Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Dough: 500 g Tipo 00 or bread flour, 325 g room-temperature water, 2 g instant yeast, 10 g fine sea salt, 2 tablespoons flour for dusting
- Sauce: 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 14 ounces/400 g, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 small garlic clove
- Toppings: 8 ounces/225 g fresh mozzarella, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 16 fresh basil leaves, 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- For frying: 4 cups neutral high-heat oil, such as peanut, sunflower, canola, or avocado oil
Do This
- 1. Mix flour, yeast, and water; rest 10 minutes, then add salt and knead 8 to 10 minutes.
- 2. Cover and rise at room temperature for 2 hours, then divide into 4 balls and proof 2 hours more.
- 3. Preheat the oven to 500°F/260°C with a pizza stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet for 45 minutes.
- 4. Crush tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and garlic; drain and tear the mozzarella.
- 5. Heat 4 cups oil to 365°F/185°C and stretch each dough ball into a 7 to 8-inch round.
- 6. Fry each dough round 45 to 60 seconds on the first side, then 30 to 45 seconds on the second side; drain on a rack.
- 7. Top with sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and olive oil; bake 4 to 6 minutes until melted and browned.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredible texture: The dough is lightly fried first, giving you a crisp, golden exterior with a soft, airy center.
- Classic Neapolitan flavors: Bright tomato, milky mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil keep the toppings simple and balanced.
- Home-kitchen friendly: You do not need a wood-fired oven; a hot oven, a heavy pan, and a thermometer do the job beautifully.
- Fun and impressive: Pizza Montanara feels special, but each step is very manageable when done in order.
Grocery List
- Produce: Fresh basil, 1 small garlic clove
- Dairy: Fresh mozzarella, Parmesan cheese
- Pantry: Tipo 00 flour or bread flour, instant yeast, fine sea salt, whole peeled tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, neutral high-heat frying oil, extra flour for dusting
Full Ingredients
For the Dough
- 500 g Tipo 00 flour or bread flour, plus 2 tablespoons more for dusting
- 325 g room-temperature water, about 70°F/21°C
- 2 g instant yeast, about 1/2 teaspoon
- 10 g fine sea salt, about 1 3/4 teaspoons
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 14 ounces/400 g
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or mashed into a paste
For Frying
- 4 cups neutral high-heat oil, such as peanut, sunflower, canola, or avocado oil
For Topping and Finishing
- 8 ounces/225 g fresh mozzarella, well drained and torn into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix and knead the dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine 500 g flour and 2 g instant yeast. Add 325 g room-temperature water and mix with a sturdy spoon or your hand until no dry patches remain. The dough will look shaggy and slightly sticky. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes; this short rest makes kneading easier.
Sprinkle 10 g fine sea salt over the dough. Knead by hand in the bowl or on a clean counter for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smoother, elastic, and tacky but not soupy. If using a stand mixer, knead with the dough hook on low speed for 5 to 6 minutes. Avoid adding extra flour unless the dough is truly unworkable; a slightly sticky dough makes a lighter fried crust.
Step 2: Let the dough rise
Shape the dough into a rough ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover tightly with a lid, plastic wrap, or a damp kitchen towel. Let it rise at room temperature, ideally 72°F to 75°F/22°C to 24°C, for 2 hours. It should look relaxed, slightly domed, and about 50 to 75 percent larger, but it does not need to fully double.
Step 3: Divide and proof the dough balls
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 equal pieces, about 209 g each. Shape each piece into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath and rolling gently against the counter. Place the dough balls seam-side down in a lightly floured covered container or on a floured tray with enough room between them.
Cover and let the dough balls proof at room temperature for 2 hours, until puffy, relaxed, and easy to stretch. If your kitchen is cooler than 70°F/21°C, the dough may need an extra 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Prepare the sauce, cheese, and oven
During the final 45 minutes of the dough proof, place a pizza stone, pizza steel, or heavy inverted baking sheet on the upper-middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F/260°C for a full 45 minutes. A long preheat helps the fried dough finish quickly without drying out.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pour the 14-ounce/400 g can of whole peeled tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands or a fork until saucy but still lightly textured. Stir in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and the grated garlic. Tear the mozzarella into 1/2-inch pieces and place it on paper towels or a clean towel to drain for at least 20 minutes. This helps prevent a watery pizza.
