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I have recently started doing sourdough pizzas but the last couple of times, when I mix per the instructions, the dough is really 'wet' (one minute it isn't coming together, add a little more water then it suddenly turns). I leave it 24 hours to ferment in the hope it will turn out okay but then I've ended up putting extra flour in to make it more usable. However, I find that it doesn't have any elasticity to it - is this because I have added extra flour to it just before using? Is there something else I should be doing?
The starter itself seems fine - it's certainly active and fermenting as it is currently forcing its way out of the Kilner jar that it lives in.
Wet is good you just need to learn how to handle it.
Knead it by lifting and edge* and slapping it down. It'll come together and produce a lovely dough have faith.
I never understood the need for a baking scraper but now I do!
What flour are you using? Recipe? I use Caputo Blue and the 'Pizza App' for recipes. I don't use SD, normally just use a poolish and add liquid as needed in the final mix. Do use an mixer instead of hand kneading which I find easier to manage consistency.
Recipe:
500g Strong white bread flour (Allinsons)
50g Coarse semolina
10g Salt
200g Sourdough starter
1/4 tsp Dried yeast
325ml Water
50ml Olive oil
Do you autolaise first?
IE let flour and water mix and sit together for 30 mins before mixing the rest in and kneading? That helps to strengthen the gluten structure which helps with elasticity, also don't over knead.. are you using a kitchenaid or hand kneading?
Are you using a calculator like pizapp for hydration? As using a wet sourdough starter as opposed to a stiff one will have dif water content affecting the overall hydration.
I always found in winter also, a hydration of around 62% is better than my usual 65% assuming due to it being colder and more dense moisture in the air.
And also also, not all moisture content is the same in all bread flours, if there is more or less hydration adjust the calculator accordingly
No I don't leave the flour and water together (the instructions don't say to do that). I hand-kneed and only do it briefly (again, that's what the instructions say to do and I can't afford a Kitchenaid). The starter is quite stiff and dry. IIRC, the first few times I made the base, I used Very Strong bread flour but the ones I have struggled with are just using Strong (both Allinsons – it was just on offer so I got that one). Is that likely to be the issue? I had wondered that but thought it couldn't make such a difference.
Flour makes a big difference. Try some Caputo as mentioned.