CLEARWATER, Fla. — Cary Gershowitz is the owner of Gershy’s Café and Pastry.

Gershowitz works off of a sourdough bread starter, or a Mother, he started years ago. And he shows us how to do it.

It’s just a hearty flour — wheat or rye — and water.

“I just mix it and make a slurry with it,” said Gershowitz.

He adds a little flour every day, covers it and keeps it on the counter.

Wild yeast ferments the dough.

It’s how he makes all of his pizza crusts.

He offers a recipe for making pizza dough!

Pizza Dough

Ingredients

• ½ cup active sourdough starter
  
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 2 teaspoons honey or sugar
• 2-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons of bread flour

Method

• Mix dry ingredients.
• Add wet ingredients.
• Mix till dough forms.
• Add olive oil to keep dough from sticking.
• Use flour on hands to form dough.
• Set aside to rest — after 30 minutes or so, it will double in size.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead dough.
• Roll out. Gershowitz — a lifelong baker — uses a rolling pin.
• Cooking times vary according to oven and toppings.