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Flaky Puff Crust Pizza

🇮🇹 Italy

Servings: 16 (one 13" x 18" pizza) Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 18 minutes Total: 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter, cold
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose or pizza flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm water (98–110°F)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup pizza sauce
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, preferably whole milk
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon juice, to taste
  • 1/2 clove garlic, grated
  • pinch of table salt
  • pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Steps

  1. Grate the cold butter onto parchment paper, fold to cover, and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
  3. Add water and olive oil, stirring until just combined with a few dry patches remaining.
  4. Knead the dough briefly in the bowl, then on a floured surface until smooth but slightly craggy, about 1-2 minutes.
  5. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes, until puffy.
  6. Roll the dough into a 10" x 13" rectangle on a floured surface.
  7. Sprinkle most of the frozen grated butter over the dough, reserving some for later. Press gently to adhere.
  8. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, then pat or roll to widen to about 4".
  9. Add the remaining butter, fold the dough in thirds again, then press into a 1"-thick rectangle.
  10. Roll the dough out until it resists stretching, then cover and rest for 15 minutes.
  11. Preheat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the center.
  12. Continue rolling the dough to about 13" x 18", popping any bubbles and flouring as needed. Chill briefly if the dough becomes too warm or sticky.
  13. Transfer the dough to an ungreased 13" x 18" pan, stretching it to fit the edges. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
  14. Stretch the dough again to fully fill the pan, then rest covered for another 15-30 minutes until puffy at the edges.
  15. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, and cubed mozzarella.
  16. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned and the crust is golden. Pop any large bubbles with a knife tip if needed.
  17. While the pizza bakes, combine all garlic-basil oil ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  18. Remove the pizza from the oven and loosen any cheese stuck to the pan edges with a spatula.
  19. Transfer the pizza to a wire rack, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of garlic-basil oil.
  20. Let cool 3-5 minutes before slicing and serving. Reheat leftovers wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Notes

This recipe uses a laminated dough technique (like puff pastry) to create an extra-flaky pizza crust, a modern twist on traditional Italian pizza.

Source: www.kingarthurbaking.com