Sourdough starter (levain)

About

An active, well-fed sourdough starter (50% hydration, doubled in 4–6 hours) can replace commercial yeast in any pizza recipe at about 10–15% of total flour weight. Expect more flavor complexity (lactic tang, mineral notes), more browning at lower temps from the lower starter pH, and slower fermentation — plan 18–36 hours for a sourdough cold ferment instead of 8–24. Skip for fast same-day doughs; the slow sourdough character won't develop.

History

Wild-yeast leavening is the original baker's leavening, predating commercial yeast by millennia. The artisan sourdough revival in pizza tracks back to Tartine (Chad Robertson) and to Bay Area pizzerie like Pizzaiolo and Una Pizza Napoletana in the 2000s.

Substitutes

• Instant dry yeast (IDY) — drop the levain; add 0.3% IDY