Easy Sourdough Pizza Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Is traditional Italian pizza sourdough? ›

Although not all Neapolitan pizza is made from sourdough, there's no reason it can't be. In fact, sourdough starter is mentioned in the official Neapolitan pizza guide (AVPN) as one of the ways to prove pizza.

The amount of sourdough starter you need to make pizza dough can vary based on the flour used and the fermentation schedule. Typically, I like to have between 10 to 20% sourdough starter in my pizza dough.

For Crispy and Chewy Pizza Crust, Use 00 Flour

00 flour is finely ground Italian flour that contains about 12% protein, or 12% gluten. It's the traditional flour used to make Neapolitan-style pizza. Since its gluten content is similar to bread flour, it also produces a pizza crust with chew.

Using high-protein white flour (13-14% protein) in your sourdough pizza dough can lead to a chewier pizza. If you'd like to reduce the chewiness, try using a lower protein flour for the pizza dough (like all-purpose flour or Type 00 with lower protein).

If you are using an active sourdough starter, then no, your sourdough pizza crust does not need yeast. There are many sourdough pizza crust recipes that use yeast to speed up the process and skip the long-fermentation, but my sourdough discard recipe is a true no-yeast sourdough pizza crust.

The most common issue is not kneading enough between rises. The yeast cannot float through the dough, so it has to just eat the flour near it. If it exhausts that supply, it's stuck. Kneading the dough a bit - and it doesn't take much - puts the yeast and bacteria back in touch with fresh food.

Check the temperature: Yeast thrives in a warm environment, so make sure the temperature of the room or the water used to activate the yeast is between 105°F and 110°F. Give it more time: If the dough didn't rise at all, let it rest for an additional 30-60 minutes in a warm place.

Can pizza dough be over proofed? Well yes, pizza dough can be over proofed. In the most extreme cases, over proofed dough can lead to a dense and tough dough that makes poor quality pizza.

Traditional pizza is made with a white flour crust and has a high GI, but sourdough pizza has a lower GI because of the fermentation process. This means that sourdough pizza can help regulate blood sugar levels and may be a better choice for people with diabetes or those who are trying to maintain a healthy weight.

Keep your pizza dough on the counter where it belongs. Let it rest: A little shrinking is normal as you stretch your dough. If your pizza dough is quickly snapping back or difficult to stretch, your dough is too tight. Cover your dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

What kind of flour do Italians use for pizza dough? ›

The best flour for making Neapolitan Pizza Dough is 00 Pizza Flour. This type of pizza dough is thin and crispy with a slightly chewy texture. 00 Pizza Flour is an Italian-milled, finely ground wheat flour. It is perfect for Neapolitan Pizza Dough because it produces a light and airy crust with a slightly chewy centre.

Double zero flour/Tipo 00 flour

“When in Rome do as the Romans do.” Likewise, when baking Neapolitan pizza, do as the Neapolitan pizzaiolos do. Use Tipo 0 or Tipo 00 flour.

Here is a basic recipe for Italian pizza dough: Ingredients: 500 grams Tipo 00 flour (or a combination of Tipo 00 and all-purpose flour) 325 milliliters lukewarm water.

Sourdough bread is healthier than Italian bread. Like the other bread types touched on thus far, Italian bread is made using commercial yeast. Since Italian bread does not traditionally use wild yeast that ferments slowly, Italian bread does not have the enhanced nutritional content that sourdough bread has.

The Toppings

A traditional Italian pizza would just resort to some fresh basil leaves which, together with the red tomato sauce and the white Mozarella di Bufala cheese complete the tri-colour of the Italian flag. However, depending upon the mood, one can sprinkle some oregano and fresh olive oil for a hint of spice.

Italy has an incredible variety of bread, with many regional versions of flatbread, sourdough, and your traditional loaf. It's definitely worth trying some of the specialist breads that are available – you're sure to find a new favourite!

A golden ticket for any pizza lover, Gordon Ramsay's Street Pizza offers you seriously good bottomless pizza – and by that we mean as much as you like. Our authentic sourdough pizzas are served by the slice, fresh from the oven, with 4 house toppings and a daily changing special.