sourdough pizza #3

Was reading the Pizzamaking.com web site when I came across this recipe for Papa John's Pizza Sauce . More than the sauce, I was intrigued by another author's recipe for pizza dough:

3 C KA bread flour
1 1/3 C water
1/2 t ADY
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar

Then he did this:

"Proofed the ADY in 1/3 C of water and all the sugar. Then added the yeast mixture to 1 cup flour and mixed for 3-4 minutes (Kitchen Aid dough hook setting #1). Rest for 20 minutes. Added salt, and remainder of flour. Mixed for 13-15 minutes. Rest for 20 minutes. Placed into tupperware with a few drops of oil. Then into the refrigerator for 2 days...bench rise for 3-4 hours. Made 2 12" skins, topped, then into preheated stone at 500. Cooked in 7-8 minutes. Light and airy, and yet crisp. "

Made me rethink my hydrations, and using active dry yeast altogether. So here's another variation; bumping up water, wheat germ & sugar, and increasing ferment time.

Makes 1 large size pizza, perhaps 14-16".

3 c bread flour
1 c water
1/2 c active sourdough starter (I use my LBB starter)
2 tbsp wheat germ
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp table salt

1. Add all ingredients except salt to mixing bowl.
2. Mix using dough hook for 2 min. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 min.
3. NOW ADD SALT. Mix with dough hook on speed 2 for 8 minutes. Dough will be soft and sticky.
   
4. Place dough in oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let rest for 2 hour at room temp.
   
5. Refrigerate dough in bowl for 24-48 hours.
6. Remove dough 3 hours before baking.
   
7. 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 550 degrees; make sure your pizza stone is in there.
   
8. Dip dough in flour & shake off excess. On a very well floured board, stretch dough into shape.
9. Transfer dough to parchment paper on rimless baking sheet (or parchment on pizza peel)
10. Slide pizza into oven, on stone, located 2nd shelf from top.
    
11. Add 1 cup hot water to broiler pan at bottom of oven.
    
12. Add toppings and bake for 10 minutes, or until crust is browned as desired.

Results:

• Crust thickness (1=thin CPK, 3=normal PJ Dominos, 5=thick Chicago style): 3
  
• Crust rise (1=no bubbles/some bubbling/5=big bubbles everywhere): 3
  
• Crust crunch (1=eiscafe soft, 5=cracker hard): 2
  
• Crust blistering (1=no blistering, 5=clear, perfect blistering): 2
  
• Crust chew (1=not chewy,5=very chewy): 3
  
• Crust doneness (1=dough still raw, 5=browned and cooked through): 2
  
• Crust texture hole size (1=small, 3=med, 5=large): 3
  
• Crust texture hole regularity (1=even, 3=a little irregular, 5=very irregular): 3.5
  
• Crust browning: (1=pale/white, 3=browning, 5=chocolate brown): 1
  
• Crust sourness (1=not sour, 5=very sour):1
  

Notes:

• Dough by comparison to #1 was pretty dry; didn't stick to mixer bottom.
• After 10 minutes, bottom was still pale, as though it didn't cook through, but it appeared cooked through.
  
• When stretching the dough, it stretched nice and thin, and bubbles were visible throughout, just didn't bake out correctly.
  
• Barely hints of sourness.
  
• Wheat germ added nice nuttiness, but subtle
• Crust was nice and tender
  
• Would need to re-do this recipe, as was too pale

For Next Time

• Rotate pizza 180 degrees after 1st 5 minutes.
• Perhaps add more water?
  
• Perhaps add less sugar, oil and salt?