Step 5: Heat the frying oil and stretch the first crust
Pour 4 cups neutral oil into a wide Dutch oven, deep cast-iron skillet, or heavy pot. The oil should be about 1 1/2 inches deep. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until the oil reaches 365°F/185°C on a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer. Keep the oil between 350°F and 375°F/175°C and 190°C while frying.
While the oil heats, lightly flour your work surface. Take one dough ball and press from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Stretch it gently into a 7 to 8-inch round. Do not use a rolling pin; hand-stretching keeps the dough airy. Keep the remaining dough balls covered so they do not dry out.
Step 6: Lightly fry the dough
Carefully lower the stretched dough into the hot oil, laying it away from you to avoid splashes. Fry for 45 to 60 seconds on the first side, until the bottom is pale golden and the dough is puffed with small blisters. If the center balloons too much, gently press it down with a spider, slotted spoon, or metal spatula.
Flip the dough and fry the second side for 30 to 45 seconds. The goal is a lightly fried crust that is golden in spots, not deeply browned. Lift the crust from the oil and let excess oil drip back into the pot for 10 to 15 seconds, then transfer it to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds, letting the oil return to 365°F/185°C between pizzas.
Step 7: Top the fried crusts
Place the fried crusts on a pizza peel, parchment-lined baking sheet, or the back of a lightly floured sheet pan. Top each crust with about 3 tablespoons tomato sauce, spreading it gently and leaving the puffy rim mostly bare. Add 2 ounces/56 g torn mozzarella to each pizza, followed by 1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan and 2 to 3 basil leaves. Drizzle each pizza with 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil.
Keep the toppings light. Pizza Montanara is best when the crust stays airy and crisp rather than weighed down by too much sauce or cheese.
Step 8: Bake and serve
Slide one or two topped pizzas onto the preheated stone, steel, or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F/260°C for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted, the sauce is hot, and the rim is deeply golden in spots. If you want a little more browning, switch the oven to high broil for the final 60 to 90 seconds, watching constantly so the crust does not burn.
Transfer the pizzas to a board or plate and add the remaining fresh basil leaves. Let them rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Serve hot, while the crust is crisp on the outside and soft in the middle.
Pro Tips
- Use a thermometer for the oil: If the oil is too cool, the dough absorbs more oil; if it is too hot, the outside browns before the inside cooks. Aim for 365°F/185°C and stay within 350°F to 375°F/175°C to 190°C.
- Drain the mozzarella well: Fresh mozzarella can release a lot of liquid. Tear it and drain it for at least 20 minutes before topping.
- Fry lightly, then bake: The first fry should set the dough and create a delicate crust. Save the final browning for the hot oven.
- Do not overload the pizza: About 3 tablespoons sauce and 2 ounces mozzarella per pizza is enough for a balanced Montanara.
- Work one dough ball at a time: Stretch, fry, drain, and then move on. This keeps the dough from sticking or drying out.
Variations
- Spicy Montanara: Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce and finish each pizza with a few extra flakes after baking.
- Smoked Mozzarella Montanara: Replace half of the fresh mozzarella with 4 ounces/115 g smoked mozzarella or provola for a deeper, smoky flavor.
- Marinara-Style Montanara: Skip the mozzarella and Parmesan. Top each fried crust with tomato sauce, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, a few thin garlic slices, basil, and olive oil before baking.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Pizza Montanara is best eaten right after baking, while the fried crust is crisp and airy. Leftover baked pizza can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 400°F/205°C for 6 to 8 minutes, until hot and re-crisped.
To make the dough ahead, shape it into balls after the first 2-hour rise, place the balls in a covered lightly floured or lightly oiled container, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before frying so the dough can come to room temperature and relax. The tomato sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Untopped fried crusts can be cooled, wrapped, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours; re-crisp at 450°F/230°C for 3 minutes before topping and baking.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 820 kcal | Carbs: 102g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Sodium: 1510mg | Cholesterol: 32mg
