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Rustic Italian Pizza Dough Recipe Video

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The best, easy, thin and crispy crust rustic Italian pizza dough recipe you will ever make. Step by step how to video included below.

Best Italian Pizza Dough Recipe, Authentic Thin and Crispy Crust.

A quick, authentic, thin and crispy, Neopolitan style homemade Italian pizza dough recipe that is also perfect for freezing!

With a name like Florentina you would probably be willing to bet that I live La Bella Vita Under The Tuscan Sun and I can toss a pizza like no-body’s business. The truth is I do live La Bella Vita but under the California Sun, and I can’t toss a pizza for the life of me.

Tough you can make this Italian pizza dough recipe by hand, it is way easier to use a mixer. No tossing required! Honestly this is the reason why I got a Kitchen Aid mixer, and a pizza stone, (<–amazon links) so we can make the best homemade pizza ever. 

After constantly trying new recipes and formulas, and after having gone to Italy in the search of the perfect rustic authentic Italian pizza dough, I am even more confident that this is the best recipe out there.

Italian Pizza Dough Balls Resting on a Marble Board

what makes this the best Italian pizza dough recipe ever: 

  • Quick and Easy to make by hand, food processor or Kitchen Aid Mixer!
  • Made with active dry yeast, (<–amazon), flour and COLD water (no proofing required)
  • Thin and crispy crust, yet still a little chewy
  • Make ahead and refrigerate for tomorrow, freeze for later or use right away.
  • Vegan, perfect for strombolli, calzone, focaccia, bread sticks and even for the outdoor pizza oven.

what  is the best flour for pizza dough ?

In my humble opinion an organic unbleached all purpose flour is ideal especially when making a thin Neopolitan crust. No fancy flour is required. 

what is a Neopolitan pizza crust ?

An authentic Italian thin and crisp crust with charred edges and only a few toppings. 

I go with simple toppings at Casa Florentina:

Burrata Pizza Recipe

The Secret to Italian Pizza Dough Perfection ?

You must bake your rustic pizza on a Pizza Stone! Lightly brush it with some olive oil and as soon as the pie comes out of the oven top it with wedges of fresh tomatoes, basil, oregano and slices of fresh mozzarella di buffala.

There’s no food on Earth like a homemade pizza, but even the best recipe will be lacking without the magic of a pizza stone. Even the most basic one gives you a close result to a wood burning pizza oven. Just remember to heat it up with your oven or it will crack. Give it plenty of time to warm up, even an hour or more if you aren’t in a rush.

Italian Pizza Dough Balls on Pastry Board with Rolling PIn

note worthy:

If you are looking for those authentic charred little fire kisses on your Italian pizza crust but your oven doesn’t go higher than 500″F, I strongly suggest finishing it under the broiler flames, just for the last minute or so. It will give you a similar effect as a wood burning pizza oven. Magical! 

watch how to make the best Italian pizza dough:

 

 

 

5 from 41 votes
Rustic Pizza Dough Recipe
Print
Rustic Italian Pizza Dough Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
7 mins
Total Time
17 mins
 
The absolute best, easy, thin and crispy rustic Italian pizza dough recipe you will ever make.
Course: Pizza
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Pizza Dough, Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 353.3 kcal
Author: Florentina
Ingredients
  • 5 cups all purpose or 00 flour + some for dusting
  • 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 1/4 cups COLD water
  • 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Your favorite toppings:
  • Caramelized onions
  • Arrabiata Sauce
  • Heirloom Tomatoes
  • Fresh Basil
  • Green Onions
  • Smoked Mozzarella Cheese
  • Sauteed Mushrooms
  • Ricotta Meatballs
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven as high as it will go for at least 45 minutes to one hour.

  2. In the bowl of your kitchen aid and using the paddle attachment mix the flour, sea salt and active dry yeast (<--amazon) on low speed until all is incorporated then add the COLD water.

