Amazing Vegan Sourdough Pizza
Hi, loved ones!
So … sourdough pizza. Have you tried it? If so, you already know that this pizza is a game-changer. Don’t get me wrong. I love yeast dough pizza and all sorts of vegan pizzas. But when making a sourdough pizza, it’s all about putting in the effort to make a pizza with lots of love. This pizza comes out with a thin crusty base and soft fluffy edges. Such an amazing crust that doesn’t come out in other pizzas. The dough is richer in flavor and has excellent texture. It is not one of those quick recipes of – within an hour and there is pizza. It is but a recipe that should have an active bubbling and good active sourdough starter. The whole game here basically, it’s let proofing enough time and proper folding of the dough.
The dough we make today can fit a pizza, Vegan Focaccia, and can also be suitable for a pastry you want to fill with a savory or sweet filling. Quantity is quite large. One kilo of pizza flour from the Caputo brand. That will yield between 5-7 medium pizzas or 10 smaller focaccias. And the reason is, if you already put so much work into making this dough, You can save it for later. You can freeze half of it and whenever you want to have a pizza, you will only have to thaw (just out of the fridge, not in the microwave) for about an hour, and then let it proof. If you know you want to have pizza for dinner, you should thaw it in the morning or the early afternoon.
Recommended dishes to use in making sourdough pizza
- Standing Mixer – You can of course work with your hands, and at some point, you will also have to fold the dough hands. But we work here with a relatively wet and sticky dough. It is advisable to start the first steps with a quality electric standing mixer.
- Pizza Peel – This is a necessary tool if you have a pizza stone that absorbs heat in the oven. You don’t want to take the super-hot stone out of the oven to put the pizza on top. It will be very dangerous. The pizza peel will help you release the pizza from the peel to the hot stone. Nevertheless, it needs to be well floured in semolina so that the sticky pizza dough will come off easily. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can shape your vegan pizza directly on a baking tray with baking paper. Of course, it may turn out differently.
- Pizza Stone – a stone that heats up in the oven even before the pizza enters. This way you will get a pizza with a crispy and not wet crust from the toppings and sauce we added to it. As a huge sourdough pizza fan, I decided that these tools are necessary if I want to achieve the perfect result.
- Pizza Knife – sharp and good can be a roller or a professional pizza knife.
How do you make sourdough dough for pizza or focaccias?
You can also see how I make the dough and the folds in the IG highlights focaccia sourdough on my Instagram page Shaniki2004
step one
Autolysis – In a mixer, first mix the water and dough and stir until combined. Then let the dough rest for half an hour to 40 minutes. The reason is that it is the time required for all the water content to be absorbed into the flour. Only after this waiting time will we then understand if the dough needs more or less water. It also gives the dough time to rest and becomes elastic to work with.
Step two
Adding the starter – After resting, we will add the starter and continue with the mixer at a slow speed. It is important that all the sourdough is well absorbed into the dough before adding the rest of the ingredients that might interfere. In addition to the starter, it is important to feed it twice or 3 times before using it, and a 4-hour interval between each feeding. This is so that it will be in its most optimal stage to help the dough proof well.
Step Three
Add the salt – and mix for 3 minutes. Then add the olive oil. Mix until all the olive oil is absorbed into the dough at medium speed. It can take 10 minutes. A soft and elastic dough is obtained and can be transferred to another bowl for proofing and folding every 40 minutes.
Step Four
Proofing and folding – we want to proof 2 times in 40 minutes intervals and fold the dough after each proofing. The folds can be made in 2 forms. The first is to grab it from the edges of the dough. Stretch upwards and fold towards the center of the dough. Do so in a circular motion. The second is, you can lift the dough with both hands from its center and you will notice that it is stretched downwards from the edges. Then it can be folded inside itself about 4-5 times. After the 2 proofs, take a greased baking tray, divide the dough balls to a weight of 200 grams each. Place them on the pan. At this point, you can decide whether to freeze some of the dough to use at later times.
Step Five
Baking – Between the folds and proofing, you have time to make your favorite sauce and toppings. Below is a recipe for pizza sauce and you can also use a store-bought. When the dough is ready, heat in the oven to maximum heat with the pizza stone inside. The higher the oven temperature, the shorter the baking time, and the crispier and airier the crust be. To shape the dough, we will take each ball, and first, we will cover it in semolina on both sides. Also, sprinkle a handful of semolina on the pizza tray or baking tray. We will start opening the dough from the center of the ball outwards and always make sure that the dough does not stick to the pizza spoon. If you put enough semolina it won’t happen. The opening will be done with the fingers stretching the dough out from the center until you reach the desire shape and size.
