Go Back
Pizza capricciosa baked
Print

Pizza Capricciosa with Homemade Sourdough Crust

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rising Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings 2 12" pizzas

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 1 cup 8 oz, 224g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
  • 1 cup 8 oz, 240ml warm water
  • 3 cups 15oz, 420g bread flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Pizza toppings

  • Tomato sauce
  • Shredded mozzarella
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Prosciutto (1-2 slices, ripped into pieces, per pizza)
  • Genoa Salami (a few rounds, halved, per pizza)
  • Kalamata Olives halved
  • Mushrooms sliced and sauteed (3-4 per pizza, or to taste)

Instructions

To make the dough

  • Combine the starter, water and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed with the paddle until the flour is incorporated. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30 -60 minutes.
  • If using a stand mixer, change to the dough hook. With the mixer running on low, add the salt, olive oil and the remaining the flour. Mix on medium speed until the dough begins to clear the sides of the bowl and gathers on the hook. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for 5 minutes. If mixing by hand add as much of the flour as you can using a spoon or spatula, then turn the dough out onto a floured surface to finish kneading in the rest of the flour.
  • Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and turn it over to coat the surface. Cover the bowl and set aside at room temperature.
  • After 30 minutes uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough and fold it into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. You're basically turning the dough inside-out to redistribute the yeast and stretch the gluten. Cover the bowl and after 30 minutes repeat the procedure. Cover the bowl and after 60 minutes repeat the procedure again.
  • Cover the bowl and set aside for another 60 minutes. By the end of 3 hours the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour at room temperature. At this point you can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days or you can go ahead and make the pizzas.
  • At this stage, preheat oven with pizza steel, cast iron pan or stone inside to 500 degrees F.
  • Dump the dough onto a floured surface, do not knead. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Form each piece into a tight ball by cupping the dough in the palms your hands and moving the dough in a circular motion. This is a soft dough so this step will help make forming and moving the pizza easier. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. If the ball flattens right away and the dough still seems very soft, form the ball again and give it another 20 minutes.
  • Using the tips of your fingers, gently flatten and press the dough into a disc. Use your fingers to stretch the dough into a 12-14” round. You can also try to drape the dough over your two fists and pull from the edges to slowly enlarge it to a 12" round. Avoid using a rolling pin because you don't want to deflate all the air bubbles in the dough. Place formed dough onto a piece of parchment paper.

To make the pizza

  • Add tomato sauce to pizza and top with shredded mozzarella followed by fresh mozzarella. Distribute the rest of the toppings.
  • Carefully place pizza, on parchment paper, onto preheated baking steel/pan/stone. Use a paddle or similar surface if you have one to make it easier.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, watching until crust is nicely browned and cheese is melted. Rotate, if desired, about halfway through baking.
  • Remove pizza from oven and place onto cutting board. Allow to cool briefly, slice and serve.

Notes

Pizza Crust Recipe from Baking Sense, baking technique heavily borrowed from Alexandra Cooks