Sourdough pizza differs from regular pizza mainly in flavour, texture and digestibility. It's made on a living culture of wild yeast instead of instant yeast, and it ferments much longer — 48 hours in our case.
Sourdough pizza has deeper flavour, ferments for 48 hours, contains wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria from our own starter, and is easier to digest than instant-yeast pizza.
What is a starter and how do we use it?
A starter is a living culture of flour and water — a colony of wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria. We feed it daily, in the right proportions of flour and water, at the right temperature. It's our starter — without it there's no pizza at PIENO.
Unlike instant yeast, which turns dough into a sponge in 60 minutes, sourdough works slowly. That gives time for the starch and proteins in the flour to begin breaking down before the dough even reaches the oven.
Why does the dough ferment for 48 hours?
Because fast dough means flat flavour. Over two days of low-temperature fermentation the flour releases far more flavour than it does in an hour. Aromas develop that you can't fake with a shortcut — nutty, lightly tangy, grainy.
It also changes the texture. The crust (cornicione) becomes light and full of air, the centre elastic, the base crisp but not dry. A short fermentation will never give you that texture.
Is sourdough pizza healthier?
Yes — and it's not marketing. Three concrete things:
- Better digestibility. Long fermentation partially breaks down gluten and phytates in the flour. That doesn't make the pizza gluten-free — it makes it easier to digest for people with mild wheat sensitivity.
- Lower glycaemic index. Slower starch digestion means a slower sugar release. There's no "crash" an hour after a sourdough pizza.
- Fewer additives. Our dough is flour, water, salt, starter. No raising agents, preservatives or improvers.
How do you recognise good sourdough pizza?
By the crust and the aroma. A good cornicione is light, irregular and full of air — big bubbles, not a dense, rubbery structure. In the smell you'll catch a gentle tang and a grainy note that instant-yeast dough doesn't give.
The base should be crisp but not hard, lightly charred in spots. And the whole thing should feel light — after a good sourdough pizza you don't feel "stuffed".
That's why we make our dough the way we do. Not because it's trendy — because it simply tastes better and eats better.
Frequently asked questions
Is sourdough pizza healthier?
Yes, in three concrete ways: it's easier to digest, has a lower glycaemic index and contains fewer additives. Long fermentation partially breaks down gluten and phytates.
Is sourdough pizza gluten-free?
No. It contains gluten, but long fermentation partially breaks it down, so it's often better tolerated by people with mild wheat sensitivity. It is not an option for people with coeliac disease.
How long does sourdough dough ferment?
At PIENO the dough ferments for 48 hours at low temperature — the time needed for deep flavour and a light texture to develop.
How is sourdough different from instant yeast?
Sourdough is a living culture of wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria that works slowly. Instant yeast works in an hour but gives flat flavour and poorer digestibility.
Come for pizza
Sourdough pizza with 48h fermentation — book a table or ask about catering.
