Sourdough Sicilian Pizza - Start to Finish

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone

Part-skim mozzarella reduces calories while maintaining texture.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free option with a cheesy flavor.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is more budget-friendly.

sourdough starter

🥗Healthier: whole wheat starter

💰Cheaper: commercial yeast

Whole wheat starter adds fiber; commercial yeast is more accessible.

On Thursday night, get out 25 g of leftover sourdough starter and feed it with 50 g of lukewarm water and 50 g of plain white bread flour.

Stir the starter in the water to dissolve, then mark the top with a rubber band and let it sit out at room temperature for 8 hours.

In the morning, the starter should have doubled in size and be ready to use.

In a mixing bowl on a digital scale, add 330 g of water and 100 g of the active sourdough starter.

Break up the starter with a spoon and stir to dissolve it into the water.

Add 12 g of olive oil to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Add 525 g of plain white bread flour and 13 g of kosher salt directly on top of the flour, then stir everything together with a spoon until it forms a stiff dough.

Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, perform the first set of stretch and folds by stretching a corner of the dough and folding it over the top, repeating this process about 10 to 20 times until the dough feels strong and smooth.

Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

After another 30 minutes, perform a second set of stretch and folds, stretching the dough four times, then cover and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

Perform the third and final set of stretch and folds, then flip the dough out onto the counter with the smooth side up.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces, weighing them to ensure they are both 490 g, adjusting as necessary since they ended up being 481 g each.

Move the dough balls to oiled glass bowls, cover one with an airtight lid and the other with plastic wrap, and let them rise for a little over 6 hours at room temperature.

While the dough is rising, make the pizza sauce by blending a 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes until smooth but slightly chunky.

Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low for about a minute, then add 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and heat for 30 seconds to a minute.

Add 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and stir, then add 1 finely minced clove of garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar, stir, and then add the blended tomatoes.

Cook the sauce on a low simmer for exactly 10 minutes, then move it to the fridge to cool until ready to use.

After 6 hours, the dough should have doubled in size and be puffy.

Prepare two 9x13 baking sheets by adding 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to each and spreading it around.

Place the dough into the pan with the seam side down and smooth side up, then press it out to the edges of the pan.

If the dough is too tight and snaps back, let it rest for a few minutes before continuing to stretch it out to fill the pan completely.

Cover both pans with a kitchen towel and let them rest for 10 minutes before pressing them out again.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens