Large No-Knead Sourdough Pizza
A dough for those who want sourdough pizza without creating an episode of CSI: My Kitchen. No stand mixer (because my husband hates the sound of it), no kneading (also, apparently, too noisy), and definitely no tossing it into the air while crooning in a fake Italian accent (unless you like sleeping on the couch). Just a simple, supple dough that gradually ferments into a bubbly, flavorful crust with crisp edges and a chewy center. It’s flexible, forgiving, and possibly the secret to a happy marriage.
Ingredients
- 426 grams (3 cups) bread flour
- 6 grams (1 teaspoon) fine salt
- 240 grams (1 cup) water
- 30 grams (2 tablespoons) active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 25 grams (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil plus more for the pan
- 21 grams (1 tablespoon) honey
- ½–¾ cup pizza sauce
- 2–3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- Meat and vegetable toppings as desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour and salt.
- Add the water, sourdough starter, olive oil, and honey. Stir until a shaggy dough forms with no large dry patches remaining. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Using damp hands, stretch and fold the edges of the dough into the center until it forms a smoother ball. This is not the moment to aggressively manhandle the dough. Once the dry bits are incorporated and the dough looks cohesive, you’re done.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled clear container or bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 8–12 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. If you think of it, perform another stretch and fold once or twice during the rise. If you forget, your pizza will still be good. Humanity persists.
- Once the dough has doubled, gently deflate it and fold the edges into the center again to form a ball. At this point, you can either move straight into shaping or refrigerate the dough for 8–24 hours for a cold ferment. The cold ferment adds deeper flavor and improves browning — a definite boon for crust enthusiasts.
- Generously grease a 16-inch round pizza pan (or 13x18-inch half sheet pan) with olive oil or butter.
- Place the dough ball in the center of the pan. Press your fingers around the outer edge first to establish the crust, then continue pressing outward from the center to stretch the dough toward the edges of the pan. If the dough starts springing back, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
- Once the dough reaches the edges of the pan, cover loosely with greased wrap and let rise until puffy, about 2–4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
- Top the pizza with sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings your heart desires (or your vegetable drawer requires).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bottom is lightly golden. Carefully slide the pizza off the pan directly onto the oven rack and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the bottom crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Transfer the pizza to a wire rack or cutting board and let cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing. This waiting period is cruel but necessary unless you enjoy molten cheese burns and structurally chaotic pizza slices.