Well I have a new favorite recipe! I didn’t work too hard on this one, either, to be honest. Because I’ve been making homemade pizza dough every week for the past year. This week we had a cold front in Maine, which brought some bitter, windy weather. In order to avoid cooking outside in my pizza oven, I decided to make pizza fritta, a Neapolitan-style fried pizza. Instead of stuffing mine, I fried the bubbly, airy dough and topped it with cheese and homemade tomato sauce. It was incredible!

Pizza Fritta in Italy

When I was in Italy in 2023 we visited a food festival in Certaldo.  My favorite little town, a short train ride from Florence. It’s a medieval castle town on a hill with a people mover on a track and stunning brick facades lining cobblestone streets. Certaldo Alto sits proudly above the rest of the city, which has food stores, art and pottery shops, museums, and restaurants. They are known for their homemade onion jam, which we enjoyed on toast, pizza, and more. 

On the day of the food festival, we stopped at the bottom of the hill to tour the food stalls which plumed with smoke. I remember a gelato truck where we got affogatos with piping hot shots of espresso. My double coffee flavor was divine. We also tried arrosticini, lamb skewers, a regional specialty. But the main event of our lunch was pizza fritta. There were a few men behind chalkboards twirling dough in bowls of flour and folding them like calzones, stuffed with sauce and toppings. 

Pizza Night Preparation

We each ordered one and ate it with a fork and knife on a picnic table. The dough was homemade, of course, and bubbly, chewy, and crisp. But the inside was a watery mess. It made it impossible to pick up. The fresh mozzarella and steaming tomato sauce was blisteringly hot, too, so I let mine cool down for a bit before attacking it. It was slightly undercooked in the middle, but the dough was delicious. It was a fun experience to try a new variation of pizza in Italy, although I’m sure it would have been outstanding in Naples. 

I was thinking about it again this week when I made dough for pizza night. I measure flour, yeast, salt, and water each Tuesday morning. The dough comes together into a shaggy mess at first, then I knead it for ten minutes into a smooth ball. The first step for a delicious, airy crust is a bulk proof, when you let the dough sit at room temperature (covered) for 1-2 days. I actually like 1 day better, for some reason. Then, you shape the dough into even balls and let them rise for a couple more hours. They go into the fridge next to develop flavor and to relax. 

Homemade Pizza Fritta Dough

When I actually make pizza I take the dough balls out an hour or two before I cook so the yeast re-develops some air bubbles. I love those pockets in the crust when it gets nice and puffy in the hot oven. And every week for the past year or two I’ve shaped dough, topped each with our favorite toppings, and cooked it in my Ooni oven. Outside. But lately it’s become incredibly cold in Maine. I braved it last week and nearly got blown over by the cold wind. So I knew this week, with a cold front in town, would be a battle. I made my regular dough, but I scaled the recipe up to make 4 doughs instead of 3. 

The dough came out especially perfect, which was so exciting. There’s this weird feeling when you have the exact right consistency of dough, which I can’t really describe. Other than maybe a small hint of squeakiness? Smooth and firm at the same time? After over probably 70 pizza nights, I’ve really gotten a good feel for it. I made extra pizza dough this week because I wanted to try making pizza fritta. Not like the one I had in Tuscany, but an unfilled, puffy, bubbly dough topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella. 

Snowy, Cold Maine

I started with the classic Margherita pizza toppings, of course, before getting fancy. Mostly to let the dough shine. All I had to do was fire up a deep pan and fill it with some frying oil during the afternoon on Thursday. I spent Wednesday helping my dad shovel snow, which wore me out completely. Then, I had a dentist appointment. I prepped my dough, taking my single ball, the first of four, out of the fridge. So it could develop some good air bubbles over a few hours before cooking. I also made a quick homemade tomato sauce with a quick chop of fresh tomato, basil, and new olive oil from a cooking store. 

After my dentist gave me the all-clear, I drove home excited and hungry, eager to make my pizza fritta. The first thing I did was scoop a dough ball out of the bowl onto my counter, which was sprinkled with cornmeal. A must for homemade pizza. It keeps my dough from sticking to the paddle and the oven each week. I used to use flour when I started, which caused many tantrums and anxiety attacks. Dropped and flopped burnt doughs that stuck to the pizza stone or wouldn’t even come off the paddle. All the more reason to make this recipe if you’re new to homemade pizza – this is way easier. 

Homemade Tomato Sauce + Fresh Basil

I spread my pizza disc out a little over the cornmeal and shaped it into a small disc with a thick crust. Then, while I prepped my other ingredients, I left it to sit. Whenever I go slow and get caught up making pizzas, the last one is always very bubbly and airy. My favorite kind. Which is because it sits out the longest, allowing the yeast to develop more air pockets. I dreamed of a pizza fritta with a super bubbly, crispy-yet-chewy texture. Kind of similar to the bubbles in cannoli. While it rested, I picked the last bit of my home-grown basil. Still in the kitchen window box fighting the temperature. But it was time to say goodbye. For now!

And what better recipe to use it in. The sauce is rich with basil and fresh tomato. Good olive oil. And seasoned with salt. I left it out at room temperature, knowing if it was chilled that it would not warm up enough on my hot crust. Thinking ahead. I also prepped more basil for garnish and tore apart some real mozzarella to go on top. Then, all that was left to do was fry my pizza dough. So I poured a few glugs of oil into my pan and turned the heat up to medium-high. It was kind of unreal how easy it was compared to cooking in the pizza oven. I didn’t have to worry about it sticking. Or the toppings burning. Or braving the cold.

Bubbly, Fried Dough

I saw some little bubbles forming in my dough right before I fried it. The last thing I did to prepare was stretch it a little more into a proper thin crust, about 12” wide, using my fingertips. I spun it around in my hands a little, too, fighting to not let it droop into an oval, as I flopped it carefully into the hot oil. The oil wasn’t too hot, thankfully, otherwise it could have been scary. The crust could have burned. But it was a delightful, gentle bubble and boil, like for frying donuts. My pizza fritta swirled and floated around gleefully in the hot pool, and immediately the bubbles grew and created beautiful bumps and craters. 

I readied two chopsticks and a spatula. A baking sheet with paper towels to soak up the hot oil. And I peeked underneath the bottom to see an even golden brown crust of fried dough. I carefully flipped my dough over being careful not to splash the oil and watched as new bubbles began to grow. It looked so cool and smelled heavenly. Similar to that scent wafting from the food cart in Italy two years ago. I cooked it thoroughly so the dough cooked all the way through, and it didn’t come close to burning. I transferred it to my baking sheet carefully and sprinkled it with a little flaky sea salt for flavor.

Melted Mozzarella

All that was left to do was melt the cheese. So I scattered my mozzarella pieces all over the top of the hot dough. It didn’t melt enough for my liking, so I popped it into the hot oven for 2-3 minutes, which did the trick. And I finished off with a generous spoonful of delicious tomato sauce on top. A drizzle of olive oil. And my fresh basil leaves. Truly a gorgeous, crispy, bubbly and golden disc of deliciousness, topped with classic and well-made pizza toppings. It was so fun to make. A great change from my usual routine outside in a coat, boots, and gloves.

After taking photos I cut my pizza fritta into 6 even pieces, which crackled and had a bit of a bite under the blades. It felt perfect. I started with an especially cheesy piece, with a puffy, bubbly crust. The first bite was amazing. Tart and fresh tomato. Basil. Olive oil. Salt. Melted, chewy cheese. But the start of the show was the crust. Golden, crunchy-yet-chewy dough.

Taste Test

When I tell you the dough was enigmatic and delicious, I mean it. I couldn’t wrap my head around how it had even more flavor than usual. It had deep craters of air bubbles in the crust, but it had a distinct chew and crunch that wasn’t too intense. It had a density, too, in a delightful way, that made it hard to put down. I completely loved it.

Frying the dough by itself was crucial to avoid wateriness and smoking-hot tomato sauce. The homemade sauce I made was perfectly seasoned. And my basil added a bittersweet note of summer. The dough itself was a better version of that one in Italy, if I do say so myself, similar to the cannoli-like texture I dreamed of with the distinct pizza chew. I went to another universe in my head, dreaming of a pizza fritta shop. Quick and easy to make. And even more delicious, somehow, than my classic Neapolitan recipe. Both are amazing, but this hit the spot big time.

Two Pizzas in One Day

Funny enough I still went outside at night to cook pizza in the oven because I ran out of frying oil. My parents are too attached to the original baked crust, anyway. Our power flickered from the heavy, freezing cold wind. The flames in the oven danced dramatically. And when I was done I felt like a popsicle. Sitting down to eat pizza, for the second time in one day, was a heavenly treat. Much like my days in Italy, filled with carbs 24/7. Next week I might make pizza fritta again, and I’m going to try and convince my parents to try it, too. It’s a lot easier to make and so incredibly good!

Let me know if you try the recipe! It’s so worth it! And as always, be sure to check out my Etsy for 100’s of recipe cards and art prints. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. Thank you for reading!

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Pizza Fritta

Fried Neapolitan pizza dough topped with tomato sauce and cheese

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword fried pizza, margherita pizza, pizza, pizza fritta, pizza recipe

Prep Time 2 days days 4 hours hours

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cups 00 Flour
• 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cup cold water
• 6 cups vegetable frying oil
• 16 oz fresh mozzarella for topping
• 8 oz tomato sauce for topping
• Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

• Measure flour into a large bowl. Add yeast and salt and mix to combine.
• Add your cold water and bring dough together into a shaggy mess using your hands or a chopstick.
• Once dough is cohesive, transfer to a work surface and knead for 10 minutes until you have a shiny, stretchy ball of dough.
• Place dough in a lightly-oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 24 – 48 hours.
• Once dough is rested, remove from bowl and spread into a thin square of dough using your hands.
• Cut your dough into 4 equal pieces and measure by feel or using a kitchen scale to ensure consistency.
• Place balls of dough on a large plate, 2-3 inches apart, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then place in fridge for 12 hours minimum (up to 36 hours).
• 2 hours before cooking, remove dough balls from fridge and leave covered. Let rest at room temperature.
• Heat cooking oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes before cooking. Oil temperature should read 350°F.
• Prepare 2 large baking sheets with paper towels to soak up hot oil. One at a time, stretch your pizza balls into a thin crust Neapolitan pizza shape, about 12″ in diameter.
• Carefully pick up dough and quickly transfer into your hot oil, making sure to place the dough away from yourself in case of splashing oil.
• Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until bubbly and deeply golden brown on both sides. You can use chopsticks or two spatulas to flip it. Remove with a slotted spatula and transfer to your prepared baking sheets.
• When finished frying, turn off oil and remove from heat. Top each pizza dough with a generous scattering of mozzarella. Place in a warm oven to melt the cheese if you need to for 3-4 minutes.
• Top pizza doughs with tomato sauce, basil leaves, flaky salt, and a light drizzle of good olive oil.

Notes

• If making a homemade tomato sauce, I recommend a Neapolitan style sauce with crushed tomato, olive oil, salt, and basil. 
• Make sure to use real whole-milk mozzarella for best results. 
• If you’re worried about splashing oil when you lower your dough into the hot oil, you can use a pizza paddle or a couple spatulas to lower it in gently. Be safe!