Sourdough Pan Pizza
I made it 2 weeks into quarantine before we ate all of the toilet paper, and the craving for pizza set in. Problem was, there was a yeast shortage! Every woman, man, and child seemed to have jumped on the baking bandwagon.
Luckily, we scored some pre made pizza dough at the local grocery store, but it just didn’t compare to the crispy, flavorful slice we are used to getting in NY. Week 3 brought a surprise in the form of a mailed care package of dry active yeast. Thank you, Susan Scofield!
As our supplies dwindled, we decided to cultivate our own sourdough starter using the NY Times’s adaptation of Peter Reinhardt’s recipe. Best decision we’ve made since buying a bidet!
After a few weeks of tweaking, I’m happy to bring you what I think is going to knock your socks off. This Sourdough Pan Pizza recipe not only has that deep, heady flavor you’re looking for, but also the crunchy crust and chewy interior that you’ve been seeking. You owe it to yourself to make your own starter so that you can enjoy this incredible slice. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
158g lukewarm water, 110-115F
84g sourdough starter
1 tsp plus 2 ½ TBSP olive oil
132g bread flour
132g all-purpose flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lukewarm water, starter, and 1 tsp of olive oil. Sift in the flours and salt. Hand mix until fully incorporated and scrape into a ball shape. Cover with a damp cloth and let sit for 1 hour.
Knead the rested dough for 5 minutes or until smooth. Form into a ball and close off the seam underneath. Coat a 12 in cast iron pan with 1 TBSP of olive oil. Place the dough into the center of the pan and brush the top with 1 TBSP of olive oil. Let rise for a total of 6-8 hours at room temperature or in an oven with the light on. After 2 hours, very lightly reapply a ½ TBSP of olive oil to the top. Continue to let rise.
After the dough has risen, press it down evenly with your fingertips from from the center to the edge to an equal thickness. Continue to press the dough up the sides to form a crust edge. Parbake the dough in a preheated 550F oven for 8 minutes.
Remove, sauce, and top with your favorite toppings. Be sure to sauce and cheese to the edge. This will caramelize creating a magical crusty edge. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully check the bottom of the dough for browning. You can continue to brown the dough on a stovetop over medium heat until golden. Finish by browning the top under a broiler for a few minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
