Classic Pizza Dough Flatbread

Name: Classic Pizza Dough Flatbread
Prep time: 43 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 1 h 11 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2¾ cups (350 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, or weighed; 0.94 cup (225 ml) warm water, 105–110°F (40–43°C), about 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon; 1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the rising bowl; 2 tbsp (16 g) bread flour, for dusting the work surface; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the flatbreads; ¾ cup (180 ml) thick tomato pizza sauce, at room temperature, not watery; 7 oz (200 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 1¾ cups); ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional); 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano (optional); 12 leaves (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn just before serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy, blistered flatbreads made from a simple bread flour pizza dough, brushed with olive oil, spread with tomato sauce and baked at high heat with bubbling mozzarella. Four personal-size rounds, perfect for sharing or serving as a light meal.

Prep: 43 min
Cook: 28 min
Wait: 1 hr 18 min
Total: 2 hr 29 min
Makes: 4 flatbreads (about 10 inches / 25 cm each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the dough
2¾ cups (350 g) bread flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, or weighed
1 cup (225 ml) warm water, 105–110°F (40–43°C), about 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon
1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
1¼ tsp (7 g) fine sea salt
1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the rising bowl
2 tbsp (16 g) bread flour, for dusting the work surface
For the topping
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the flatbreads
¾ cup (180 ml) thick tomato pizza sauce, at room temperature, not watery
7 oz (200 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 1¾ cups)
¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano (optional)
12 leaves (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn just before serving (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large mixing bowl
Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
Baking steel, pizza stone, or heavy rimless baking sheet turned upside down
Pizza peel or a flat rimless baking sheet for sliding flatbreads into the oven
Parchment paper
Pastry brush
Kitchen scale
Bench scraper or sharp knife
Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap

Steps

Before you start

Measure the flour by weight if you can (350 g). Scooped cups can vary by 20% and make the dough too dry or too sticky.
Plan for about 2½ hours total. The dough rises 1 hour, rests 15 minutes, and the flatbreads bake one at a time.
Cut four sheets of parchment paper, each about 12 inches (30 cm) square, and shred the mozzarella before you start shaping.
Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella packed in water. Fresh mozzarella releases liquid and makes the flatbreads soggy.

