Basic Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe

Have you always wanted to make your own pizza from scratch? Do you dream of tossing that dough high up in the air to make the perfect crust? Then this recipe is for you. Neil Blazin of Driftwood Oven Pizza simplifies a Basic Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe so that you can make right at home. Now you just need to call over a couple friends, or have your kids be your little helpers, and host the best pizza party with fresh ingredients. You can even attend Neil Blazin’s family pizza making party in our studio to get some inspiration.

What’s the Difference Between Sourdough and Regular Pizza Crust?

The key difference between sourdough and regular pizza crust lies in how they rise. Regular pizza dough uses commercially produced yeast, which acts quickly to leaven the dough. This results in a neutral flavor and a typically chewier texture. Sourdough pizza crust, on the other hand, relies on a natural starter culture containing wild yeast and bacteria. This slower fermentation process produces a tangy depth of flavor and a unique texture. Plus, Sourdough crust is often airier with a crispy exterior and a light, chewy interior, offering a delightful contrast with to the denser chew of regular crust.

Basic Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe

Tools You’ll Need

• digital scale
• 8-quart metal bowl
• large vessel for water
• thermometer
• dough spatula
• large pizza stone

Sourdough Pizza Crust Ingredients

• 500g/50% bread flour/all-purpose
• 500g/50% whole wheat flour
• 700g/70% water (95-100F degrees)
• 150g/15% leaven
• 20g/2% sea salt
• 20g/2% extra virgin olive oil
• sourdough culture

Sourdough Pizza Crust Preparation Instructions

1. Autolyse – Add 700g water and the 150g leaven to the bowl. If you are unsure if your leaven is ready, give it a float test. Take a small amount of your leaven and then add it to a cup of water. If the leaven floats, you’re all set. If not, wait another 60-90 minutes and check again. Stir the leaven until incorporated into the water.
2. Mixing – Add both the whole wheat and bread flour to the bowl and mix until no dry bits remain and the dough—which will be rather loose and sticky—is uniform.
3. Take a 30-minute break! You’ve worked so hard already!
4. Salt – Incorporate the salt by pinching it in, using your hands like a lobster claw. Don’t worry about the dough separating, it will come back together nicely once you have incorporated the salt. This step will take some time and also some effort to get the dough back into uniform mass. You must ensure that all the salt is incorporated evenly, and that the dough feels and looks uniform.
5. Turns for Strength – Because you aren’t using a mixer you will have to develop the gluten another way (development is incredibly important as, this gives your free form loaf its strength needed to bloom nicely in the oven). Dip your hand in water, and pull the dough from the bottom of the bowl up over the top. Do this around the bowl until the dough starts to form up. Your first turns will be more intense than the later ones. As the dough develops it will become soft, silky, and lighter. Do a turn every 15 minutes for the first hour and then every 30 minutes during the remainder of bulk rise.

6. Bulk Rise (2-4 Hours) – Otherwise known as your “first fermentation.” This is the part of the process where you develop the strength, flavor, and also  the structure to your bread. You’ll know your bulk rise is complete when your dough has grown around 15-20% and has slightly rounded, puffy edges on your bowl or in your tub. Maintain a dough temperature between 78 – 82 degrees.  

7. Divide and Shape – Flour the sides of your container then gently pull the dough out of your container onto an unfloured surface. You’ll then lightly dust the dough and divide into four separate masses. Gingerly form each piece of dough into a nice tight round. Then, once you have rounded all doughs, place them on a cookie sheet and cover to proof them. Pro tip: A large, plastic bag seems to work best. 

8. Proofing (3-36 Hours) – Once the shaping is complete, you then must allow the dough to relax and have its second fermentation. If you want to bake pizza the same day as your mix, you can bet on the pizza being ready about 3-4 hours after you shape. Otherwise, let them sit in the fridge for up to four days and bake when you want. The longer the dough stays in the fridge, the softer the structure will become as the fermentation will not stop. I prefer a 24-48 hour proof here at the shop.
9. Baking – Preheat your oven to 500/550 degrees around an hour before you want to bake the pizzas. You want to ensure that your pizza stone is quite hot before placing any pies on it.

For Baking Round Pies – 14” pie

1. Lightly flour your counter, scoop a dough from your tray, place in a flour-filled vessel, and then coat the round nicely with flour. 
2. Take the round out of the flour vessel and then place on a small mound of flour—begin your pre-shape. Pro Tip: Ensure to keep the middle of the dough as strong as possible and be wary of thin spots. 
3. After pre-shaping, remove nearly all the flour from underneath your dough– round and perform the stable– stretch and a little stretch on your hands. Place on a lightly, floured peel and top quickly. You can also use semolina flour on the peel if you’re nervous it will stick. 
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes
5. Lightly flour your counter, scoop a dough from your tray, place in a flour-filled vessel, and then coat the round nicely with flour. 
6. Take the round out of the flour vessel and place on a small mound of flour—begin your pre-shape. Pro Tip: Ensure to keep the middle of the dough as strong as possible and be wary of thin spots. 
7. After pre-shaping, remove nearly all the flour from underneath your dough– round and perform the stable– stretch and a little stretch on your hands. Place on a lightly, floured peel and top quickly. You can use semolina flour on the peel if you’re nervous it will stick. 
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes 

For Baking Pan Pies (less messy, and you get a better overall pizza from a home oven this way) – ½ sheet tray size 

1. Remove dough from tray and place in flour vessel. 
2. Turn out onto a floured surface and then lightly dock the dough with your finger. 
3. Make your shape nearly as large as the pan—you will finish stretching the dough in the pan itself. 
4. Pick up the dough and place it in a lightly oiled pan. Add your toppings and bake for 12-18 minutes.  
5. Halfway through the bake, check the bottom for doneness. Then rotate the pizza 180 degrees. It should be golden brown and crispy when it is completely done.  

Recipe by Neil Blazin, Driftwood Oven / Story by Kylie Thomas / Photography by Laura Petrilla

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