1-Gather ingredients and a kitchen scale. Accurate weights make a big difference with sourdough. Measure: 100 g discard (or 50 g active starter), 10 g fine sea salt, 30 g olive oil, 50 g whole wheat flour, 450 g all-purpose flour, and 325 g water.

2-In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter discard (or active starter), salt, olive oil, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and water. Stir until the mixture forms a shaggy dough with no large dry patches.

3-Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a lid and leave at room temperature to ferment overnight, about 8 to 12 hours depending on your kitchen temperature.

4-The next morning, perform a single round of stretch and fold to build structure. To do this, wet your hands, pull one edge of the dough up and fold it over the center, rotate the bowl about 90 degrees, and repeat until you have pulled and folded all around once. The dough will tighten and feel stronger.

5-Cover and refrigerate the dough for 8 to 36 hours. This optional cold ferment slows fermentation and deepens flavor. Longer cold time yields more complex tang.

6-When you are ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off.

7-Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. On a floured surface, gently shape each piece into a ball by cupping your hands and rotating the dough to create surface tension. Cover with a towel and let rest 30 minutes.

8-Preheat your oven broiler to high and place a heavy cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium to medium-high heat. If your skillet tends to stick, lightly oil the pan.

9-Flatten one dough ball into an 8-inch circle on a floured surface, adding extra flour if it sticks. If the dough feels tight, let it rest 15 to 20 minutes to relax the gluten before the final shaping. This rest helps the dough stretch without springing back.

10-Place the dough circle in the hot skillet and gently press the edges so the dough covers the bottom. Add sauce and toppings immediately. Be mindful not to overload with wet toppings, which could make the center gummy.

11-Cook on the stovetop for 5 to 6 minutes until the bottom has nice char marks and some brown blisters. If your dough is thicker, cook a bit longer at a lower heat to avoid an undercooked center.

12-Transfer the skillet under the hot broiler for 2 to 4 minutes to finish cooking the toppings and melt the cheese. Watch carefully since broilers vary and topping edges can burn quickly.

13-Remove the pizza, let it cool for a minute, slice, and serve hot.

14-Place a pizza stone in a cold oven and preheat to 450°F (232°C). The cold-to-hot method helps prevent thermal shock to the stone.

15-Shape the dough into crusts and add your toppings. Use a pizza peel or parchment to transfer the topped pizza quickly to the heated stone.

16-Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the crust is cooked through and toppings are done. Times vary by oven and stone thickness, so check for a golden edge and bubbly top.

17-Add finishing oil, fresh herbs, or a sprinkle of flaky salt after baking for brightness.

18-Slice and enjoy warm. Leftovers keep in the fridge up to 5 days and reheat well in a 375°F oven for about 10 minutes.