Crispy Crust Traybake Pizza
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In the pizza world, you really have two options. There’s the traditional individual round one—the classic we all know and love but take some time. And then, if you plan outdoor parties or meals where you need to get ahead, there’s the incredible, versatile crispy traybake pizza. This idea popped into my mind a while ago when I wanted something different: something that could be scaled into large trays, easy to compose and manage ahead of time. The dough has much less yeast and it is bulk-proofed in a container for 24 to 72 hours. From there, it’s simply divided into six squares, each easily rolled out into sheets. These get pre-baked and can live in your freezer for a month. The day you need them, just pull one out, spread whatever you want on top, throw it in the oven, slice—done deal. I’ve made wonderful combos this way: mascarpone, ham, lardon, blue cheese, honey, and hazelnut. Black olive–anchovy tapenade with potatoes, Parmesan, and eggs. Italian sausage, mozzarella, and champignons. Spanish chorizo, bell pepper, tomato sauce, and cheese. This is the perfect on-budget family meal, and honestly? It might just change the way you think about pizza night.
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This is the perfect on-budget family meal, and honestly? It might just change the way you think about pizza night...
This recipe is a protected and only available for paid members. To obtain the full step by step recipe and detailed ingredients list, please sign up.
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48-Hour Pizza Dough
- By using much less yeast than most pizza recipes and incorporating more salt into your dough, you can slow down the fermentation process and allow the flavors to develop more fully. One of the key factors that sets a great pizza dough apart is its ease of preparation and workability.
Mixing Dough
- In a mixing bowl fitted with the hook attachment, combine water, yeast, flour, and salt. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes. The dough will come together but will remain firm—that's normal. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the hook throughout the mixing process. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue mixing for 8 to 10 minutes more. The temperature of the dough should now reach around 23–24 degrees Celsius.
Resting
- Form dough into a tight round, cover it with an upside down bowl or a wet kitchen towel, and let rest for 2 hours.
Bulk Fermentation
- Lightly oil a plastic container. Bulk fermentation is the time when the dough ferments as one large mass. After 2 hours of resting, transfer the dough into the plastic container and press it down to form an even slab.Cover with a lid and let dough rest: 24 hours at 17-18 degrees celsius. Or 48 hours at 10 degrees celsius. Or 72 hours at 5 degrees celsius.
Preheating Oven
- Preheat your conventional oven to 500°F/260°C for 45 minutes with the pizza stone inside placed in the middle before baking your first pizza sheet.
Pizza Sheets
- Once the dough has undergone the long bulk fermentation, it won’t rise that much — that’s normal. The aromas will have definitely developed, but not the volume we would seek for bread loaves. Right before flipping it, and in order to keep the created slab shape intact while releasing it, it is important to gently slide the plastic dough scraper (curved side up) down all around the edges first.
- Flip the container onto a floured countertop. The dough will come off easily.
- Make a first clean cut lengthwise, then divide each section into 3 neat slabs.
- Flour them and begin to flatten each dough slab into square but do it step by step observing short relaxing gaps in between to prevent shrinking.
- Then finish rolling each piece of dough into a 5mm thick sheet (40X30cm).
- Roll dough sheet around your rolling pin and drape it over the baking tray (no parchment needed—just quickly moisten the tray lightly with a damp sponge so it sticks to the tray).
- Dock the dough sheet. Do likewise with the remaining dough.
- Drizzle olive oil over pizza dough sheets. When the oven is hot, start baking pizza dough sheet (one tray at the time or more if your oven allows it).
Par-Baking Pizza Sheets
- Partially baking the dough without toppings preserves structure better. Having these par-baked pizza sheets in your freezer not only are they convenient, but they also allow for a stress-free and enjoyable cooking experience for both the host and the guests. Bake each pizza sheet at 480ºF/250ºC for 4 to 5 minutes. Slide the par-baked pizza sheet onto the work surface to cool off faster. Then stalk, wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months.
Add Toppings
- Click here to get your favorite traybake pizza toppings (coming shortly). Then finish baking in your conventional oven or pizza oven for 8 to 12 minutes at the same suggested temperature. Enjoy!
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