  3. Switch to the dough hook and mix together on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and sticky but should not stick to the sides of the bowl, only a little to the bottom.
  4. (If the dough sticks to the sides sprinkle in a little more flour, if it is too dry then add a bit more water).
  5. After the 8 minutes have passed remove the dough from the kitchen aid and cut it into 6 pieces and form them into rounds. Place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and drizzle with 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature and rise for 2 hours in a draft free area. ( I prefer the oven )
  6. Sprinkle the counter with a little bit of flour, take one piece of dough and press down on it with your fingers until you have 1/2" thick circle or oval. Using your fists and knuckles start stretching the dough until 10" in diameter making sure not to tear it ( this should be easy since it is a small pie).
  7. Dust your pizza peel (or a piece of cardboard) very well with semolina flour or corn meal and set your pizza dough on it making sure it slides easily when moved. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the pizza sauce in the center and spread it around with the back of a spoon leaving 1 inch of space at the edges and making sure not to get any on the peel. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and add your favorite toppings. ( Don't add too many toppings, keep in mind this is a thin crust and a couple of toppings will suffice ).
  8. Gently slide the pie on the preheated pizza stone in a hot 525 degree or more oven, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. When making the breakfast pizza I find that the egg cooks perfectly in 6 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the basil and freshly grated parmigiano reggianno. Allow to rest for a few minute for the cheese to set.
Hand Method

  1. Pour the flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast, salt and cold water and using a wooden spoon mix to combine well.

  2. Sprinkle some flour on a work surface/kitchen counter and dump the pizza dough. Sprinkle some more flour on top and using your hand knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until a smooth ball forms but still a little bit sticky on the bottom. Follow the steps above afterwards.

Recipe Notes

Make sure to preheat your oven with the pizza stone in it for at least 45 minutes, and finish cooking the pizza under the broiler for a nice charred touch.

If topping with heirloom tomato slices, make sure to use the firm ones, otherwise the pizza would be watery. Thin firm slices is what you want.

Nutrition Facts
Rustic Italian Pizza Dough Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353.3
% Daily Value*
Total Carbohydrates 73.3g 24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Pizza:

Egg Pizza Recipe with Prosciutto Ricotta and Spinach

Breakfast Egg Pizza

Ricotta Spinach Pizza Recipe

Ricotta Spinach Pizza

Berry Pizza with Whipped Ricotta Mascarpone Cheese

Pizza Recipes

Rustic pizza dough

Rustic pizza dough

About Florentina

Hi, I'm Florentina, the voice behind the wholesome recipes you find in this journal. But I'm not alone, I'm really just channeling the Man in the Photo, one recipe at a time! Thank you for joining me in my quest for the art of simple, rustic living, trying to capture the raw beauty of organic food & life through the lens of my Iphone and camera.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ben jones

    January 13, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    Florentinas rustic pizza dough and toppings inspired me as they always do to create taste and enjoy lovely lady keep em coming i tip a glass of wine in salute

    Reply

  3. Tess Ortega

    January 15, 2011 at 5:26 am

    This pizza dough is the best I have ever tried..and it was super easy to make!!! It cooked up great on the pizza stone. It was so good we didn’t have any left over!!

    Reply

  6. Americanca

    January 19, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    Ciao Florentina! (‘ciao’ really goes hand-in-hand with your name…) Your friend Diana introduced me to your blog. She recommended the strawberry-spinach salad and here I am… browsing your blog, fascinated by your talent. I love the recipes and the way you talk about them. I’ve always thought a good recipe is even better, accompanied by an interesting story. I’ll definitely stop by more often. Nice meeting you!

    Reply

      • Frank Lane

        July 24, 2016 at 8:48 pm


        I have made this dough before and it was good, but I just got a acorn karnado and was able to cook at at 550 for 7 minutes, perfect

        Reply

        • Christal

          February 3, 2019 at 4:05 pm


          We have the Akron and I first tried pizzas in there and was lucky enough to have found this recipe for that first time…-& it’s the only one I use now! Love it!!!! I even add a piece of ironbark wood to the charcoal, what a flavour!!! I’ve gone thru one stone already, broke straight across lol such high temps in the Akron! Perfect for pizzas and this recipe!

          Reply

  9. Jon

    February 18, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    Although I have used a recipe close to this, this was one of the best pizza recipes I have made. I made one mistake, though. I let the entire dough rise for 1.5 hours before splitting it into 4 separate dough balls. I let them rise for 30 mins and then formed them into pizza crusts. I also used two pizza stones rather than one, one at the very bottom and another two racks down from the top. Put the pizza in at the bottom for about 4 mins. and then move it to the top for 3-4 mins. You will have a firm pizza bottom and chewy crust with a nice golden toasted cheese layer. Thank you for helping to refine my pizza baking.

    Reply

  11. Michael

    May 3, 2011 at 5:00 pm

    Do you have any experience cooking pizza or bread in a convection oven. My oven has a convection mode also. I am hoping to get your input on using convection mode over regular bake mode

    Reply

    • Florentina

      May 4, 2011 at 8:21 am

      I do not use a convection oven but I would give it a try. It should cook the food more evenly at lower temperatures. When it comes to baking pizza you should still use high temperature and a pizza stone, unless of course you have a pizza oven 🙂 in which case high temperature is all you need.

      Reply

      • Michael

        May 4, 2011 at 12:23 pm

        I used the convection oven with a pizza stone. I wish I could have a dedicated pizza oven, that would be nice. have you ever cooked a loaf of bread without a pan?

        Reply

  13. Nancy

    November 17, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    Hi there! Great pizza advise. Haven’t tried it but was curious about the recipe which indicates cold water. I was always taught warm water and sugar to proof the yeast. Thanks for your help!!

    Reply

    • Florentina

      November 17, 2011 at 6:21 pm

      It used to be warm water and sugar to proof the yeast but with the dry instant yeast you can get at the store nowadays that really isn’ t necessary. I never had an issue and it’s much simpler. Go for it!

      Reply

  14. Gayle Raymond

    December 14, 2011 at 7:19 am

    It used to be warm water and sugar to proof the yeast but with the dry instant yeast you can get at the store nowadays that really isn’ t necessary. I also used two pizza stones rather than one, one at the very bottom and another two racks down from the top. It was so good we didn’t have any left over!! She recommended the strawberry-spinach salad and here I am… browsing your blog, fascinated by your talent.

    Reply

  15. Lindsay

    January 9, 2012 at 7:43 pm

    I just made this with carmelized onions, feta, mozzarella and zucchini. It was killer. I didn’t have a pizza stone so I used a cookie sheet with parchment paper. It was perfect.

    Reply

    • Florentina

      February 1, 2015 at 9:31 am

      @Sandy Yes you can freeze the pizza dough. After forming it into balls just place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and throw them in the freezer. Once frozen you can transfer them to individual plastic bags and use at your convenience.

      Reply

  17. Vicki Morris

    May 21, 2015 at 10:37 pm

    My grandson and I make pizza every time we’re together but continue to look for the perfect recipe. I can’t wait to try your’s. A couple of questions… If you freeze the dough, do you freeze before rising and then let it rise for 2 hours after it comes to room temperature? Also, can this be cooked on a pizza stone on the grill? I have one stone for the oven and one for the grill. I prefer to use the grill in the warm summer months.l

    Reply

    • Florentina

      May 21, 2015 at 11:29 pm

      Hi Vicky ! Yes you can use this dough on your pizza stone on the grill. If you want to freeze it, just make sure to spray it well with some olive oil and pop it in some freezer bags, squeezing out as much air as you can. No need to let it rise. When ready to make it, let it defrost on the kitchen counter for about 1 1/2 hours, it will do what it needs to do and you are ready to roll. Let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply

  19. B

    September 20, 2015 at 1:19 am


    Sunday is pizza and movies day with the family. We are making this pizza dough again and again, perfect every time especially since we got a pizza stone. Killer !

