Italian Cold Pizza Recipe

Whether you refer to it as Italian slab pizza, a thick crust pizza, bakery pizza recipe or the Best Homemade Pizza, you must use quality ingredients to make this family recipe!

So, what defines a pizza as being great? Is it the use of quality ingredients or is there more to it than that?

Best

I’ve often wondered about what defines a pizza as being great. It doesn’t keep me awake at night, but the reality is that I had an Italian upbringing where my mom would make homemade pizza. It was a frequent occurrence and like all food that was served, it was taken very seriously.

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Before I give you my definition of a great pizza, let’s take a closer look at the composition for this sheet pan pizza recipe.

The pizza sauce: It takes just 5 minutes to make this Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe. I do not use my blender, nor do I strain the tomatoes. There is also no need to cook this tomato sauce for pizza.

Simply use high-quality ingredients and you will make the best pizza sauce! Although I often use commercially canned tomatoes, occasionally, I will use Roma tomatoes that I have personally canned. Just click on this link for a step-by-step photo tutorial on Canning Raw Pack Whole Tomatoes.

Classic Margherita Pizza Recipe

The pizza dough: Any great pizza starts with great pizza dough. I am partial to my family recipe. It is so versatile that you can make a thin-crust pizza or, if you prefer, a soft, chewy, thick pizza crust.

Now that you know How to Make Pizza Dough, allow the pizza dough to proof for 3-4 hours or until it triples in size. That’s right! The first rise does require a little more time but you will be rewarded.

You will notice many tiny air bubbles that will cause the dough to inflate. Notice all of the gluten strands that have formed.

Best Homemade Margherita Pizza

I almost forgot to mention…preheat your oven to 425 °F (220 °C) and place the oven grate in the bottom third of the oven. The oven needs to preheat for at least one hour so plan accordingly.

Gently bring the dough together and form a ball. Transfer the ball of pizza dough on a rectangular pan sheet (10 x 15 inches or 25 x 38 cm) that has been lightly greased with butter or olive oil.

Apply a thin layer of olive oil over the top of the ball of dough, cover loosely with plastic film and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. This will make the dough easier to stretch.

Italian Cold Cut Calzone

The dough is now ready to be stretched. Prepare a small bowl with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Dip your fingertips and begin to push and gently stretch the dough to cover the entire pan. At the end of this process, there should be a thin layer of oil over the surface of the pizza. Cover lightly with plastic film. This will prevent the pizza dough from drying out.

Optional: During the last 5 minutes of baking, add about 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 3-5 minutes until mozzarella is melted and slightly browned;

You need some patience, and a couple of hours for the yeast to proof this pizza dough. You will be rewarded with a thick, soft and chewy pizza crust. I think you will agree, it is definitively worth it.

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

The gluten in the dough probably needs a little bit more time to relax. Let it rest for an additional 10-15 minutes and you should have an easier time stretching it out.

When spreading the pizza sauce on your dough, don’t overdo it. Go easy on the toppings otherwise you are guaranteed a soggy pizza crust. Once you put the topping on the pizza, bake it immediately.

If you have been here before, you probably know that I had an Italian upbringing and that I was born and raised in Montreal.

Sfincione

Seafood Pizza (quick + Easy!)

Still to this day, you can easily find this rectangular pizza in every Italian bakery in the city. If it looks familiar, it is because it is very similar to the

My mom’s recipe for this style of tomato pie pizza was a family favorite during my youth. I can’t tell you how many times I would have leftovers of this pizza for breakfast.

THANKS SO MUCHfor following and being part of theShe Loves Biscotticommunity where you will findSimple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Spicy Italian Pizza

★★★★★ If you have made this Italian pizza recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

This family recipe for the Best Homemade Pizza demonstrates how to make a great pizza at home using quality ingredients. If you like a pizza with a crispy bottom and the perfect chew, this Pizza di Mamma is for you!

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP Photos Don't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

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Can I use whole wheat flour? Yes, you can replace one cup of all-purpose flour with 1 cup of whole wheat flour.

Why does my dough keep shrinking when I try to stretch it? The gluten in the dough probably needs a little bit of time to relax. Let it rest for an additional 10-15 minutes and you should have an easier time stretching it out.

Why did my crust come out soggy? When spreading the pizza sauce on your dough, don't overdo it. Go easy on the toppings otherwise. you are guaranteed a soggy pizza crust. Once you put the topping on the pizza, bake it immediately.

New York White Pizza

Why did my pizza come out dry? The pizza was probably overcooked. As every oven is different, experiment with a lower temperature and different pans.

Is this Italian tomato pie pizza served hot or cold? This pizza is usually served at room temperature. That being said, it still tastes great served hot or cold.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.

Simple Vegan Pizza

This post was originally published on April 29, 2017 and republished on July 25, 2019 with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing.

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Artisan Pizza Dough Crispy, Chewy, Bubbly Crust

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Read moreOkNoSfincione Siciliano is a Sicilian style pizza unlike any other you’ve tried before. Topped with crispy bread crumbs, grated cheese and oregano for a satisfying crunch with every bite!

You might say it looks just like pizza. In fact I refer to it as Sicilian style pizza but I know some Sicilians may not agree with that.

The sfincione dough is usually covered with anchovies fillets. However, you’ll notice that I did not include any in my step by step images. This is due to a strong dislike of anchovies in my home!

Sourdough Pizza Dough

The anchovies (if using) are covered with a fragrant tomato sauce with onion and oregano. The sauce is topped with either shredded aged caciocavallo cheese or grated Pecorino Romano cheese as well as a crispy, lightly toasted breadcrumbs.

I realize that I’ve been eating some form of sfincione since I was born. Raised in Montreal, I’m used to the thick crusted rectangular tomato covered pizza that is common in all Italian bakeries. I think perhaps this pizza evolved from sfincione?

In the case with sfincione, the crisp breadcrumb coating absorbs some of the tomato sauce thus preventing it from becoming greasy and overly saucy. You know the kind I’m talking about!

Homemade Margherita Pizza

The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.

Proof the yeast:Place active dry yeast in a bowl. Warm water until lukewarm and pour over the yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

With a stand mixer: add flour and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and combine. With the mixer running on low speed. Pour in the yeast mixture. Switch to medium speed and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Italian

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By hand: Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Once the yeast is ready, stir in sugar and olive oil. Make a

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