Pizza is pretty much a perfect food. There aren’t many ways to improve it—but frying may just be one of them. I’ve been wanting to make pizza fritta (fried pizza) for a while now, because let’s be honest: fried food is delicious. These fried pizzas are crispy, chewy and a great recipe to make in the summer.
You don’t need to heat up a blazing hot oven or get a backyard pizza setup. Just a pan and some oil. Each pizza is shallow fried for a few minutes per side, and then topped up with whatever you like. They’re nice and small so you can make a bunch and top them will as many different flavor combos as you want.
Here, I made a few versions. One of my favorites was topped with mortadella, homemade stracciatella (recipe coming soon!), and a chopped pistachio oil. (Inspired by one of my fave recipes—Pizza Bianca). I also made a classic version with tomato sauce and grated Pecorino Romano, and a summery twist on a classic Margherita pizza with homemade stracciatella, cherry tomato butter sauce, and fresh basil. All so, SO good. Ok, now onto the recipe…
These fried pizzas are crispy, chewy and can be made with any combo of sweet or savory toppings.
What Is Pizza Fritta?
Pizza fritta—also known as fried pizza—is a traditional Neapolitan street food made by frying small rounds of pizza dough instead of baking them. The result? Gorgeous, golden, puffed dough with a crisp outside and a super tender interior.
Some versions are folded like a calzone and then fried, while others—like the ones we’re making here—are fried first and topped afterward. These small individual pizzas are often referred to as pizza montanara or pizzette fritte (little fried pizzas).
It’s the ultimate easy summer pizza: no need to crank up your oven, no pizza stone, low stress. Just dough, oil, and a pan. They make a great appetizer, the perfect snack for a party, or have a few with a side salad to make it a dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this recipe I used a half batch of my favorite sheet pan pizza dough recipe.
For The Pizza Dough
- 250 g flour (about 1 3/4 cups) – I used “00” but all-purpose works too
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 200 g warm water (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil – this is for flavor so use an extra virgin olive oil here
For Frying
- Light Olive oil – You can use any neutral, high heat oil you like here. Sunflower is another good option.
Toppings
You can really use anything you want here. Get creative with it!
- Mortadella
- Chopped Pistachios and Olive Oil
- Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce
- Stracciatella
- Fresh Basil
- Grated Pecorino Romano
Want a sweet version?
These are also great tossed in sugar with a little lemon or orange zest. Cinnamon and sugar. Or, top them with powdered sugar and a spoonful of strawberry jam or sweetened whipped ricotta.
How to Make Pizza Fritta
- Make The Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together your flour and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the warm water, yeast, and honey (or sugar). Let sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast then stir in the olive oil.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir until no dry patches remain. Cover and let the dough proof:- Overnight in the fridge.
- Or, at room temperature for ~5 hours.
- Shape The Dough
Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Fold dough over on itself to create tight balls, pinching the bottom together. Arrange on a floured surface, pinched side down and let rise for 1 hour at room temp. - Heat The Oil
Heat about 1/2” oil over medium heat. You’ll know it’s ready when:- The surface shimmers
- Bubbles form around a wooden spoon handle
- Or, if using a thermometer, it reaches 325°F (165°C)
- Stretch and Fry Pizzas
Stretch each dough ball into a circle, about 1/2 – 1/4” thick. Gently place in oil (away from you) and fry for around 3 minutes per side until light golden in color. They will continue to brown once you take it out of the oil. Set on a rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining dough. - Top it Up!
Once all your pizzas are fried, top them up with whatever you like and enjoy! Here are a few of my favorites:
Mortadella, Stracciatella and Chopped Pistachio Oil
Stracciatella, Cherry Butter Tomato Sauce and Fresh Basil
Cherry Butter Tomato Sauce and Grated Pecorino Romano
FAQs
What’s the difference between pizza fritta and pizza montanara?
In this case, they’re essentially the same—both are fried pizza dough—but “pizza montanara” typically refers to round versions with tomato sauce and cheese added after frying.While Pizza fritta can also refer to a stuffed and fried pizza pocket, like a fried calzone.
Can I use store-bought dough?
Absolutely. Use about 1½–2 oz per pizza round.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes! Portion and freeze the dough after the first rise. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Can I make these ahead?
You can fry them a few hours in advance and reheat in a warm oven. I think these are also great at room temp.
More Recipes to Try:
Radio Bakery’s Sausage and Chive Focaccia – Make the viral sausage and chive focaccia from Radio Bakery at home! This focaccia has a soft, airy crust topped with Italian sausage, bacon, crème fraîche, and fresh chives.
Glazed Strawberry Jam Donut Focaccia – A no-knead sweet focaccia with strawberry jam and a vanilla glaze. Everything you love about a jelly donut, but as focaccia.
Potato Pizza with Rosemary and Guanciale – Roman style pizza con patate, a sheet pan pizza topped with thin sliced potatoes, fresh rosemary and guanciale.
Philly Tomato Pie – Learn how to make the ultimate Philly tomato pie – a Sicilian-style pizza topped with a rich tomato sauce, dried oregano and grated cheese. An Italian-American classic perfect for gatherings and holiday parties.
Pizza Bianca (Roman White Pizza) – This Roman-style pizza bianca is golden, crispy, and perfect for sandwiches with pistachio pesto, burrata, and mortadella. It is so good!
Artichoke Pizza – Easy homemade Sicilian-style pan pizza recipe with marinated artichokes, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, prosciutto and Pecorino Romano.
Pepperoncini Pan Pizza – Pepperoncini sheet pan pizza is a spicy, crunchy, and craveable grandma pie. Topped with melty mozzarella, salami, leeks, and tangy pepperoncini—this pan pizza is a weeknight favorite.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you try this Pizza Fritta recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I can’t wait to see it!
Pizza Fritta (Fried Pizza) Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 250 g flour (about 1¾ cups) – “00” or all-purpose
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 200 g warm water (about ¾ cup)
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For Frying:
- Neutral oil like sunflower or light olive oil – enough for ½ inch in the pan
Toppings (any combo you like):
- Mortadella
- Stracciatella
- Chopped pistachios and Olive Oil
- Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce
- Fresh Basil
- Grated Pecorino Romano
Instructions
Make The Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together your flour and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the warm water, yeast, and honey (or sugar). Let sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast then stir in the olive oil.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir until no dry patches remain.Cover and let the dough proof: Overnight in the fridge.Or, at room temperature for ~5 hours.
Shape The Dough
- Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Fold dough over on itself to create tight balls, pinching the bottom together. Arrange on a floured surface, pinched side down and let rise for 1 hour at room temp.
Heat The Oil
- Heat about 1/2” oil over medium heat. You’ll know it’s ready when:The surface shimmersBubbles form around a wooden spoon handleOr, if using a thermometer, it reaches 325°F (165°C)
Stretch and Fry Pizzas
- Stretch each dough ball into a circle, about 1/2 – 1/4” thick. Gently place in oil (away from you) and fry for around 3 minutes per side until light golden in color. They will continue to brown once you take it out of the oil. Set on a rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Top It Up!
- Once all your pizzas are fried, top it up with whatever you like and enjoy! Here are a few of my favorites:Mortadella, Stracciatella and Chopped Pistachio OilStracciatella, Cherry Butter Tomato Sauce and Fresh BasilCherry Butter Tomato Sauce and Grated Pecorino Romano
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