    Reply

  25. Jolina - The Unlikely Baker

    March 22, 2016 at 12:07 pm

    Hahaha your opening line got me laughing out loud. Florentina’s Rustic Californian Pizza is just fine by me 🙂 I’ve always had that hook attachment that came with my stand mixer though we don’t own a pizza stone. We’ll definitely check out your suggestions…that pizza looks amazing!

    Reply

  30. Anne Murphy

    March 24, 2016 at 4:46 pm

    Someone else likes a thin crust pizza! With just a touch of sauce, a li… right! Even here in NYC they’re making thicker crusts these days – oh, well…

    That looks beautiful.

    Reply

  34. Allison

    September 10, 2016 at 9:09 am

    I usually make my pizza dough the night before and refrigerate until ready to use. Do you think that would affect the quality of this recipe?

    Reply

    • Florentina

      September 10, 2016 at 12:32 pm

      You can definitely make the dough in advance and refrigerate it. Make sure to cut it into smaller rounds and individually wrap them in plastic wrap with a little olive oil. Place it on the kitchen counter a couple of hours before you want to make your pizza and allow it to rise and proof just sitting there.

      Reply

  35. Quin

    November 6, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    I’m honestly SO excited to try this!! My husband and I never recovered from our trip to Italy when it comes to pizza. We make our own very often in order to try and get it as close to the “real” thing as possible. This recipe might just change our whole approach. THANK YOU!

    Reply

  36. Mark

    November 9, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    Hello there, Thanks so much for the pizza dough recipe. I have a wood fired oven and have been struggling with many dough recipes. The first time I tried yours it was a miracle in the difference compared to the ones I have tried. It was the final touch I needed to make my pizzas almost perfect. Thank you so much and I hope to try many of your other recipes. Thanks again , much appreciated. Rock on. Mark

    Reply

  37. simon

    November 23, 2016 at 12:28 am

    Hi Florentina:
    I had been trying and searching for Pizza Dough recipe, here i am, may i know what type of flour the recipe used? The amount water may varies , right ? Do you have the recipe by weight ?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Florentina

      November 23, 2016 at 11:39 am

      Hi Simon, it is just regular all purpose flour. I don’t have it by weight, but honestly you will have to add more or less depending on how much water your flour will take.Just make sure the dough sticks only a little bit to the bottom of your bowl.

      Reply

  38. Yann

    January 12, 2017 at 3:46 pm


    Best pizza dough ever!!! Easy to make, fast cooked and delicious taste. I used parchment paper… Super easy to manipulate from countertop to oven and back.

    Thanks a lot!

    Cheers

    Yann

    Reply

    • Florentina

      January 19, 2017 at 10:14 am

      Hi Vanessa, well I recommend you get one lol But meanwhile If you have a cast iron skillet just use that instead. Heat it up with the oven just like you would do a pizza stone and use it as such. Maybe turn it upside down so it is easy to transfer the pizza in and out. Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

  41. Denise

    February 19, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    Hi Florentina!
    Just got a pizza stone, and found your site searching for a great pizza dough recipe. I’m curious though that there is no sweetener noted, like sugar or honey. I have instant yeast, but I’ve never seen a pizza dough recipe without some sort of sugar added for the yeast. Did I miss it somewhere? Thank you!

    Reply

  42. Liz

    February 21, 2017 at 6:33 pm


    I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful pizza dough recipe!!! It is not gummy or too doughy!
    Ever since I visited Italy finding true Italian foods has been hard! Also being a vegetarian Italian foods have been a godsend!
    I have tried to find Italian recipes so I can cook at home myself! Also I have moved to the West coast from NYC and trying to find true Italian food has been rough!

    This has been the best dough recipe ever! Thank you! You Rock. I’ll be bookmarking your site.

