Pepperoni and Quatto Formaggi Pizza: Sourdough Version

By gnikylime

A modification of a combination of http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/pizza-sauce.html, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/basic-pepperoni-pizza-and-four-cheese-pizza.html, http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/sourdough-recipes/sourdough-pizza-crust/, and http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/italian/pizza/quattro-formaggi-four-cheese-pizza.html with chicken added to the quattro formaggi.

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 6 cups fresh sourdough starter (or: 2 c. unfed starter, 2 c. unchlorinated, filtered water, 2. c flour)
• 5 to 7 Tbsp. olive oil, coconut oil, etc.
• 4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp.. McCormick's Salad Supreme seasoning blend (optional)
• 4 - 6 cups flour
• 4 pinches corn meal (optional)
• Sauce (for two pizzas):
• 1 package poultry schnitzel (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Three 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Quattro Formaggi Toppings (for two pizzas):
• 8.8 oz [250 g] ricotta
• 7.8 oz [220 g] mozzarella, cut into 0.2 inch [0.5 cm]-thick slices
• 7 oz [200 g] gorgonzola piccante, cut into 0.2 inch [0.5 cm]-thick slices
• 3.5 oz [100 g] parmesan (parmigiano reggiano), grated
• Pepperoni Toppings (for two pizzas):
• 5.5 oz [160 g.] pepperoni / paprika salami
• 20 oz. [600 g.] shredded gouda
• 3.5 oz. [100 g.] parmesan

Preparation

Step 1

1. If you don't have any fresh sourdough starter, a day or two before you make the dough, remove 2 c. unfed sourdough starter from the fridge. Put it in an nonreactive bowl and add 2 c. unchlorinated, filtered water and 2 c. flour. Stir vigorously, cover with a cloth, and put in a warm place. Stir at least once a day, more often if you have time.
2. Mix together the sourdough starter, 1/4 c. of oil, the salt, the optional seasoning, and 4 cups of flour. Add more flour, a little at a time, as needed to form a pizza dough consistency. The amount of flour needed will depend on the hydration level of your sourdough starter (the flour-to-water ratios used when feeding the starter).
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 30+ minutes as it will be easier to roll out. (It won't rise significantly.)
4. Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a hot pan over medium-high heat. Throw in the garlic and chopped onions and give them a stir. Add in the chicken pieces and cook until they are done. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add the chicken broth, whisking to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid reduces by half. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar. Add the dried oregano and basil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the over to 500 F / 260 C and put a pizza stone or baking sheet inside.
6. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Wrap unused parts tightly in plastic wrap (reusing the plastic wrap from when the dough was rising) and put into the fridge. They can be stored for a few days before use. Roll the dough to be baked out into a circle using a minimum amount of flour to prevent sticking.
[Experiment with the prebaking step. Bake the crust for approximately 7 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and brush on the remaining oil to prevent the toppings from soaking into the crust and making it soggy.]
7. Using a thick oven glove, very carefully lift the baking sheet or pizza stone out of the oven and sprinkle it with a little polenta (cornmeal). Now carefully lift the pizza dough on to the stone or baking sheet.
8. For one quattro formaggi pizza: Arrange teaspoonfuls of one (half of) the ricotta here and there all over. After that, scatter (half of the) the mozzarella and gorgonzola pieces in between, top with thinly sliced chicken, and, finally, scatter (half of) the parmesan over. Bake the whole thing on a high shelf for about 7 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
9. For one pepperoni pizza: Repeat Step 7. Spread the sauce over the pizza base. Top with one quarter of the shredded gouda, one of the pepperoni, one quarter of the shredded gouda, then one half of the parmesan. Bake the whole thing on a high shelf for about 7 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.