My husband and I aren't avid pizza enthusiasts, but I enjoy experimenting with recipes, particularly those involving sourdough bread. I decided to create a sourdough pizza crust and cook it on the Traeger. This experience may have converted us into pizza aficionados. The pizza was exceptional, with a crispy bottom. I'll provide the ingredients and methodology used for the crust, as well as the toppings I recall using. Feel free to customize the toppings to your liking. I highly recommend attempting this pizza recipe on your Traeger, although oven cooking is also an option. However, after utilizing my Traeger, I'll never prepare pizza differently.
100g sourdough discard
10g sea salt
30g olive oil
50g whole wheat flour
400g all-purpose flour
50g bread flour
10g instant yeast ( only if you want yo use same day)
325g water
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. If preparing the dough a day in advance, omit the yeast. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to ferment overnight. The following morning, perform a series of stretch and folds.( If adding yeast after an hour do your first set of folds, ensure your hands are wet, do the next set in an hour. Alternatively, if not using yeast, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 12 to 36 hours. Although chilling is optional, it enhances the sourdough flavor. Since I required the dough for same-day use, I added yeast and omitted the chilling step. Thirty minutes prior to use, divide the dough into two portions and shape each into a ball on a heavily floured surface.
Preheat the Traeger to 500°F with a pizza stone inside for 15 minutes.
I recently purchased all the topping ingredients from Whole Foods, and I must say that their pepperoni is noticeably less greasy compared to what I've found at traditional grocery stores. As someone who's not particularly fond of red sauce, whether it's enchilada or pizza sauce, I was pleasantly surprised by Whole Foods' pizza sauce - it struck a perfect balance without being overwhelming or too acidic. My shopping list included pizza sauce from Whole Foods' prepared food section,
Parmesan cheese,
pizza cheese,
pepperoni,
Italian sausage, cooked
jalapenos,
fresh basil, thinly sliced onions,
sliced mushrooms,
sliced bell peppers.
Not having a pizza paddle, I've since invested in one, hoping it will make a difference in my pizza-making process. In hindsight, I would recommend shaping the pizza dough, placing it directly on the preheated stone, adding toppings, and cooking for 15-20 minutes. The original link that inspired my sourdough pizza crust recipe is listed below, with some minor modifications made
