I have been reading blogs and books, teaching myself how to make whole grain sourdough bread and pancakes. Recently, I started playing with whole grain sourdough pizza and e-mailed Daniel Berman for advice where I could get some local inspiration.

Daniel Berman wrote about our recent visit to 9 Miles East Farm but I wanted to show in pictures and video some tips I found helpful in my pizza making. Thank you Gordon Sacks and Matt for taking the time to show us your process.

1) Before going to bed, make a pre-ferment (starter + spelt flour + water to make a paste with the consistency of peanut butter).  I also mix the flours for next day, set aside, since I have my scale out)

2) In the morning, or 12 hours later, mix dough using the pre-ferment that is nice and bubbly and the flours to it. Mix for 4 minutes, I will use my stand mixer.

9 Miles East use an Italian fork mixer, which slowly aerates the dough without heating it up:

3) Let the dough autolyze, sit in the dark for 20 minutes.

4) Add oil, honey, salt and mix again

5) Take dough out and bucket turn 3 times (every 20 minutes)

Gordon shows how to stretch and fold before refrigeration:

6) Shape and refrigerate overnight (or up to 48 hours)

7) Next morning, open dough, add oil, sauce and cheese and bake. At home, I use a pre-heated pizza stone and bake on a 500F oven, the hottest my oven will go, for about 10 minutes

Really delicious pizza by 9 Miles East farm:

And I was watching closely how Daniel was going about tasting and judging the pizza, starting with the crust!

Now here the pizza I made yesterday, using this process. I baked it at Soul Fire Farm wood oven.