Sourdough Pizza Dough

Recipe from Roberta's

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Sourdough Pizza Dough
Melina Hammer for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes, plus 8 to 24 hours' rise
Rating
4(1,352)
Comments
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This is a varsity-level take on the classic pizza dough recipe from Roberta’s in Brooklyn, using sourdough starter to help the dough rise — and give it great taste. If you feed your starter regularly, you can use it in this recipe right out of the crock in which you store it. But if not, give the starter a feed of flour and water a few hours before you mix up the dough. (If you need to start a starter, add a week or so to the process.) “It’s a little more complicated” than a regular dough, said Anthony Falco, who runs the pizza operations at Roberta’s, “but, oh boy, the end result is worth it.” —Sam Sifton

Featured in: Sourdough Starter, America’s Rising Pet

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Ingredients

Yield:3 pizzas
  • 5cups/500 grams 00 flour
  • 2½teaspoons/15 grams kosher salt
  • 2½teaspoons/7.5 grams instant dry yeast
  • 1tablespoon/15 grams extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons/90 grams sourdough starter, “fed”
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings)

748 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 145 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 482 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.

  2. Step 2

    In a small mixing bowl, stir together 300 grams (about 1¼ cups) lukewarm tap water, the instant dry yeast and the olive oil, then stir the sourdough starter into it and pour it into the bowl with the flour mixture. Knead with your hands until well combined, about 4 minutes, then let mixture rest for 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Knead rested dough for 3 to 4 minutes. Cut into 3 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place on a heavily floured surface, cover with a dampened cloth and let rest and rise for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (Remove from refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza.)

  4. Step 4

    To make pizza, place each dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it, then your hands to shape it into rounds or squares. Top and bake.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,352 user ratings
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Comments

Pedro Pan

Adding instant yeast is a typical "no fail" solution that is oddly often added to sourdough recipes. By definition, your final product is no longer a "sourdough" or wild yeast creation if you add cultivated yeast. In the above recipe, increase starter to 1 cup, omit the instant yeast, use room temp water, let the dough sit out in a deep bowl, covered with plastic film. The next day do a double fold to increase the structure of the dough. proceed with step 3 - no kneading.

Chef Jeff

I agree with Pedro Pan; add the extra starter and skip the yeast. You get a true superior sourdough product, with a rise-time of 10-14 hrs, and no refrigeration required. Win-win, and more space in the fridge!

DNcgo

Using Chad Robertson's "Tartine" starter,I followed Pedro Pan's suggestion for increasing the starter and eliminating commercial yeast. Under refrigeration (the method I prefer), the dough balls can rest for up to three days. Leftover dough balls (misted with olive oil) can easily be frozen for future use. To use, thaw dough (still wrapped) overnight in refrigerator. Take out of refrigerator 60-90 minutes prior to baking, transfer to small floured bowl and let rise slightly.

AL

Using cups to measure sourdough starter (and to some extent all baking ingredients) is kindergarten level. Is it 1 cup before (measured in container) or after it collapses (when spooned). There's easily 10-20g left in the measuring cup unless you fastidiously scrape every sticky bit from the cup AND scraper. Self proclaimed varsity level.

karin

Best pizza dough recipe I’ve tried using sourdough. Easy to manipulate, great flavor, tender crust. Will put on repeat.

JH

I believe the commercial yeast is so the dough ferments with out getting to sour.

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Credits

Adapted from Roberta's, Brooklyn

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