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Tavern-Style Sourdough Pizza

Tavern-Style Sourdough Pizza
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Tavern-Style Sourdough Pizza delivers a unique pizza experience with its naturally fermented sourdough dough, creating a crispy yet tender crust with a rich tangy flavor. Featuring simple, fresh ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, this pizza offers a perfectly balanced taste and texture that evokes nostalgic tavern kitchens while allowing for versatile customizations to suit any preference.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 150g Active Sourdough Starter (bubbly and fed)
  • 500g All-Purpose Flour
  • 325ml Water (about 65% hydration)
  • 10g Sea Salt
  • 15ml Olive Oil

Toppings

  • San Marzano Tomatoes (for sauce, about 150g)
  • 150g Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
  • Fresh Basil Leaves (a handful)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
  • Optional: Crushed red pepper flakes, roasted vegetables, or additional cheeses as desired

Instructions

  1. Prepare Your Sourdough Starter: Begin by feeding your sourdough starter 4-6 hours before making the dough so it’s bubbly and active, imparting the signature sour flavor and natural leavening power needed for the dough.
  2. Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, all-purpose flour, water, sea salt, and olive oil. Mix gently until all ingredients come together, then knead briefly to form a smooth, slightly sticky but manageable dough.
  3. Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rest at room temperature for 4-6 hours, folding every hour to build gluten strength and create air pockets. This slow fermentation develops the deep tangy flavor and airy texture characteristic of sourdough pizza crust.
  4. Shape the Dough: After fermentation, divide the dough into portions and gently shape each into a ball, being careful not to deflate the bubbles. Rest the dough balls for an additional hour before stretching.
  5. Assemble the Pizza: Stretch each dough ball into a thin disc about 1/8 inch thick. Spread a thin layer of San Marzano tomato sauce evenly over the surface, then add slices of fresh mozzarella and scatter fresh basil leaves on top.
  6. Bake to Perfection: Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a pizza stone or steel inside for at least 30 minutes. Bake each pizza for 7-10 minutes until the crust is golden and crisp, and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Notes

  • Use a pizza stone or steel to achieve a perfectly crispy bottom crust by distributing heat evenly.
  • Maintain dough hydration around 65-70% for ideal softness and crunch balance.
  • Fold the dough during fermentation to develop gluten network and create airy pockets.
  • Preheat the oven and baking surface thoroughly for the best baking results.
  • Use the freshest, highest quality tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil for authentic flavor.
  • Leftover pizza can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for 2-3 days or reheated in a 375°F oven or cast-iron skillet.
  • Unbaked dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before use.

Nutrition

Keywords: Tavern-Style Pizza, Sourdough Pizza, Crispy Pizza, Homemade Pizza, Natural Fermentation, Thin Crust Pizza

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