Soft, Whole Grain · Sourdough-Optional · Family-Favourite
Pizza nights were a big deal in my family growing up. We always looked forward to gathering around the table, shaping dough, choosing toppings, and making something delicious together. It’s a tradition I’ve carried into our own home — and one that just keeps getting better.
Funnily enough, one of my first real jobs was at my brother-in-law’s pizzeria — where he and my sister-in-law ended up falling in love! So yes, there’s even a pizza love story in our family history.
But homemade pizza just hits differently. Especially when the crust is fresh-milled, soft, and just the right amount of chewy — and everyone gets to shape their own. This dough has become our go-to for Friday night pizza and cozy breadstick nights. It’s easy to work with, forgiving, and packed with gentle flavour.
What This Dough Makes:
- 2 medium round pizzas (12″)
- or 6 individual pizzas (great for kids or parties)
- or rustic breadsticks for dipping
🌾 Ingredients
Dry Ingredients (675 g total flour)
- 525 g bread flour (fresh-milled hard red or hard white wheat)
- 150 g softer flour (try spelt, kamut, red fife, or einkorn)
- 2¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 1¼ tsp instant yeast
- Optional: 30–50 g sourdough discard for added flavour and stretch
Tip: Blending strong and soft flours makes this crust light, flexible, and satisfying.
Wet Ingredients
- ~500 ml warm water (start with 475 ml and adjust as needed)
- 2½ Tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
Method
- In a large bowl, combine flours, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add sourdough discard if using.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the water and olive oil.
- Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Let the dough rest for 10–15 minutes.
- Knead briefly (or fold a few times) until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and rest 35–45 minutes, doing 1–2 stretch & folds during that time.
- Divide and shape into pizzas or breadsticks, using olive oil (not flour) to prevent sticking.
- Let shaped dough rest another 30 minutes before baking.
- For pizza: par-bake crusts for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then top and finish baking.
- For breadsticks: shape into long strips, rest 30 minutes, then bake until golden.
🍅 Quick Tomato Paste Pizza Sauce
This pantry-friendly sauce pairs perfectly with soft, fresh-milled crust.
Ingredients
- 1 can (156 ml / 6 oz) tomato paste
- ½ can water
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. No cooking needed. Spread thin — a little goes a long way!
Bonus Tip:
Par-bake extra crusts, let them cool, and freeze them. Perfect for last-minute lunches or lazy Friday nights.
Why We Love It
This dough is soft, forgiving, and flavourful — even without sourdough. It stretches beautifully, makes crusts your kids can help shape, and never fails to bring everyone to the table. It’s simple food, made with love. And a little bit of flour magic.
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