This sourdough New York style pizza dough uses a cold fermentation method lasting 1–6 days to develop complex flavor and a crispy, bubbly crust. The dough stretches to an 18–20 inch circle and bakes on a preheated stone at 500°F for 8–10 minutes.
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In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, weigh out the water, sourdough starter and brown sugar. Stir until a slurry is formed.
Add the flour and olive oil to the bowl and with a Danish dough hook, the dough hook attachment or by hand mix on low speed until a shaggy dough is formed.
Let this fermentolyse (rest) for 30 minutes, covered.
Next, add the salt and knead the pizza dough for 10 minutes on low speed or by hand.
After you are done kneading the dough, rest on the counter for 1-2 hours.
With a bench scraper divide the dough evenly into 3 and form into balls. Roughly 470 grams each.
Do this by cupping your hands and pulling the dough toward you to create a nice ball.
Place in a shallow dish. (The dough balls will touch but that is okay.)
Next, put the covered dish in the fridge and let ferment at least 1 day or up to 6 days. This is the cold fermentation.
I find the dough get better with a longer fermentation time so don’t worry about how good your 3-day old pizza dough will be. It should be great!
Now that you have made the dough made and it has fermented in the fridge for at least 24 hours you are now ready to make a pizza.
Start by heavily flouring a spot on a clean work surface. Take the dough out of the fridge (this is the instructions for doing one pizza) take one of the dough balls and create a tight dough ball again.
Then place it top side down on the flour. Let the dough rest on the counter for 1 hour. *
At this point preheat your baking stone or baking steel to 500 degrees. You want the stone or steel to preheat for a good 45 minutes before you bake your pizza.
Once the dough has rested for about an hour, take and press the center of the dough pushing it out to the sides leaving a thicker part around the exterior. This will be the crust.
Sprinkle your pizza peel or flat baking sheet with a little flour.
Next is the fun part…gently pick up the dough (I remove any rings for this step) and with your knuckles stretch the dough until it is a large 18-20 in circle.
Tip: Work from the edges as you move the dough. If you place your fists in the center of the pizza dough it will get much too thin in the center and too thick on the edges.
This takes some practice so take your time and enjoy!
Once you are done hand tossing your pizza, place on your pizza peel. Gently pull and stretch it so that it is a nice circle. Working quickly, add the sauce in a thin layer and cheese (and any other toppings you want) on top of the dough.
Test to make sure your pizza dough slides on the surface. If it is sticking, simply put some flour under it until it loosens up where it was sticking.
Next, slide your pizza quickly onto the steel or stone and set your timer to 8-10 minutes. Check it often toward the end of the baking time. You want it to be golden and bubbly.
Using your peel slide your pizza out of the oven and onto a cutting surface.
Cool briefly, cut, and enjoy!
Make sure to enjoy this pizza New York Style…Big slices and cracking the crust in half and eating.
Store dough balls covered in the fridge up to 6 days. Let dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour before stretching. After baking, store cooled pizza covered at room temperature up to 2 days or wrap and freeze up to 1 month.
stand mixer with dough hook (or mix by hand) · bench scraper · baking stone or baking steel · pizza peel · kitchen scale
Cold ferment in the fridge for at least 24 hours, up to 6 days. Longer fermentation (3+ days) yields better flavor and texture.
Preheat to 500°F for at least 45 minutes before baking. Bake for 8–10 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Yes. The recipe suggests using 400g all-purpose flour mixed with 400g bread flour, or you can substitute entirely, though bread flour develops better gluten structure.
Dust the pizza peel with flour and test that the dough slides freely. Add more flour underneath if it sticks before sliding onto the hot stone.
The recipe does not address freezing. Cold ferment up to 6 days in the fridge for best results.
