Sourdough Pizza

1. Conduct a sourdough starter test to ensure it is fermenting and will rise the dough. Drop a small piece into the warm water. If it floats the sourdough starter is active and ready to use. If it sinks it is not ready.

2. Break up and add the rest of the sourdough mix into the warm water. Add the salt and olive oil and mix to combine.

3. Add the flour and mix into a rough dough making sure all the ingredients are mixed. Do not knead. Cover the bowl with a wet towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour.

4. Leave the dough in the bowl and work it using the "stretch and fold technique" i.e. pull dough from the side of the bowl into the middle, turn a quarter circle and repeat for several rotations creating a smooth side and a seam side of the dough and creating a ball. Then start to turn the ball, folding it onto itself. Leaving it smooth side up in the bowl cover with damp towel and leave for a further hour.

5. Repeat Step 4. Leave for 1 hour. 

6. Remove from the bowl. Give it a final shaping, tucking the outside of the ball under and into itself creating a tight ball. Replace in the bowl and cover fxor an hour. Then put it into the refrigerator for 24 to 74 hours.

7. Remove from the fridge 4 hours before you want to make pizza. Cut into quarters. They will be approx 220g each. Work each quarter into a dough ball by pinching and pushing dough into the centre of the ball. Cover the balls and leave them for 4 hours.

8. Dust the ball with flour. Keep the seam side up and use your fingers to press the air bubbles to the edge of the dough creating a disc shaped. Lifting it up and using your hands and the weight of the dough, rotate it and allow it to stretch to a 10 inch pizza.

9. Sprinkle a pizza peel with semolina flour and place the dough on it. Add the toppings of your choice. For a basic Margarita Pizza, use tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella. 

Preheat the oven with the pizza stone to 500 degrees F (or as hot as your oven will go.) Leaving the stone in the oven, slide the pizza off the pizza peel onto the hot pizza stone and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove with tongs when cooked. Garnish with fresh basil.