Quick thin crust pizza with short fermented dough and simple toppings
When I want a quick pizza at home, I use this thin crust recipe. From 300 g of flour, I get about 3 pizzas, each with a diameter of 20-26 cm. The fermentation time is short, so I don't have to wait for hours for the dough. The toppings can be whatever I have in the fridge, and the sauce is made with tomato paste. I usually make it in the evening when we want something warm without too much hassle, and it works just as well for lunch, especially on weekends.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 pizzas of 20-26 cm diameter
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick homemade pizza
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 300 g flour
- 100 ml water
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 25 g fresh yeast (1 cube)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the toppings:
- salami (enough to cover the pizza)
- pressed chicken ham
- mushrooms
- corn
- bell peppers
- green olives
- pineapple
- cheese
For the sauce:
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- salt
- sugar
- pepper
- thyme
Preparation method
1. Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the crumbled yeast, salt, oil, and water. Knead everything until the dough no longer sticks to your hands or the sides of the bowl. It doesn't need to be kneaded for a long time, just enough to become an elastic, homogeneous ball.
2. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise just enough to slightly increase in volume, about 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce: heat a splash of oil in a small pot. After 2 minutes, pour in the tomato paste and mix vigorously. Let it boil a few times, then add the water and mix until there are no lumps. Season with salt, pepper, sugar (to taste), and thyme. Boil until the sauce thickens slightly but is not too concentrated. Set aside.
4. Divide the risen dough into 2 equal balls (or 3 if you prefer thinner, smaller pizzas). Take each ball in turn, roll it out on the work surface to the desired diameter.
5. Grease the pizza trays with a little butter, just enough to prevent the crust from sticking. Place the rolled-out dough in the tray.
6. Spread a thin layer of sauce over each sheet of dough. Distribute the topping ingredients: slices of salami, ham, pieces of mushrooms, corn, bell peppers, green olives, diced pineapple. Don't overload the crust.
7. Bake the pizza in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes. The crust bakes directly on the grill or on the tray, depending on what you use.
8. Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle grated cheese over the entire surface. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, just enough for the cheese to melt.
9. The pizza is served hot. If there's any sauce left, you can add extra on slices after baking, if you like.
Why I make this recipe often
It's quick and doesn't require me to plan ahead. It doesn't need long fermentation and doesn't complicate with hard-to-find ingredients. I like that the dough always turns out well without needing to adjust the quantities. I can use whatever toppings I have on hand. It bakes well on any type of tray and remains tasty the next day, if there are any leftovers.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don't let the dough rise too much. If you let it rise just until it slightly increases in volume, the crust will be thin and won't break.
Butter on the tray helps with easy release of the crust, but you can also use baking paper if you prefer not to grease the trays.
When making the sauce, mix the tomato paste well to avoid lumps.
Substitutions
If you don't have salami or ham, you can just use vegetables or any other deli meat.
The cheese can be replaced with mozzarella or another hard cheese.
Black olives can be used instead of green if you don't like green ones.
Variations
For a fluffier crust, let the dough rise for more than 30 minutes.
You can add onions, tomatoes, or any other preferred toppings, but in moderate amounts so as not to soften the crust.
If you don't like pineapple on pizza, you can easily omit it.
Serving ideas
The pizza is cut while hot and goes well with the leftover sauce or a simple yogurt dressing.
It can be served as a main dish for dinner or lunch, alongside a salad.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to let it rise for only 30 minutes?
For this recipe, a short rise is enough for the dough to slightly increase. The crust will be thin and won't become very airy or fluffy.
Can I make the dough in advance?
You can, but don't let it rise too much. If you keep it in the fridge, take it out a little before rolling it out to bring it back to room temperature.
What if I don't have tomato paste?
You can also use tomato sauce, diluted with a little water. The final taste will be slightly different, but it works in a pinch.
Can I skip the pineapple or other toppings?
Yes, use whatever you like or have. The recipe doesn't depend on pineapple or any specific type of topping.
Will the crust remain soft or crispy?
The crust will be thin and slightly crispy at the edges without being dry. If you want it crispier, you can bake it directly on a pizza stone, if you have one.
Nutritional values
Approximately, a 20-26 cm pizza has about 500-700 kcal, depending on how much cheese and deli meats are used. Most of the calories come from flour, oil, and cheese. A serving contains 15-20 g of protein, 60-80 g of carbohydrates, and 18-25 g of fat, depending on the toppings used. Values are approximate and vary based on the amount of sauce, meat, or cheese.
Storage and reheating
The pizza keeps well until the next day, covered or in a box in the fridge. When reheating, it can be placed for a few minutes in the oven or on a skillet to regain a crust. In the microwave, it softens but remains edible. After a day, the crust isn't as good, but it can still be consumed.