    *I am Asian and according to my friends I can cook Italian really well for an Asian Girl 🙂

    Reply

  44. Jojo

    March 3, 2017 at 5:34 pm

    Hello Florentina.
    This sounds funny but I am very nervous around yeast. I have been putting the yeast in warm water with sugar to “feed” it and finally making nice bread and such. I’m confused as to how the recipe uses cold water please help me understand this yeast mystery. Off to the kitchen I go……we love pizza. Thx jojo

    Reply

    • Florentina

      March 5, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      Nothing to be worried about JoJo. I swear by this method, actually the coldest the water, the better. The yeast is already active, I’ve made this countless times and have never ever had an issue. Let me know how it goes 🙂 ~ Florentina

      Reply

  46. Erica

    March 10, 2017 at 7:26 am

    I have a question, should I be using all purpose flour or bread flour?
    Also, any tips for the pizza stone? I have the Emile Henry one and for some reason, we can’t seem to get it right. Either the bottom of the pie never crisps due to possibly too much flour, or we don’t use enough and it burns. We tried cornmeal but didn’t enjoy the taste. Any advice (from anyone) would be appreciated.

    Reply

    • Florentina

      March 10, 2017 at 11:16 am

      Hi Erica, I use organic all purpose flour and also have the Emille Henry pizza stone. It is important that you warm it up with the oven for at least 30 minutes, I usually do it for 1 hour. Sprinkle just a little bit of flour on the pizza stone right before sliding the pizza on top. Then use a long spatula and carefully drag the leftover flour onto a plate after removing the pizza from the oven. Then start fresh again. Very little four is actually needed as your dough should already have some flour on it from when you stretch it out. Keep me posted on how this goes next time. ~ Florentina

      Reply

    • Florentina

      March 10, 2017 at 11:20 am

      Hi Silvi, yes i have made it on the grill as well. Makes sure to grill both sides before adding any toppings then move away from direct flame and cook until the cheese has melted.

      Reply

  48. Pam

    March 12, 2017 at 9:30 am


    Hi there! Does it matter what kind of yeast you use? For my rustic bread I use rapid rise/instant yeast can I use that?

    Reply

    • Florentina

      March 12, 2017 at 4:28 pm

      Hi Pam yes it matters. I use an Active Dry Yeast since this is the cold water method, sounds like you are describing a similar product. Le me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

  49. Hayleigh

    March 27, 2017 at 10:31 am


    This recipe is amazing! I have been searching for a good pizza dough recipe and I have tried a bunch, but this is our family’s favorite. My husband begs me to make pizzas pretty much weekly. I was wondering, can I make a smaller number of larger pizzas with this dough? What would the cooking time need to be adjusted to? We have guests coming and I wanted to just make a couple of pizzas instead of a bunch of smaller ones.

    Reply

    • Florentina

      March 27, 2017 at 11:19 am

      Hi Hayleigh, you sure can make larger pizzas, just cook them a couple of extra minutes. If it isn’t done to your liking just give it more time, it isn’t a fussy recipe, you’ll find your sweet spot. Soooo happy this is your new favorite dough Xo’s ~Florentina

      Reply

  50. Pizza guy

    April 5, 2017 at 5:20 am

    You mentioned that you can freeze the dough. How long does it keep before spoiling and does it affect the consistency of the dough? Do you freeze it whole or portioned and shaped? Thanks

    Reply

  51. Dave

    April 5, 2017 at 1:04 pm

    My pizza dough hasn’t risen at all in 90 minutes. I followed your instructions to the letter. I’m using “Fleishmann’s traditional active dry yeast”. Why isn’t it rising? The package of yeast said I’m supposed to put it warm water first. Help?

    Reply

    • Florentina

      April 7, 2017 at 5:18 pm

      HI Dave, what was the end result ? Did you end up baking the pizza or what happened? I’ve never had an issue with it rising at all, this is the COLD water method so ignore the package, just make sure it is active dry yeast.

