Have you ever tried sourdough pizza? Well hopefully you have our dough and you are ready to shape it and bake it. If not, you can buy it here. Below is an instructional video to help you make that perfect pizza.
You will notice that there are a few special items needed to help make the pizza correctly. Here are some links for you to find those items.
Cast Iron Pizza Pan - World Market
Instructions: It may seem like a lot, but it's just very thorough
Refrigerate the dough until ready to use. It will last up to 3 days in the fridge, but best to use it the same day or 2 days from purchase
Preheat your oven and pizza pan to 500F for 15-45 minutes - Yes its very hot
Flour your work surface
Turn the dough out of the container. If it sticks just massage it out by pinching the container slightly. I don't recommend splitting the dough into 2 smaller pizzas
Flour the dough and start pushing the dough outwards, leaving a small edge for the crust
Flip the dough every so often to flour the other side and prevent the dough from sticking to the table
After a few minutes, the dough will get tougher, and not want to stretch out anymore. Just let the dough rest on the table for 2-4 minutes
After 2-4 minutes, you can begin shaping again
Now you will pick the dough up and start stretching it with closed fists
Basically, you want to stretch with both fists and then turn the dough a few degrees and repeat. Continue until it gets very thin and stretches about 12" wide. If it rips, it's okay. Just pinch it back together and be very careful around that spot again
Now put the dough back on the table and flour your pizza peel with bread flour and/or semolina flour. Place the dough on the peel and add your favorite toppings
I recommend less sauce than normal because it makes the crust too heavy if there are too many toppings. I like to thicken my pizza sauce to give it more flavor with less liquid. You can do this by cooking it in a pan for a few minutes to get rid of some of the moisture
Once you have all the toppings, gently shake the peel to loosen the pizza so it will slide off onto the stone
Gently slide the pizza onto the stone and bake for 10-15 minutes
The pizza is finished when the crust gets nicely toasted and crispy, almost burnt looking
Remove the pizza with your peel, be careful though as it is hot, and place it on a cutting board to cool for a minute and then cut with a sharp knife.
Enjoy!
** Tips:
Very cold refrigerators make the dough tougher. You can alleviate this by removing the dough from the fridge 20 minutes before you shape it.
Be patient. If the dough is hard to stretch, just leave it on the counter for a few minutes and try again. Sourdough has a lot of gluten, which makes it stronger and more airy. Time helps it relax.
If you tear the dough, don't worry. It happens. Just pinch it back together and be more gentle on that side of the dough.
Practice makes perfect. Enjoy the art of making pizza and eventually, you will be a pro!
