Nothing compares to sourdough pizza! It has a flawlessly blackened top and bottom and a crispy, chewy crust that is packed with all the wonderful things. Let’s discuss how to make sourdough starter pizza dough.
What is sourdough?
Sourdough is a traditional technique of making dough. Instead of utilising commercial, ready-made yeast that is packaged, the method employs a natural starter to ferment any kind of bread. It implies that the dough needs more time to rise and develop.
Therefore, your doughs have a richer, more complex taste as a result. The sourdough technique may be used to make everything from bread to pizza to English muffins.
Making a sourdough starter
You must first have a sourdough starter before you can begin baking with it. Simply ask your local bakery for a small amount. Sourdough bakeries are often delighted to share a portion of their starters with baking aficionados.
Or, you can follow these instructions to create your own starter from scratch. Flour and water are all you need to create a sourdough starter.
Any kind of flour may be used. However, they all respond somewhat differently. We advise beginning with dependable all-purpose flour. When your starter is fully developed, you may utilise it to aid in the growth of a wide variety of flour sourdough starters, from rye to buckwheat!
Equipment
- 1.5 litres glass jug
- Large spoon
- Plastic wrap, kitchen towel, or a container lid
- Rubber band
Ingredients
- 20 ounces (575 grams) of all-purpose flour
- 20 ounces (575 grams) of warm water
You should start making your own starter well in advance of when you want to prepare your first sourdough recipe. This is because it takes around 5 days for the mixture to generate enough yeasts and bacteria to turn sour and produce those distinctive frothy bubbles.
The quantities shown above are all that is required to prepare the starter over the course of five days.
How to make sourdough starter
Step one
Measure out 4 ounces (115 grams) of warm water and 4 ounces (115 grams) of flour using your scales.
Pour the water and flour into the container, stirring with the spoon to include air in the mixture. Mix well until a thick batter-like consistency is achieved. Scrape out any extra material from the container’s edges. Then cover it with the lid, a towel, or plastic wrap. The material should only be lightly secured with a rubber band.
Give the container 24 hours in a consistent room-temperature environment to ferment.
Step two
A good indicator that the bacteria and yeast in the mixture are beginning to devour the sugar in the flour and are creating gases is the appearance of bubbles after the starter has fermented for 24 hours. Give it a sniff. It should have a somewhat yeasty yet fresh scent.
Now is the time to begin feeding the starter to speed up fermentation. Warm water and 4 ounces (115 grams) of all-purpose flour should be added to the container. Scrape the edges down, loosely close the container once again, and let it sit for a further 24 hours.
Step three
The next day, take 8 oz (230 g) of your starter mixture. Then pour it into a clean jar. The residual mixture may be thrown away or used in other recipes that call for it.
Pick up the 8 oz (230 g) starting mixture in your new jar and combine it with 4 oz (115 g) of all-purpose flour and 4 oz (115 g) of warm water. After combining, stir and cover loosely for 24 hours. For the next two days, carry with the same procedure of discarding and feeding in a new jar every 24 hours.
After this five-day procedure, if you still feel there aren’t enough bubbles or the starter doesn’t smell very sour, you may keep feeding it for a few more days. Due to the ambient room temperature where you’re placing your starter for each 24-hour fermentation period, the fermentation may proceed a bit more slowly in your house.
Tips for making sourdough starter pizza dough
Start the pizza on the stovetop in a non-stick pan if you don’t have an oven-safe or cast iron skillet. Slide the crust onto a baking sheet when it’s ready to go under the broiler.
Always remember to liberally dust the dough and the work area before shaping the pizza crust. Add extra flour if your hands start to stick.
Before forming the dough into the pizza crust, have your toppings ready. It just needs a little time on the stovetop before it’s ready to finish in the oven.
Methods for freezing pizza dough
Create four balls out of the unbaked pizza dough and freeze them. They should be oiled before being put into separate freezer bags. Make sure to empty the bag of all air. You can keep it in the freezer for up to three months.
When the dough is ready to use, defrost it overnight or for 12 hours in the refrigerator. When it’s time to bake, take the pizza dough out of the fridge. Keep it and let it come to room temperature.
Conclusion
We hope that your methods and tips for sourdough starter pizza dough have helped you out. Keep experimenting with creating the perfect pizza with our recipes.