      Reply

    • Bailee

      July 10, 2017 at 7:28 pm


      Remember to keep your yeast in a cool place! I couldn’t figure out why my yeast wasn’t working, and then I realized I had been keeping it in the cupboard above the oven and it got too hot. Also make sure it’s not expired.

      Reply

  53. Jared

    April 15, 2017 at 7:38 am

    This was the first time I’ve ever made pizza dough (or anything involving flour and yeast). Had trouble when mixing initially. It wasn’t sticking to the sides of my mixer, but was way too sticky to handle and get off the hook. Eventually got it but had to add more flour than I expected. I fired these with a pizza stone on my kamado grill. Stone was 700 degrees when I put them in. Cooked nicely in about 4 minutes (they were small pizzas). Perfect crispy crust but it puffed up thicker than expected. Wasn’t really a thin crust pizza at that point.

    Reply

    • Florentina

      April 16, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      Hi Jared, just make sure to stretch out the pies thinner next time. Also you can use a fork to poke the sides of it so it doesn’t puff up too much while baking. Depending on the flour we use sometimes it might take more or less, cooking is never 100% exact formula, just trust your instincts, you’ll do great!

      Reply

  54. Liem

    April 18, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Hi there! I am very excited on try this recipe, but I don’t have a mixer or processor. Would you mind giving instructions to make this by hand?

    Reply

    • Florentina

      April 19, 2017 at 11:06 am

      Hi Liem, I just added the instructions by hand to the recipe as well. You just need a little elbow grease to knead it a little bit longer, so pretty much the same process just using your hand and your kitchen counter. Enjoy!

      Reply

  55. B

    May 6, 2017 at 3:31 am


    After many pizza dough recipes I think this is the one! This dough has a nice soft texture and is easy to work with. I divided it into 4’s instead of 6’s. After the 2 hour rise I froze 2 and put 2 in the frig for later in the day. One thing that I have found after trying many recipes is not to rush the dough. I start to shape the dough in the pizza pan but once the dough starts to resist I let it rest. If you keep stretching the dough you will end up with those dreaded holes in your dough. Once the dough starts to resist just leave it alone for 10 minutes or so, drink your wine and come back to it. The dough will have relaxed and is much easier to continue to shape. That’s been my experience anyway. That said I found this recipe one of the easiest pizza doughs to work with. Also think that is why those quick pizza dough recipes are never as good or as easy to work with as these that have at least a couple hour rise time. Thanks for this recipe. Really Good!

    Reply

  56. Claudia

    June 20, 2017 at 5:47 pm

    Hi this is my first time with making pizza dough and your recipe was so simple I loved It!!! Just one question, I did use the active dry yeast, I just noticed that after all the mixing the yeast was still in its little pebble form, is that normally?

    Reply

  57. Josephine

    June 21, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    Can this be baked in a wood burning pizza oven. I am looking for a good dough because all the ones I have tried making were a real disappointment.

    Reply

  58. Robin

    June 23, 2017 at 7:31 am


    Absolutely the best pizza dough recipe ! If you don’t want to heat the house up in the summer, put it on the grill. Love it both ways !!!

    Reply

    • Florentina

      June 24, 2017 at 9:31 am

      Thank you Robin! We will have to agree on that one 😉 Yes and Yes to grilling pizza inside on a cast iron skillet. The thinner you stretch it the quicker it cooks and the crispier it gets!

      Reply

  59. Jaclyn

    June 24, 2017 at 4:43 pm


    Just wondering, can the dough be made and then left in the fridge for a while before needing the 2 hrs to rise? Like could I make this first thing in the am and then take out early afternoon, to rise and make in the early evening?

    Reply

    • Florentina

      June 25, 2017 at 8:43 pm

      Yes you can refrigerate it as soon as you mixed the dough. You can also freeze it individually and then take out what you need about 3 hours before cooking.

      Reply

  60. Anna

    August 9, 2017 at 12:59 pm


    This has become my go to recipe for pizza dough! I’m always getting compliments on it and people always ask for the recipe!