1
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), stir the warm water, instant yeast and sugar together.
- Add the 350 g bread flour, fine sea salt and the 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or the dough hook on low speed for about 2 minutes until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
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Ready when: No dry flour remains and the dough looks shaggy and sticky.
Tip: If the water feels hot on your wrist, let it cool. Water above 120°F (49°C) can kill the yeast.
2
Knead until smooth
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes by hand, or with the dough hook on medium-low speed for 6 minutes.
- Add the dusting flour a teaspoon at a time only if the dough sticks stubbornly to your hands.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky, and springs back slowly when poked. A small piece stretched thin should form a translucent 'windowpane' without tearing right away.
Tip: Resist adding lots of extra flour. A slightly tacky dough bakes up lighter and chewier.
3
Let the dough riseOven 500°F / 260°C
- Pour the 1 teaspoon olive oil into a clean large bowl and turn the dough ball in it to coat.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 60 minutes.
- After the dough has risen for 15 minutes, put a baking steel, pizza stone or upside-down heavy baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) so it heats for at least 45 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled in size and a finger pressed in leaves a dent that springs back slowly.
Tip: A properly preheated steel or stone is what gives the flatbread a crisp, blistered bottom. Don't skip the 45 minutes.
4
Divide and rest
- Gently turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface, pressing out the largest bubbles.
- Cut it into 4 equal pieces (about 150 g each) with a bench scraper or knife.
- Shape each piece into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath.
- Place on the floured surface, cover with a towel and rest for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: The balls look puffy and relaxed, and flatten slightly when touched.
Tip: Keep unused balls covered so they don't form a dry skin.
5
Shape the first round
- Place one dough ball on a sheet of parchment paper.
- With floured fingertips, press from the center outward and stretch into a round about 10 inches (25 cm) across and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, leaving the outer edge slightly thicker.
- If the dough springs back, let it rest for 2 minutes and try again.
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Ready when: The round is an even ¼ inch thick with a slightly raised rim and no thin, see-through spots.
Tip: Avoid a rolling pin. It squeezes out the air bubbles that create a light, blistered crust.
6
Brush and top
- Brush the surface of the round lightly with about 1 teaspoon of the brushing olive oil, covering the rim as well.
- Spread 3 tablespoons (45 ml) tomato sauce in a thin layer, leaving a ¾-inch (2 cm) border.
- Scatter about 50 g (a scant ½ cup) mozzarella over the sauce.
- Add a pinch of dried oregano and a little grated Parmesan if using.
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Ready when: The sauce is a thin, even layer and the cheese lightly covers it without piling up.
Tip: Go easy on the sauce and cheese. Too much weight makes the center soggy and under-baked.
7
Bake the first flatbreadOven 500°F / 260°C
- Slide the parchment and flatbread onto a peel or rimless baking sheet, then slide it onto the preheated steel or stone in the 500°F (260°C) oven.
- Bake for 6–8 minutes.
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Ready when: The rim is deep golden brown with darker blisters, the cheese is bubbling with a few browned spots, and the underside is firm and golden when lifted with a spatula.
Tip: Parchment can darken at this temperature. That is normal, but trim any overhanging edges so they don't touch the oven walls.
8
Repeat with the restOven 500°F / 260°C
- While each flatbread bakes, shape and top the next one on a fresh sheet of parchment, using the same amounts (1 teaspoon oil, 3 tablespoons sauce, about 50 g mozzarella, and oregano and Parmesan if using).
- Close the oven door quickly between loads to keep the heat in.
- Bake the remaining three flatbreads one at a time for 6–8 minutes each.
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Ready when: Each flatbread has a deep golden rim, blistered spots and bubbling cheese.
Tip: Rolling the leftover dough balls out too early lets them overproof. Shape each one just before it goes into the oven.
9
Finish and serve
- Transfer each baked flatbread to a wire rack or cutting board.
- Scatter with torn basil leaves, let rest for about 3 minutes so the cheese sets, then cut into wedges or strips with a pizza cutter or sharp knife and serve warm.
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Ready when: The cheese no longer slides when the flatbread is tilted, and the crust feels crisp on the bottom.
Tip: Add basil after baking. It turns black and bitter if baked at 500°F.

Good to know

Tips

Don't flour the surface of the parchment heavily; extra flour can burn at 500°F (260°C) and taste bitter.
If your oven doesn't reach 500°F (260°C), use its highest setting and add 2–3 minutes to the baking time.
For a crisper base, bake the plain brushed dough for 2 minutes, then add the sauce and cheese and finish baking.
Brush the rim with olive oil, and for extra flavor rub it with a cut garlic clove after baking.

Make ahead

"After kneading, place the oiled dough in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for 8–48 hours instead of the 60-minute rise (it will develop deeper flavor). Let it come to room temperature for 1 hour, then divide, rest 15 minutes and continue from the shaping step. You can also divide the dough into balls, wrap them individually, and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Fridge: wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from the fridge or freezer on a baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 5–8 minutes (8–10 minutes from frozen) until the cheese is hot and the bottom is crisp."

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour. Use the same weight. The flatbread will be a little softer and less chewy; you may need 1–2 tablespoons less water.
instant yeast → active dry yeast. Use 1¼ teaspoons (4 g). Dissolve it in the warm water with the sugar and let it foam for 5–10 minutes before adding the flour.
low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella → provolone or a mozzarella-provolone blend. Both melt well; provolone gives a sharper flavor. Keep the same weight.
thick tomato pizza sauce → crushed tomatoes seasoned with a pinch of salt. Drain off any watery liquid first so the flatbread doesn't turn soggy.