Cracker-Thin Pizza with Three-Cheese Blend and Sweet Oregano Sauce
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
A crisp, cracker-thin, no-rise crust topped with a sweet, thick oregano tomato sauce and a melting blend of cheddar, Swiss and mozzarella. Cut into small squares, party style.
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Method
- 1
Whisk the sauce. Whisk the passata, tomato paste, sugar, oregano and basil together. It should be sweet and thick, and it goes on the pizza uncooked. The tomato paste thickens it so it will not soak into the thin crust.
- 2
Blend the cheeses. Toss the three cheeses together. Together they stand in for the processed provel cheese traditionally used, melting smooth and gooey.
- 3
Preheat the stone. Put the stone or steel on the lower-middle shelf and heat the oven to 240°C (fan 220°C) for at least 45 minutes. A fully heated stone crisps the base quickly, giving that characteristic snap.
- 4
Mix the dough. Mix the flour, cornflour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then stir in the water and oil until the dough comes together. Knead 3-4 times on a lightly floured surface just until it holds, and divide in two. This dough needs no rising; minimal kneading keeps it tender and crisp rather than chewy.
- 5
Roll very thin. On a sheet of lightly floured baking paper, roll one piece into a very thin 30cm round, about 2mm thick. Slide the paper onto the rimless sheet and prick the dough all over with a fork. The holes let steam escape so the crust stays flat and cracker-like.
- 6
Top to the edge. Spread half the sauce to 5mm from the edge and scatter with half the cheese, taking it right to the rim. Covering the whole surface gives a crisp, cheesy edge in every square.
- 7
Bake until crisp. Slide the pizza, on its paper, onto the hot stone and bake for 9-12 minutes, until the underside is golden brown and crisp and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Cool for 2 minutes on a rack, sprinkle with a pinch of oregano and cut into 5cm squares. Bake the second pizza the same way.
Storage
Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or a dry frying pan until piping hot (74°C).
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- small bowl
- rolling pin
- baking paper
- pizza stone or baking steel (or a heavy baking tray turned upside down)
- rimless baking sheet or peel
- pizza wheel
- wire rack
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 602 kcal |
| Protein | 23.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 67.7 g |
| of which sugars | 6.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 3 g |
| Fat | 26.4 g |
| of which saturates | 12.2 g |
| Fibre | 3.4 g |
| Salt | 1.88 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