When I want a quick pizza at home, I use this thin crust recipe. From 300 g of flour, I get about 3 pizzas, each with a diameter of 20-26 cm. The fermentation time is short, so I don't have to wait for hours for the dough. The toppings can be whatever I have in the fridge, and the sauce is made with tomato paste. I usually make it in the evening when we want something warm without too much hassle, and it works just as well for lunch, especially on weekends.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 pizzas of 20-26 cm diameter
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick homemade pizza
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 300 g flour
- 100 ml water
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 25 g fresh yeast (1 cube)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the toppings:
- salami (enough to cover the pizza)
- pressed chicken ham
- mushrooms
- corn
- bell peppers
- green olives
- pineapple
- cheese
For the sauce:
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- salt
- sugar
- pepper
- thyme
Preparation method
1. Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the crumbled yeast, salt, oil, and water. Knead everything until the dough no longer sticks to your hands or the sides of the bowl. It doesn't need to be kneaded for a long time, just enough to become an elastic, homogeneous ball.
2. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise just enough to slightly increase in volume, about 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce: heat a splash of oil in a small pot. After 2 minutes, pour in the tomato paste and mix vigorously. Let it boil a few times, then add the water and mix until there are no lumps. Season with salt, pepper, sugar (to taste), and thyme. Boil until the sauce thickens slightly but is not too concentrated. Set aside.
4. Divide the risen dough into 2 equal balls (or 3 if you prefer thinner, smaller pizzas). Take each ball in turn, roll it out on the work surface to the desired diameter.
5. Grease the pizza trays with a little butter, just enough to prevent the crust from sticking. Place the rolled-out dough in the tray.
6. Spread a thin layer of sauce over each sheet of dough. Distribute the topping ingredients: slices of salami, ham, pieces of mushrooms, corn, bell peppers, green olives, diced pineapple. Don't overload the crust.
7. Bake the pizza in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes. The crust bakes directly on the grill or on the tray, depending on what you use.
8. Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle grated cheese over the entire surface. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, just enough for the cheese to melt.
9. The pizza is served hot. If there's any sauce left, you can add extra on slices after baking, if you like.
Why I make this recipe often
It's quick and doesn't require me to plan ahead. It doesn't need long fermentation and doesn't complicate with hard-to-find ingredients. I like that the dough always turns out well without needing to adjust the quantities. I can use whatever toppings I have on hand. It bakes well on any type of tray and remains tasty the next day, if there are any leftovers.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don't let the dough rise too much. If you let it rise just until it slightly increases in volume, the crust will be thin and won't break.
Butter on the tray helps with easy release of the crust, but you can also use baking paper if you prefer not to grease the trays.
When making the sauce, mix the tomato paste well to avoid lumps.
Substitutions
If you don't have salami or ham, you can just use vegetables or any other deli meat.
The cheese can be replaced with mozzarella or another hard cheese.
Black olives can be used instead of green if you don't like green ones.
Variations
For a fluffier crust, let the dough rise for more than 30 minutes.
You can add onions, tomatoes, or any other preferred toppings, but in moderate amounts so as not to soften the crust.
If you don't like pineapple on pizza, you can easily omit it.
Serving ideas
The pizza is cut while hot and goes well with the leftover sauce or a simple yogurt dressing.
It can be served as a main dish for dinner or lunch, alongside a salad.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to let it rise for only 30 minutes?
For this recipe, a short rise is enough for the dough to slightly increase. The crust will be thin and won't become very airy or fluffy.
Can I make the dough in advance?
You can, but don't let it rise too much. If you keep it in the fridge, take it out a little before rolling it out to bring it back to room temperature.
What if I don't have tomato paste?
You can also use tomato sauce, diluted with a little water. The final taste will be slightly different, but it works in a pinch.
Can I skip the pineapple or other toppings?
Yes, use whatever you like or have. The recipe doesn't depend on pineapple or any specific type of topping.
Will the crust remain soft or crispy?
The crust will be thin and slightly crispy at the edges without being dry. If you want it crispier, you can bake it directly on a pizza stone, if you have one.
Nutritional values
Approximately, a 20-26 cm pizza has about 500-700 kcal, depending on how much cheese and deli meats are used. Most of the calories come from flour, oil, and cheese. A serving contains 15-20 g of protein, 60-80 g of carbohydrates, and 18-25 g of fat, depending on the toppings used. Values are approximate and vary based on the amount of sauce, meat, or cheese.
Storage and reheating
The pizza keeps well until the next day, covered or in a box in the fridge. When reheating, it can be placed for a few minutes in the oven or on a skillet to regain a crust. In the microwave, it softens but remains edible. After a day, the crust isn't as good, but it can still be consumed.