Description
Sourdough Pizza Bread is a delightful fusion of tangy sourdough and classic pizza flavors, featuring pepperoni and a blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses baked into a crusty loaf. This unique recipe takes your pizza experience to a new level by combining traditional sourdough techniques with beloved pizza seasonings for a flavorful, aromatic bread perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons (325 grams) warm water (80-90℉)
- ½ cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter
Dry Ingredients & Seasoning
- 3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 tablespoon pizza seasoning (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano + 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 4 cups + 2 tablespoons (500 grams) bread flour
- Rice flour for dusting proofing basket
Fillings
- 1 cup (125 grams) pepperoni slices cut into quarters
- ½ cup (50 grams) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup (20 grams) grated parmesan cheese
Additional
- 2 ice cubes for steam
Instructions
- Feed Starter: Feed your sourdough starter 6-12 hours before starting to ensure it’s bubbly, active, and ready for use in the dough.
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm water, sourdough starter, kosher salt, and pizza seasoning until well combined. Add the bread flour and mix until the dough comes together fully; cover and let rest for 20 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Add Fillings: Lightly wet your hands, place a quarter of the pepperoni and cheese in the center of the dough, and perform a stretch-and-fold technique to incorporate them. Repeat adding the remaining pepperoni and cheese in portions, folding each time until they’re fully integrated into the dough.
- Bulk Fermentation: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, which can take between 4 to 8 hours depending on ambient temperature and starter activity.
- Pre-shape: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round ball. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Final Shape and Cold Proof: Shape the dough once more into a tight round loaf and transfer it to a proofing basket dusted with rice flour. Cover and refrigerate overnight for a cold proof to develop flavor and improve the crust.
- Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 450℉ (232℃) with a lidded Dutch oven inside to heat thoroughly, ensuring a hot environment for baking.
- Score and Bake: Carefully turn the cold-proofed dough onto parchment paper, score the top with your preferred pattern to control expansion, and place it inside the hot Dutch oven. Add 2 ice cubes for steam, cover with the lid, and bake for 40 minutes.
- Finish Crust: Remove the Dutch oven lid and bake the bread for an additional 5-10 minutes until the crust achieves your desired golden-brown color and crispiness.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely for at least 2-4 hours to set the crumb before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure the pepperoni slices are evenly distributed throughout the dough for consistent flavor in every bite.
- If you are using table salt or Morton’s brand salt, reduce the amount to prevent over-salting, as these salts have different granule sizes compared to Diamond Crystal Kosher salt.
- Use a straight-sided container to track the dough’s rise accurately to ensure proper fermentation progress.
- Prep Time: 12-16 hours (including cold proofing)
- Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Sourdough Pizza Bread, Sourdough bread, Pizza bread, Homemade sourdough, Pepperoni loaf, Italian bread, Artisan bread recipe, Cheese bread, Slow fermented bread
