Sourdough Italian Pizza

Making pizza at home is always a fun and yummie experience. Making it from scratch, using sourdough starter is a great thing to do when you have spend a rainy weekend at home. You start on Friday night by gently awakening the starter…

Get a small piece of starter from the fridge, the size of a plum (8 oz, 100g). Cut it in pieces, place in a bowl, mix it with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of unbleached, organic wheat flour. It must be fluid. Cover it with a ‘press and seal’ foil. Cover the foil with a fabric sheet. It must remain moist. Let it rest the whole night.

The morning after it will be very bubbly and have a very stingy, sour smell. By that, you can tell you that your starter is still very active.

In another bowl, put 2 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of sea salt. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well.

Slowly add the liquid starter and keep mixing. Knead for 10-15 minutes until very smooth and resilient.

Put it back in the bowl. Cover with a ‘press and seal’ foil and the fabric sheet. Let it rest and raise for 4/6 hours.

Once well raised, remove it from the bowl, knead it and cut in small bowls of 1/2 lb (225 g) each. The balls will have to rest and raise again for about 1 hour. Make sure you cover them with a plastic foil and a fabric sheet (better if humid).

By Saturday evening you should be able to make, bake and eat your pizza!

Turn on the oven at the max temperature (450F, 230C). If you have it, place the oven stone in it. It will help to cook your pizza to perfection.

Flatten a dough ball with your hands. Distribute tomato sauce and mozzarella crumbs on it. Put it on a oven foil (it will help to place it in the oven).

Place it in the ovenand let it cook until the crust gets slightly burned and the mozzarella is perfectly melted.

Remove from the oven, place it on a wooden plate and spread dried origano on it.

Enjoy!