Easy Homemade Mini Pizzas

Name: Easy Homemade Mini Pizzas
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients: 400 ml lukewarm water; Instant yeast; Honey or sugar, to activate the yeast; Oil; 450–500 g all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more as needed; Salt; Semolina or flour, for sprinkling; Fresh spinach; Fresh basil; Pine nuts; Olive oil; Salt, to taste; Dried oregano; Parmigiano Reggiano, optional; Shredded cheese, as needed; Red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved; Dried oregano, to taste; Pepperoni or other favorite toppings, optional

Five soft, puffy mini pizzas topped with homemade spinach-basil pesto, melted cheese, and colorful cherry tomatoes.

Serves

5 mini pizzas

Prep

30 min + rising

These easy homemade mini pizzas have thick, airy edges and soft centers topped with my fresh spinach-basil pesto, plenty of melted cheese, and red and yellow cherry tomatoes. The dough is intentionally very soft and sticky, and two gentle coil folds give it strength without making it heavy. I bake them as hot as my oven safely allows so the crust puffs and browns quickly.

Instructions

Make the dough

1
Combine the lukewarm water, instant yeast, and honey or sugar. Let it stand briefly until the yeast begins to activate.
2
Add the oil and begin mixing in the sifted flour gradually. Add the salt and continue mixing until no dry flour remains. The dough should stay very soft and sticky rather than becoming firm.
3
With damp or lightly oiled hands, lift the dough from the center and let the ends fold underneath it. Turn the bowl and repeat to complete one round of coil folds.
4
Cover and rest for 20 minutes, then complete a second round of coil folds. Cover again and let the dough rise for about 2 hours, until airy and expanded.

Make the pesto

1
Blend the spinach, basil, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, oregano, and optional Parmigiano Reggiano until spoonable. Add enough olive oil for the consistency you like.

Shape and top

1
Heat the oven to its highest safe temperature; I use 550°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle it lightly with semolina or flour.
2
Turn out the risen dough and divide it into 5 pieces. Shape each piece gently into a round without pressing out all the air.
3
Press only the center of each round outward with your fingertips, leaving the rim thick and puffy.
4
Spread pesto in the center, then add shredded cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, oregano, and any optional toppings. Keep the raised edge uncovered.

Bake

1
Bake in the fully heated oven until the centers are cooked, the cheese is browned, and the thick edges are puffed and deeply golden. Watch closely because ovens vary at their highest setting.
2
Let the pizzas settle for a few minutes, then serve warm.

Toti’s Tips

✓Keep the dough soft and sticky. Adding flour until it feels like a firm bread dough would make the baked edges dense instead of light and airy.
✓The 20-minute rest between coil folds gives the flour time to absorb the water. The dough becomes stronger with gentle handling, so there is no need to knead in lots of extra flour.
✓Press only the centers when shaping. Leaving the rim untouched preserves the air bubbles that create the thick, puffy crust.
✓A fully preheated, very hot oven sets the airy crust quickly and browns the toppings before the dough has time to dry out.
✓Keep the pesto and toppings inside the center. Sauce or cheese on the rim weighs it down and keeps it from puffing properly.

Storage

•Cool leftovers completely, then refrigerate in a covered container.
•Reheat in a hot oven or toaster oven until warmed through and the crust is crisp again.