Description
My recipe for a naturally leavened sheet pan pizza that’s flexible and a crowd-pleaser. This pizza has a decidedly crispy bottom crust and interior with a little chew—the perfect contrast of textures.
Ingredients
Main dough
- 400g Type 00 or all-purpose flour
- 71g durum flour, extra fancy (or semolina rimacinata, very finely milled)
- 12g extra virgin olive oil
- 324g water
- 9g sea salt
- 83g ripe sourdough starter
Pomodoro (tomato) sauce
- One 28oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes (Bianco DiNapoli or San Marzano)
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- About 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Mix (11:00 a.m.)
Add all the ingredients except the olive oil to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on speed one for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough comes together, and no dry bits remain. Then, turn the mixer up to speed two and mix for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on to speed one for 1 minute, then drizzle in the olive oil with the machine running. Once all the oil is added, turn the mixer to speed two and mix for 2 to 3 minutes until all of the olive oil is absorbed and the dough is cohesive. Transfer the dough to a container for bulk fermentation and cover. - Bulk fermentation (11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
Give the dough 3 sets of stretch and folds during this time at 30-minute intervals. After the last set, let the dough rest until the end of bulk fermentation. - Proof (2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Leave the dough covered in the bulk fermentation container and proof on the counter for 2 additional hours (see note for overnight retard). About an hour into the proof, preheat your oven with a baking steel or baking stone inside to 500°F (260°C). - Prepare sauce and shape (4:30 p.m.)
Drain the liquid from the can of tomatoes and place the tomatoes in a blender along with the oregano, salt, and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
Gently scrape the pizza dough out of the bulk fermentation container to a floured surface. Dimple down with fingers and gently stretch out to a rectangle. Drag the dough into your sheet pan and finish stretching it to meet the corners. - Cook (5:00 p.m.)
Spread pomodoro sauce over dough, edge-to, edge with no dough exposed. Slide the pan into the oven on the preheated baking steel, turn the oven down to 450°F (230°C), and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the pan and place it on an oven-safe surface. Spread on cheese and any other toppings. Slide the pan back into the oven on the baking steel and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer until the bottom is well-colored and as is the top.
Notes
- If you don’t have type 00 flour, use all-purpose.
- Substitute out the durum flour for spelt, khorasan, whole wheat, or even more type 00/all-purpose flour.
- You can refrigerate the dough at the end of bulk fermentation, covered, overnight. The next day, take the dough out and let it warm for 30 minutes and continue with the Shape step.
Keywords: Pizza, tomato, basil, cheese, mozzarella