    Reply

  64. Edd Zay

    September 20, 2017 at 12:42 pm


    Florentina .. I’ve tried so many pizza dough recipes. Yours is the best, my pizza turns thin crust perfectly. What appealed me to try your dough is three things related to the ingredients : The water, I used to add warm water. The cold water added many attributes to the dough; softness and the dough doesn’t tear when rolling. The other interesting ingredient is the “amount” of the dry active yeast which is low compared to other recipes I used to follow. The third ingredient you excluded is the sugar, I think all of above contibuted to have a crust pizza. I also like the technique of kneadling in a low speed .. now I’m done with dough ! It’s time to find the best recipe for fried chicken and get a flavour as KFC ! .. Thx Florentina 🙂

    Reply

    • Florentina

      September 20, 2017 at 2:41 pm

      That’s super awesome Edd!You should try freezing it next time see If you like it that way too, makes life so much easier. Can’t help you with the fried chicken as we went full speed plant based now, but there is a recipe in the files here for crispy oven baked chicken wings that were killer on game day drenched in chimichurri or garlic butter. Let me know if you give those a go 🙂

      Reply

  67. Lad

    October 8, 2017 at 6:12 am

    I do have to say, I was skeptical about the dough using cold water went against everything I knew about pizza dough, warm water and yeast. It worked though. Portioning out the dough for the rise worked well for individual pizzas and freezing the doughs. Good dough. Turned out good. Would make again.

    Reply

  69. verbena

    November 2, 2017 at 7:22 am

    Was the pizza pictured here done on a grill? Most oven swill burn the cheese before the crust is crusty at such high temps.

    Reply

  71. Karen chamber

    November 20, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Hi Floentina, Your recipe looks terrific. I don’t have a Kitchen Aid but I do have a food processor. Any tips you’d like to give me before I try your recipe out???

    Reply

  73. Matthew

    November 30, 2017 at 3:06 pm


    I’ve tried multiple pizza dough recipes and this is one of the easiest and most delicious. I knead the dough by hand and it comes out perfectly. I have frozen it for weeks and defrosted one day in advance and it is just as delicious. Thank you

    Reply

  74. Gig

    December 6, 2017 at 5:32 am

    I have tried many dough recipes, as many others have. Especially by not first proofing the yeast with warm water, honey and oil in the dough…This one was super easy and delicious!..took no time to make. It kneaded perfectly with the dough hook until I had to remove it….it was sooo sticky I couldn’t get it off my hands ( that took longer than making the dough, lol) Does this happen to you? I only use King Arthur flour…AP, bread and sometimes whole wheat. Any suggestions?…don’t want to use too much flour. Once I got it handled and let it rise, it rolled out easily without resistance! Will definitely make again. Thank you, Florentina

    Reply

    • Florentina

      December 8, 2017 at 1:36 pm

      Hi Gig, you can always sprinkle in a little more If it is too sticky to handle. Even the same brand of flour can behave differently at times. Once you get a feel for how the dough should feel when handled you’ll be a pro. Sometimes I have to add more flour myself, just add a little bit and then a little bit more. It will never be exactly 100% the same every time. You got thi!

      Reply

  76. Tina

    March 2, 2018 at 11:22 am


    I just thought I would stop by and say we LOVE this crust and we have successfully frozen it in a ball, par cooked and either topped or not all with great success. I do flash freeze each pizza before sealing it in a foodsaver bag and have found that oblong seems to fit best in our freezer rather than round. Thank you for a simple crispy crust with a nice chewy texture if it is a bit thicker.

    Reply

  78. Marty Embry

    March 10, 2018 at 2:27 pm


    Ciao Florentina,
    This rustic pizza dough recipe was Perfetto per mi! I played basketball in Italy for six years and was spoiled by the simplistic way that the foods are made! I’m spoiled now and won’t settle! Now, as a chef, I simply want good…nay, great food that’s easily prepared. You’ve done that with this recipe.

