Pizzette (Italian recipe for mini pizzas or pizza bites)

Name: Pizzette (Italian recipe for mini pizzas or pizza bites)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: 600 g (4¾ cups) flour; 2 Tbsp oil (I use olive oil, but both sunflower and corn will do as well); 20 g (3½ tsp) salt; 1 Tbsp sugar; 7 g (2 tsp) active dry yeast; 400 ml (1½ cups + 3Tbsp) warm water; tomato or pizza sauce; shredded mozzarella (I often use pre-shredded cheese)

Do you love pizza bites? Then pizzette must absolutely be on your menu. Here’s the best Italian recipe for mini pizzas with homemade dough

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What are pizzette

Pizzette (that’s what the Italians call mini pizzas) are not just little pizza bites, they resemble a tender soft cloud of pizza dough, topped with a bright tomato sauce and shredded cheese, and baked to a light crispy crust.

In general, homemade pizza is a total gastronomic hit in any season and for any company. But if you decide to make pizzette instead of a standard pizza, then double success is undoubtedly guaranteed!

They are a wonderful appetizer, breakfast, snack, quick lunch, or dinner. These mini pizza bites are perfect for picnics, parties, potlucks, beach days, family gatherings, game days, and buffet tables.

Kids simply adore mini pizzas, because it is so convenient to grab a delicious bite – size pizza from the buffet table, eat it quickly and then go on playing with friends. Trust me, the pizzette will be the first to disappear from the table, so be sure to make a big batch!

The best pizzette recipe

This easy recipe for mini pizzas is an indisputable favorite in our kitchen. Over the years of my culinary adventures, I have tried many different types of pizza crust, and each of them lacked something…

I wanted the pizza dough to be light and airy, like a pillow. That is why I increased the amount of water in these mini pizza bites recipe: the dough is quite sticky when kneading and after rising too.

It is not as easy to work with it as with the usual yeast dough, which can be rolled out with a rolling pin. But, trust me, this little “inconvenience” is more than worth such an impressive result. You will get the most delicious homemade pizzette you have ever baked!

Let your kids spread sauce on pizza, they will love this activity!

This easy mini pizza recipe does not require any fancy ingredients, on the contrary, Italian pizza bites are made from scratch – the homemade pizza crust is made from ordinary flour, yeast and water … As for the toppings, they completely depend on your taste.

Toppings for mini pizzas

When it comes to pizzette, you have complete freedom to choose the toppings you like. You can use the same toppings as for a standard round or rectangular pizza. Here everything is totally up to you, so add anything you like:

Margherita mini pizza bites (it’s my big gastronomic love – pizza sauce, mozzarella … and nothing unnecessary). This is the recipe I am going to tell you about today.
pizza sauce, ham, and shredded cheese
sliced mushrooms and shredded mozzarella
chopped grilled sausages and broccoli (this is an incredible combination)
potatoes (thinly sliced) and rosemary
tomato sauce and pepperoni
shredded zucchini and mozzarella make a fantastic pizzette topping
grilled vegetables

The possibilities are endless…

Tips for the best homemade mini pizza bites

After the dough has risen, you can form pizzette in two ways: press the dough with your hands to form a large rectangle and then cut out round mini pizzas; or divide the dough into portions and press each portion down with your hands to shape little round pizzas.
This homemade pizza dough recipe is also great for making a standard round or large rectangular pizza.
In any case, don’t increase the amount of flour indicated in the recipe. The dough should be sticky. Place a small amount of oil on your hands and rub it all over. This will keep the dough from sticking to your hands and will make it easier to work with.
Do not use a rolling pin to roll out the dough, this is very important! Use your hands to press it down to form a large rectangle.

Let’s look what you’ll need to make this pizzette recipe.

Ingredients

If you are a happy digital kitchen scale owner, I highly recommend using it instead of cups and spoons. Especially when it comes to baking recipes. A scale gives you far more accurate results than volume measurements (everyone scoops ingredients differently). Trust me, using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients will take your baking to a new level.

(for 36 mini pizzas)

600g (4¾ cups) flour
2Tbsp oil (I use olive oil, but both sunflower and corn will do as well)
20g (3½ tsp) salt
1Tbsp sugar
7g (2 tsp) active dry yeast
400 ml (1½ cups + 3Tbsp) warm water
tomato or pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella (I often use pre-shredded cheese)

Step-by-step pizzette recipe

Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add olive oil

Add flour and salt. Knead the dough – it will be quite sticky, so it is best to knead it with a stand mixer. If you knead by hand, then dip your fingers in some olive oil to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise (it should double in size)

Grease the baking paper with oil. Once risen, turn the pizza dough out onto it (I just turn the bowl with the dough upside down and it falls on the baking paper by itself). With your hands (greased with oil), press the dough to make a rectangle 1 cm (½ inch) thick.

Please note: this dough should never be rolled out with a rolling pin! Gently press it with your fingertips, as if massaging it… imagine that you are playing the piano – this will make the pizzette even more soft and airy. There is nothing complicated here: use your fingertips to press the dough down starting from the center. Keep patting it out moving it outward from the center. Then gently stretch it to the edges to form a rectangle.

If the dough is difficult to stretch, leave it for 10 minutes, after that it will become more elastic and easy to work with.

Cut the dough into 36 rounds (7-8cm in diameter). I use a round cookie cutter or a regular glass (grease the rim with oil so the pizza dough won’t stick to it while cutting). Lay the pizza bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When baking, mini pizzas will grow, so place them on a baking sheet at a distance from each other. Leave then for 15 minutes at room temperature

Lightly flatten each mini pizza with your fingertips. Top it with tomato sauce and sprinkle with salt if desired

Bake for 15 minutes at 220C. Take mini pizzas out of the oven, place some shredded cheese on top of each of them and bake for another 2 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Delicious Italian pizzette are ready. Enjoy!

FAQ

Can I make a regular-size pizza with this dough recipe?

Of course! In fact, that’s what I often do. Don’t forget the main rule: no rolling with a rolling pin, you just need to flatten the dough with your hands, gently stretching it in different directions to form a rectangle the size of the baking dish. If you decide to make a large pizza, bake it for 20-25 minutes at 250C.

How to store pizza?

Mini pizzas can be served hot and cold. Store the leftover pizzas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze small pizzas?

This dish is great for freezing. Bake pizzette according to the recipe and let them cool completely. Transfer them to plastic bags and freeze. They can be stored like this for up to 3 months. When necessary, defrost the pizzas and reheat them in the oven for a few minutes.

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Treat your family and yourself with homemade mini pizzas. I hope this Italian pizzette recipe will become your favorite. Enjoy them with a light salad. Buon appetito!