Shojin Sourdough Pizza with Binchotan-Charred Takenoko and White Miso Cream

Introduction

Welcome to my kitchen. Today, we bridge the ancient silence of Kyoto temple cooking with the modern warmth of a soft artisan pizza. This dish is a meditation on the harmony between fermented grains and the spring mountain harvest. We use a sourdough base enriched with fresh silken tofu to achieve an ethereal softness, topped with ingredients kissed by binchotan charcoal. It is an invitation to slow down and savor the peak of the season.

Ingredients

• 250g Type 00 flour
• 50g Active sourdough starter fed with koji-infused water
• 150ml Warm filtered water
• 50g Freshly pressed silken tofu, mashed until smooth
• 8g Sea salt
• 100g Young bamboo shoots (takenoko), parboiled
• 4 Large shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp Shiro-miso (white miso)
• 1 tbsp Toasted sesame paste (nerigoma)
• 1 tsp Mirin
• A handful of fresh Sansho leaves or Mitsuba
• 1 tsp Aged tamari for drizzling
• Yuzu zest for finishing

Instructions

1. In a large wooden bowl, combine the flour, sourdough starter, water, and mashed silken tofu, mixing gently by hand until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Add the sea salt and knead the dough for ten minutes until it feels like a soft silk cloud; cover with a damp cloth and let it ferment in a cool place for 12 hours.
3. Divide the dough into two balls and let them rest for another 4 hours to develop a complex, airy structure.
4. Prepare the miso cream by whisking together the shiro-miso, sesame paste, and mirin until smooth and pale.
5. Slice the bamboo shoots thinly and lightly char them over binchotan charcoal or a very hot cast-iron griddle until golden and fragrant.
6. Stretch the dough gently by hand, preserving the air bubbles in the crust, and spread a thin layer of the miso cream over the center.
7. Arrange the charred bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms across the surface in an asymmetrical, natural pattern.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at the highest possible setting (ideally 275C or higher) on a pizza stone for 6 to 8 minutes until the crust is blistered and soft.
9. Remove from the heat and immediately garnish with fresh sansho leaves, a light drizzle of aged tamari, and a whisper of yuzu zest.

As you finish the last bite, let the lingering warmth of the miso and the tingle of the sansho remind you of the interconnectedness of all things. This pizza is not just a meal, but a seasonal offering. I hope it brings a moment of peace to your day. Until our next encounter with the seasons.

Hiroshi