    Thank you for sharing your recipe. It’s both simple and bakes up perfectly. My family loved it! My son started speaking Italian after eating his pie and he doesn’t even speak Italian! Lol.

    All the best and continued success to you.

    Reply

  79. Natasha

    June 12, 2018 at 11:48 pm

    Hi, your pizza looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it out.. what type of flour did you use? I read that ‘00’ flour is the best flour for pizza and was just wondering what you used for yours.

    Reply

  80. Heather

    June 21, 2018 at 11:10 am


    I won’t even bother looking for another pizza dough recipe. This was delicious! I cooked the pizza on a pizza stone and finished it under the broiler as suggested, and it was amazing. I’ve made pizza dough before and it wasn’t even close to this good. I also made breakfast pizza the following morning with leftover dough, and once again, it didn’t disappoint. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  82. Sonam Parekh

    June 26, 2018 at 3:50 am


    Hello, the recipe and the photos look really good. I have two questions though – ok if i just bake it in the oven without the stone, its not available anywhere where i Live and also, can i knead it by hand instead of the dough kneader. and if yes approx how much time would be good enough? Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • Florentina

      June 26, 2018 at 11:54 am

      Yes you can bake it on a cast iron plate or skillet if you have that otherwise it won’t be as crispy. You can also knead it by hand, i’d say a good 10-15 minutes would be great!

      Reply

  84. Viki D

    August 28, 2018 at 6:42 pm


    This was the most amazing pizza dough I have ever made. I made 4 pieces of dough. We cooked them on the grill and it was TOTAL PERFECTION! Thank you for sharing. I did add one Tablespoon of honey. I will use this recipe whenever I make pizza. Again……AMAZING! Everything you look for in a pizza crust! Viki D

    Reply

  85. Trish

    September 15, 2018 at 5:15 pm


    I always hate it when someone alters a recipe before trying it. Having said that, I used bread flour (higher gluten content) and I was short on time so I only let the dough raise about 40 minutes or so. I made one half of a recipe and one large pizza, therefore my crust was on the thick side, and needed longer to bake . The crust was soft in texture-really nice with a chewy crust. Next time I would use one half recipe to make 2pizzas instead of one and I think it will hit my crust thickness preference just right. This is a beautiful recipe that I will use for years to come. Thanks!

    Reply

  90. Luca

    March 2, 2019 at 7:45 pm


    No kidding, the best pizza I’ve ever made in my entire life and as good as the ones I’ve had in Italy. 10 stars from me!

    Reply

  91. Lauren

    March 16, 2019 at 5:31 am


    I’m seriously the worst at pizza dough because it never comes out good enough for my liking however, this recipe came out PERFECT. I love that you use cold water for the yeast because the yeast is always what I screw up. Thank you for this recipe!!

    Reply

  92. judy colannino

    June 14, 2019 at 7:32 pm

    HELP! I just made the dough and it was a disaster! the dough was so sticky and I kept adding flour but it just continued to be sticky. I couldn’t stretch it out, it just kept bouncing back. I put corn meal in the pizza paddle and it still kept sticking. Because I couldn’t get it thin I had to cook it for a long time. My oven was at 525 for 25 minutes. What when wrong???????

    Reply

    • Florentina

      June 15, 2019 at 9:58 am

      Hi Judy, sounds like the dough just needed more flour. Some types of the flour just take way more water than others. The trick is to keep adding flour until the proper dough forms or just start with less liquid next time.

      Reply

  93. Linda M

    June 15, 2019 at 11:34 am

    The fresh pizza dough was a dream to handle though I noticed When making pizza from the frozen dough, even though I let it rise it was very hard to handle and very sticky any suggestions?

    Reply

  95. Rachel Lei

    July 14, 2019 at 6:12 am


    I put my pizza stone in my gas grill and with this recipe produced the best pizza I have ever made. Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I added slowly more flour than called for but otherwise followed the recipe closely.

    Reply

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