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.
Italian Pizza Dough Recipe – Homemade Neopolitan Style!
A quick, authentic, thin and crispy crust 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 can toss a pizza like nobody’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.
Although you can make this authentic Italian pizza dough recipe by hand, it is way easier to use a mixer. Fail proof, No tossing required! Honestly this is the real reason I got a Kitchen Aid mixer and a pizza stone, so we can make the best homemade pizza ever.
After constantly trying new recipes and formulas, and after having gone to Italy in search of the perfect rustic authentic Italian pizza dough, I am even more confident that this is the best recipe out there. Beep-beep!
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 Instant or  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.
- Naturally vegan, perfect for garlic knots, Stromboli, 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 crisp crust pizza with charred edges and only a few toppings.
Simple Topping from Casa Florentina
- A thick homemade pomodoro sauce, arrabiata, puttanesca or marinara sauce.
- ricotta meatballs
- roasted cherry tomatoes
- fresh vegan mozzarella cheese (<–sooo good)
- spinach & artichoke
- caramelized onions
- heirloom tomatoes & fresh basil
- marinated roasted peppers.
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 heirloom 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 something 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 so it won’t crack. Give it plenty of time to warm up, eve an hour or more if you aren’t in a rush or it’s cold outside.
Note Worthy
If you are looking for those authentic charred little fire kisses on the edges of your Italian pizza crust but your oven doesn’t go higher than 500″F, I strongly suggest finished it under the broiler, just for the last minute or so. It will give you a similar effect as a wood burning pizza oven with a subtle smokiness. Magical!
watch how to make the best Italian pizza dough
Rustic Italian Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups all purpose (or 00 flour ) + some for dusting
- 1.5 tsp instant dry yeast (or active dry yeast)
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 2.25 cups COLD water
- 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Favorite Toppings
- Caramelized onions
- Arrabiata Sauce
- Heirloom Tomatoes
- Fresh Basil
- Green Onions
- Smoked Mozzarella Cheese
- Sauteed Mushrooms
- Ricotta Meatballs
- Roasted Peppers
Instructions
- Preheat your oven as high as it will go for at least 45 minutes to one hour with the pizza stone already inside. (I baked at 525"F but check your pizza stone for max temperature).
- In the bowl of your kitchen aid and using the paddle attachment mix the flour, sea salt and yeast on low speed until all is incorporated then add the COLD water.5 cups all purpose (or 00 flour ), 1.5 tsp instant dry yeast, 1.5 tsp sea salt, 2.25 cups COLD water
- 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.
- NOTE - If the dough sticks to the sides sprinkle in a little more flour, if it is too dry then add a bit more water. This will vary every time you make it so keep extra flour handy.
- After the 8 minutes have passed remove the dough from the mixer and cut it into 6 pieces and form them into rounds. Place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and drizzle with 1 tbs or so 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 cold oven. ( At this stage you can also freeze the dough individually or place in the fridge overnight or a couple of days).1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 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).
- 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 ).Arrabiata Sauce
- Gently slide the pie on the preheated pizza stone in a hot 525"F 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.
- 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.
By Hand Method
- Pour the flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast, salt and cold water and using a wooden spoon mix to combine well.
- 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.
Video
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
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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!
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
Hi! Your pizza looks delicious, what kind of flour do you use in the recipe? Thanks in advance! 😉
Just organic all purpose flour.
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.
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!
What kind of flour do you use
Organic, all purpose flour!
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!
That’s fantastic! So happy it turned out great for you! Enjoy!
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.
Organic all purpose flour.
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.
Thank you so much Marty! I’m sitting here laughing at your awesome comment! Good pizza will make you speak in tongues LOL
I rode the dough for 3 hours instead by accident. Will my pizza still turn out??
Yes!
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.
Sorry, I meant to say in a ball OR rolled out and par-cooked like 8 or 9 minutes. I would hate to cause confusion.
Did you use a packet of yeast or 1 1/2 cups of it? Help please
1.5 teaspoons of active dry yeast, NOT cups.
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
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!
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
That’s so great Matthew! So happy it worked out so well for you. It is most definitely our favorite pizza dough of all times too 🙂
Do you use bread flour or all purpose?
Whichever I have in the pantry 🙂
Hey, fantastic recipe, very crispy :))
My dough was very sticky but ended up well.
Delicious
Thank you!
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???
Nothing to worry about, mix everything well and you can even knead it by hand. Report back 🙂
It looks very good, but I haven’t met the video
The video is at the beginning after the second paragraph. You might wanna give it a second to load 🙂
Was the pizza pictured here done on a grill? Most oven swill burn the cheese before the crust is crusty at such high temps.
This was done in the oven. Don’t worry the cheese won’t burn because this crust is very thin so it cooks super fast.
Will the cold water method still work if I use the rapid rise yeast?
I believe so Joanna 🙂
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.
Can you use 00 flour in this recipe?
Sure!
can I make this recipe in a bread maker? if I set it to the dough setting
Joanne, I haven’t experimented with the bread maker so I wouldn’t want to mislead you.
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 🙂
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 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. Cold water and small amount of yeast makes all the difference. Pizza came out great.
this is a great pizza dough it very easy to mske loved it.
Where is the video? Would like to watch.
Sorry, we had some tech issues that affected the video player performance, hope to have it back up and running soon. Thanks for understanding!
Best pizza crust recipe ever, easy to make and comes out so crispy and thin and tasty.