10 of 32

Write now Article Tools

After working in a small pizza parlor years ago and making the crust many times, the recipe is forever stored in my memory. It is a secret, so don't tell anyone!

Good pizza dough is soft and very elastic and stretchy, for this reason stretching and hand tossing a pizza crust is the recognized method for preparing it for baking. Also, the very best pizza crusts are sour-dough and take a bit of time to get going. But if you are after great, authentic taste in a home pizza, here is the key.

Sourdough Pizza Dough

For your sourdough starter:

1 cup unclorinated, bottled water
1 cup Organic Stone Ground Flour

Step 1: Mix together completely in a glass bowl, pour into a 1 qt. glass canning jar, cover with cling wrap or saran wrap and store in a warm (70-80oF) spot of your kitchen. Do not refrigerate at this point. Let this sit for 12 hours. After 12 hours you should see bubbles forming in the jar.

Step 2: Feed your starter. To do this you throw away half of the starter in the jar, and feed it 1/2 cup of fresh water and a 1/2 cup of the flour, you do this for three days. Within this time your starter will get a frothy bubbly top to it and it will smell like beer, it's a pleasant smell.

Your starter is "ripe" and ready to use. (Starter should be kept refrigerated and loosely covered until ready to use. If it gets a layer of dark water on-top simply stir this in, its ok.)

Pizza dough: To begin the pizza dough. Pour the starter you have made into a large GLASS or PLASTIC bowl, never use metal bowls or spoons with starter, it will kills the starter! Add 1 cup of spring water and 1 cup of white flour, stir to combine and set in a warm place to "proof" for 2 or 3 hours. This is your "Sponge" or sourdough batter. You will know when the sponge is ready by the smell, a good yeasty smell and by the fact that your batter is bubbly and has a white froth on it. Proofing time of the sponge varies with your own starter, some take 3 hours some take more time.

To make Pizza crust with this sponge:

1 1/2 cup sponge
2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 tsp. Minced garlic or garlic powder (do not omit!)
1 cups white stone ground flour
1/2 cup whole wheat stone ground flour

Combine ingredients in a glass bowl, never metal. Add enough flour to make a soft dough, add a bit of warm water if the dough gets too dry. Knead dough until smooth and elastic.

Cover with a damp cloth and let it sit to "Rest" for 30 minutes.

Prepare a 12 inch pizza pan with 1/2-1 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle 1 tbsp. garlic powder over the oil. Brush to combine and cover the bottom and sides of the pan with this mixture.

Your dough is now ready to form into a pizza round shape. It is best to stretch this dough, however you can get it started by rolling it out, and then finish the shaping by stretching it on the backs of your hands, stretch out until you have a round 12 inch size.

Place on a will olive oiled pizza pan. Top your pizza crust with: in this order, marinara sauce, shredded or sliced cheese, vegetables, seasonings, meat, fruit (like pineapple) and more cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes in a very hot 500oF oven.

So there you have a secret recipe. The pizza parlor where I worked has long since closed, but I still make this crust,its worth every painstaking step and makes a delicious, healthful pizza for your family!

Learn more about this author, Sheila Watson Kraklow.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Recipes: Homemade pizza dough?
We want to hear your view. Write now!