Toppings:
I used Violife vegan mozzarella cheese this time because it is simply available in most places. I also like homemade Cashew Mozzarella. I added broccoli which I lightly blanched in boiling water for about 10 minutes and then transferred to icy water. Then rinsed and dried. The flowers must be separated small if you decided to use broccoli. I cooked corn cobs in a pressure cooker for about an hour. Cut them nicely and not too large slices of corn.
Simply amazing pizza! Enjoy!
Vegan Sourdough Homemade Pizza
Equipment
- Standing Mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Proof container
- Scale
- Pizza stone (optional)
- Pizza spatula (optional)
- If dont have the last 2 then: Baking tray
- Dough cutter
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1000 Grams Pizza flour I used Caputo
- 630 Grams Water
- 170 Grams Sourdough starter
- 27 Grams Salt
- 27 Grams Olive oil
Neapolitan Pizza Sauce
- 3 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 10 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Can Polpa I used Mutti (400 Gram)
- 1 Pack Tomato puree 260 Gram
- 3 Tbsp. Dried oregano
- 2-3 Tsp Salt
Toppings
- 120 Grams Grated vegan cheese As much as you want
- Corn slices (optional)
- 5 Kalamata olives (optional)
- 4-5 Small Broccoli (optional) slightly blanched, separated into small pieces
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- For a strong and ready-to-use sourdough starter, make sure to feed it 2-3 times before use. The starter will be really good to use when lots of bubbles appear in it. Feed it with an equal amount of water and flour mixture.
- Pour the water into the mixer, add the flour, and mix on medium speed until the dough is combined. When a uniform dough is formed, cover, and let it rest for half an hour.
- Add the sourdough starter and mix on low speed for 5 minutes until the sourdough is absorbed into the dough. Cover and leave for 15 minutes.
- Add the salt and kneed for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes add the olive oil and increase to medium speed. Stir until the oil is completely absorbed into the dough, the dough is uniform and the gluten is strong. It can also take 10 minutes. Make sure that the dough won't get warm.
- Transfer the dough to proof in a bowl or greased container. The first proof is for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes start the first fold. Grasp the end of the dough, stretch upwards, and fold into the center of the dough while turning the bowl. Fold between 6-7 such folds from the edges of the dough to the center. Let proof again for another 40 minutes.
- Repeat the folds, and proof again for 40 minutes.
- After the dough has reached the desired volume, flour the surface and transfer the dough over the flour. Using a dough cutter, divide into 200-gram pieces, arrange them into a circle or bun, and place on a greased baking tray. If you want to use only part of the dough you can freeze some of it now.
Neapolitan Pizza Sauce
- Heat oil in a deep pan and lightly sautee the garlic.
- Add the tomato pulp into the pan and stir.
- Add the tomato puree together with a glass of water, salt and herbs and mix well. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, medium heat, cover with a lid until all the liquids are reduced and the sauce becomes thick. Check for flavors if needed.
Assembling The Pizza
- Preheat oven to 275 ° C.. If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven to warm it up.
- To flatten the pizza, generously sprinkle opening flour or semolina over the work surface. Take a dough ball and place it over the semolina on both sides.
- Using your fingers with both hands, open the ball of dough from its center outwards by pressing and stretching, and in a circular motion. All this continues to be done on a floured surface in semolina or very coarse flour.
- At this point, you should transfer the dough you opened to a pizza tray again floured with semolina so that it can be easily released onto the stone that is heated in the oven otherwise the pizza will stick to your wood or spoon. If you do not have it, you can bake it on a tray with baking paper and floured with semolina.
- Take 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce and spread gently on the dough and leave the edges without the sauce.
- Sprinkle with grated vegan mozzarella cheese as much as desired.
- Add toppings! I chose corn, broccoli, and kalamata. Be careful not to put too much so as not to create a heavy weight on the dough that will cause it to stick.
- Bake at maximum heat of your oven. If it is 275 ° C then bake for 10 minutes until the pizza is puffed on the sides and gets a nice golden crust.
Notes
- The dough can be stored in the freezer and when you want to bake, take it out, leave it to thaw, and rise, and then move on to the flouring stage in semolina on both sides.
- The amount of dough and sauce will be enough for about 5-6 medium pizzas. The recipe can be divided in half if needed.
- The calories indicated in the recipe are for one whole medium pizza.
