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Sourdough pizza dough with airy, blistered crust and incredible flavor. This recipe builds tangy complexity through slow fermentation, yielding light, chewy pizza that's easy to stretch and bakes to perfection in just minutes. Ideal for pizza lovers ready to master sourdough magic at home. For instructions on how to make a sourdough starter, see the Sourdough Starter recipe on Napo.
Quantities update for pizza count and yeast type.
Mix sourdough starter (10g), type 00 Pizza Flour (10g), and water (10g) in a clean jar.
In the meantime, you can go to the next step and autolyse the flour and water.
Weigh out the water (22–25°C recommended) (428g) in a large mixing bowl, then add the type 00 Pizza Flour (400g) and bread flour (212g) to form an autolyse (soaking the flour).
Mix by hand until no dry flour remains.
Cover autolyse and set aside to wait for your starter to peak.
On sourdough starter (30g) peaks, spread it on the surface of the dough and incorporate by kneading for 10 minutes by hand (pinch, fold, and squeeze to combine). If using a mixer, mix on the lowest speed setting for 7 minutes, then allow to rest for 5 minutes before moving to the next step.
Sprinkle fine sea salt (18g) over dough.
Fold and squeeze to mix in salt.
Continue mixing for 3 minutes until salt dissolves and dough tightens.
To easily monitor the fermentation, remove a small piece of dough to place in a small jar, marking its current volume using a rubber band.
Cover dough and leave to rest for 1 hour.
Lightly flour work surface.
Shape dough into a tight ball by dragging across the counter surface to form tension on the surface of the dough.
Place in covered container.
Rest dough until test jar shows 10–15% rise (5 hours at 26°C, longer if cooler).
Do not wait for full doubling.
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions (approximately 270g each).
To shape, gently fold the dough over itself to build surface tension, then tuck the seams underneath to form a smooth, taut ball.
Alternatively, place the dough in the palm of one hand and use the other to push it gently towards your body in a circular motion.
You can also place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it gently with the palm of your hand to tighten the shape.
Ensure the bottom is sealed with no seam.
Place each dough ball seam-side down on a floured tray or in an oiled proofing container and cover.
Refrigerate the shaped dough balls for 24 hours to fully mature the dough. It will be easier to manage in individual oiled containers if you have them; otherwise you can use a large container for all the dough balls.
Remove the dough balls from the refrigerator and let them reach room temperature for 4 hours before stretching. Warmer rooms need less time; cooler rooms need more.
Place a pizza stone or steel on the top rack of your home oven. Set the oven to 275°C (500°F) and let it heat for at least 45 minutes before baking.
Place one dough ball on a lightly floured surface.
Using your fingers, gently press from the center outward, leaving a 1-2 cm rim to form the cornicione.
Lift the dough and stretch it with the backs of your hands or over your knuckles, rotating to evenly expand the disk to 30-35 cm.
Avoid pressing the rim to retain gas bubbles for a light, airy crust.
The oven temperature must be 260°C (460°F) with a pizza stone/steel. Bake the pizza on the stone for 4 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
