After all this time, I finally did it

This has been a long time coming. No one told me months ago that homemade pizza dough would lead to struggling with a sourdough starter😅. After half a dozen failed sourdough loafs and variety of starter feeding schedules with different flour types, I think I've finally arrived.

Big loaf, not gonna lie. 1161g total at 73.333% hydration before starter, 75.4% including starter.

This works well for our household. You can always scale up or down thanks to the beauty of bakers percentages.

600g flour (70% KA bread flour/30% KA whole wheat flour)

440g water (90°f)

100g ripe mature starter (1:5:5 feed of KA bread flour ~12 hours in advance, he's an active boy)

12g salt

9g Extra Virgin Olive Oil (trying something new, seems to help with crust development)

Didn't have the extra time for autolyse, but here's the process I did:

Mix all dry ingredients and olive oil in mixing bowl. Mix starter and (measured) water separately.

Slowly incorporate wet ingredients into mixing bowl using a mixing spoon, making sure to scrape sides and bottom for dry flour. Rough mix until decently incorporated into a shaggy dough. Covers with cloth/towel and leave in oven with only the light on for 30 mins.

After 30 mins first stretch and folds, cover and return to oven. Repeat once more after 30 mins.

After 2 sets of stretch and folds (1 hour), I move onto coil folds in 45 minutes intervals while still covering and returning to the lighted oven. Repeat this a minimum of 3 times, ideally more.

Once I feel enough gluten is developed and I have a decent amount of dough strength I rough shape and transfer to fridge for cold retard for 12-16 hours.

After cold retard, remove from fridge and transfer to floured work surface. Stich and roll method to build tension, then slide and rotate the dough ball, pulling it towards you to help seal the bottom. Transfer to proofing basket for final rise.

Let proof while dutch oven preheats for 1 hour minimum at 450°f

Line preheated dutch oven with parchment paper, being careful to not burn yourself and place dough in, I prefer seam side down. Score in desired pattern and spritz with water. Place in oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes

After initial bake, remove lid, spritzing dough surface again, and reducing heat to 400°f

Bake until desired color on top

Crumb could use some help, but I'm thrilled with the taste and FINALLY having a noticable ear on top. Not the most Instagram worthy loaf, BUT I FINALLY DID IT. And the flavor! OH MAN. Its just 👨‍🍳🤌