/4 tsp) fine sea salt (2 percent)
• 15 g (1 tbsp) olive oil (3 percent)

How to Make Sourdough Pizza Dough (Chewy Crust, Same

1. Mix the flour and water and rest 30 minutes, then add the starter, salt, and olive oil and mix until uniform. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
2. Knead in a stand mixer 8 minutes or by hand 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
3. Bulk ferment at room temperature 4 to 6 hours, folding the dough every 45 minutes for the first three hours, until it is puffy and nearly doubled.
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls, about 230 g each, and shape each into a tight round. Place in lightly oiled containers.
5. For same-day pizza, proof the balls at room temperature 1 to 2 hours, until relaxed; for more flavor, refrigerate 24 to 72 hours and let them warm at room temperature 1 to 2 hours before baking.
6. Heat the oven to 500 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit with a baking steel or stone on the upper rack for at least 45 minutes, or as hot as your oven allows.
7. On a floured peel, stretch or press one ball into a 10 to 12 inch round, leaving a puffy rim and keeping the center thin. Work quickly so the dough does not stick.
8. Top with a thin layer of sauce and toppings, then slide onto the hot steel and bake 7 to 10 minutes, until the crust is blistered and the cheese bubbles. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Tips for the Best Sourdough Pizza Dough (Chewy Crust, Same

• Preheat the steel or stone at least 45 minutes for a crisp, blistered base.
• Keep toppings light so the crust bakes through before the top turns dry.
• Let cold dough warm up before stretching so it springs back less.

Variations and Substitutions

• Brush the rim with olive oil and finish with flaky salt for a bakery-style crust.
• Top with pesto, roasted vegetables, or a white ricotta base instead of tomato sauce.
• The same starter and shaping skills work for sourdough bagels and sourdough english muffins.
• Bake the dough as a quick flatbread in a cast-iron pan or Dutch oven if you lack a stone.

How to Store and Reheat

• Raw dough balls keep in the fridge up to 5 days, improving in flavor; let them warm before shaping.
• Baked crusts freeze up to 2 months and reheat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until crisp.

Sourdough Pizza Dough (Chewy Crust, Same FAQ