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Tavern-Style Sourdough Pizza

Tavern-Style Sourdough Pizza
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Tavern-Style Sourdough Pizza features a crisp, chewy crust made from naturally fermented sourdough, delivering a unique tangy flavor and perfect texture. This recipe uses simple pantry staples, offers easy customization, and is perfect for home cooks and sourdough enthusiasts aiming for an authentic tavern-style pizza experience.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough

  • 100g Active sourdough starter
  • 400g Bread flour
  • 280–300g Water (70-75% hydration)
  • 8g Salt
  • 15g Olive oil (optional)

For the Toppings

  • Classic tomato sauce (amount as desired)
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese (amount as desired)
  • Fresh herbs like basil or oregano (optional)
  • Your favorite toppings (e.g., grilled vegetables, jalapeños, different cheeses)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Your Starter: Refresh your sourdough starter 6-8 hours before making the dough to ensure it is bubbly and active, providing the best rise and flavor.
  2. Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine bread flour, water, and active sourdough starter. Stir until just combined and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). Then add salt and olive oil, kneading gently until smooth but not overly stiff.
  3. Bulk Fermentation: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and ferment at room temperature for 4-6 hours, folding the dough every hour to develop gluten and structure.
  4. Shape the Dough: Divide the dough into portions, gently shape each into rounds without deflating the air bubbles, and let rest for 30-45 minutes to relax the gluten.
  5. Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 500°F (260°C) or as hot as possible with a pizza stone or steel inside to replicate tavern-style oven heat for a crisp crust.
  6. Assemble and Bake: Stretch each dough ball on a floured surface to desired thickness, top with sauce, cheese, and favorite toppings. Bake on the preheated stone for 7-10 minutes until the crust is golden and bubbly.

Notes

  • Use a pizza stone or steel for even, high heat and a crispy bottom crust.
  • Aim for 70-75% hydration for balanced chewiness and crispness.
  • Keep toppings light to allow the crust to bake fully and stay crunchy.
  • For deeper flavor, refrigerate the dough overnight after bulk fermentation (cold ferment).
  • Let the dough rest before stretching to make it easier to handle and maintain airiness.

Nutrition

Keywords: Tavern-Style Pizza, Sourdough Pizza, Artisan Pizza, Home Baking, Fermented Dough, Crisp Chewy Crust, Gluten-Free Pizza Option

Find it online: https://recipesbykaeli.com/tavern-style-sourdough-pizza/