The Perfect Pizza: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Pizza, Focaccia, and More

"Learn to make exceptional sourdough pizza at home in this groundbreaking, comprehensive guide from the New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award-winning author of The Perfect Loaf Long before he became one of the go-to experts on sourdough baking, Maurizio Leo grew up in his family's pizzeria, watching his dad launch and cook countless pizzas. In The Perfect Pizza, he returns to his roots, tackling pizza with his signature in-depth, technique-driven approach. You can make unbelievable homemade pizza using sourdough starter, and Maurizio is here to show you how. The key to making incredible pizza at home lies in making a great dough. Rather than relying on a few master dough recipes like most pizza books, Maurizio provides unique recipes for over 40 specialty pizza styles, meticulously tested to achieve the best flavor and texture. With helpful QR codes and step-by-step process photos, Maurizio dives into the technique behind creating and maintaining a sourdough starter, mixing dough, managing dough fermentation, and the handling skills needed for balling, stretching, and finally launching the pizza into the oven (whether it's a regular home oven, an Ooni, or a specialty pizza oven). Once you get the hang of the process, you can try out a wide range of recipes and pizza styles. Plus, Maurizio delves into incorporating whole grains into your dough and crafting little-known authentic, regional Italian specialties. The expertly tested recipes include: The Staples: My Go-To Pizza Dough; Today Pizza Dough; A Pizza and a Loaf The Specialty Shapes and Styles: New York Style; Tavern Style; Skillet Pizza; Calzone Exploring Flour and Grain: Sixty-Forty Whole Grain Pizza Dough; Toasted Flour Pizza Dough; A Touch of Rye Pizza Dough Focaccia: A Simple Focaccia; Crispy High-Hydration Focaccia; Buckwheat Focaccia with Roasted Hazelnuts and Cocoa With the techniques in The Perfect Pizza, you're on your way to crafting a homemade pizza that perfectly suits your taste"-- Provi