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Flaky Puff Crust Pizza Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 90 reviews

This Flaky Puff Crust Pizza recipe features a uniquely laminated dough technique incorporating cold grated butter for an exceptionally flaky and tender crust. Topped with a flavorful pizza sauce, a blend of grated and cubed mozzarella cheeses, and finished with a fresh garlic-basil olive oil drizzle, this pizza offers a deliciously crispy yet tender texture and rich, savory flavor. The method combines yeast-risen dough with lamination inspired by pastry techniques, baked to golden perfection in the oven.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough and Lamination

  • 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, cold
  • 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (300g) King Arthur ‘00’ Pizza Flour or 2 1/2 cups (300g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (170g) water, lukewarm (98°F to 110°F)
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) extra-virgin olive oil

For the Topping

  • 2/3 cup (151g) pizza sauce
  • 1/4 cup (25g) Parmesan cheese, grated; plus more for sprinkling
  • 8 ounces (227g) mozzarella cheese, shredded; preferably whole milk (about 2 cups)
  • 4 ounces (114g) mozzarella cheese, fresh; cubed into 1/4″ pieces (about 1 cup)

For the Garlic-Basil Oil

  • 1/4 cup (50g) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 heaping tablespoons (10g) basil, fresh and 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

Instructions

  1. Prepare the butter for lamination: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the cold butter onto parchment or wax paper in an even layer. Fold the parchment over the butter and freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to several days until ready to laminate.
  2. Make the dough: Weigh or measure the flour, then whisk together in a large bowl with yeast, salt, and sugar. Add lukewarm water and olive oil, stirring until just combined with some dry patches remaining.
  3. Knead the dough: Knead the dough in the bowl briefly to bring it together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead 1-2 minutes until a homogenous but craggy dough forms. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes until visibly puffy.
  4. Lamination step 1: Roll the risen dough into a roughly 10″ x 13″ rectangle. Sprinkle most of the frozen grated butter over the dough and press it gently to adhere. Fold one-third of the dough from the left toward the center, then fold the right third over it (letter fold). Roll or press into a 4″ wide rectangle.
  5. Lamination step 2: Sprinkle remaining grated butter over the dough and press it gently in. Fold the dough in thirds vertically (top third to center, bottom third over top), seal the seam gently, and press into about a 1″ thick rectangle.
  6. Rest the dough: Roll the dough into a large rectangle until it resists and snaps back. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
  7. Preheat oven and continue rolling: While dough rests, preheat oven to 475°F and position rack in center. Then roll dough to roughly 13″ x 18″, popping any air bubbles with a knife and dusting buttery spots with flour as needed. If dough becomes sticky or warm, chill it briefly.
  8. Prepare the pan and proof dough: Transfer dough to an ungreased 13″ x 18″ pizza pan, stretching it to edges and halfway up the side walls. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. Then push/stretch to edges again, cover and rest 15-30 more minutes until puffy at edges.
  9. Top the pizza: Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough almost to the edges. Sprinkle grated Parmesan, then evenly distribute shredded mozzarella and cubed fresh mozzarella on top.
  10. Bake the pizza: Bake on center rack for 15 to 17 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and browned in spots, and crust is golden. Pop any large bubbles with a knife halfway through baking if needed.
  11. Make garlic-basil oil: While pizza bakes, combine olive oil, minced basil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, and optional red pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside.
  12. Remove and loosen pizza: Remove pizza from oven and use a spatula to unstick any cheese that attached to pan edges.
  13. Finish and serve: Transfer pizza to a wire rack, sprinkle additional Parmesan, and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of garlic-basil oil over the top. Let cool 3-5 minutes before slicing and serving. Reheat leftovers wrapped in foil at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Grating the butter cold and freezing it allows for easy lamination to create the flaky puff crust.
  • If the dough becomes too sticky or warm during rolling, chill it briefly in the refrigerator to firm up.
  • This recipe uses a letter fold lamination technique similar to puff pastry to develop flakiness.
  • The pizza pan size (13″ x 18″) is important for shaping; a half-sheet pan can be used as an alternative.
  • Adding fresh garlic-basil oil after baking adds brightness and flavor contrast to the rich cheese and buttery crust.
  • For extra toppings like pepperoni or vegetables, add them on top of the cheeses before baking.
  • To reheat, wrap leftover slices in foil and warm at 350°F for about 10 minutes to avoid sogginess.

Keywords: puff crust pizza, flaky pizza dough, laminated pizza dough, homemade pizza, cheesy pizza, garlic basil oil, Italian pizza recipe

Find it online: https://cookwithyana.com/flaky-puff-crust-pizza-recipe/