Homemade flatbread pizza is easier and faster to make than homemade pizza, making it perfect for beginners. Eat it without toppings, or enjoy it with toppings that have been added before baking.
1 t. active dry or instant yeast
1 t. sugar
3/4 c. warm water, between 100-110 degrees
2 c. all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned and leveled, plus more for hands and surface
1 T. olive oil, plus 1 t. for brushing the dough
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder or 1 clove minced garlic and/or 1 t. Italian seasoning, optional
toppings of choice, optional
Place yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment, or place in a regular large mixing bowl. Pour warm water on top; whisk gently to combine. Loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel; allow to sit 5 minutes. The mixture should be frothy after 5 minutes, if not, start over with new yeast.
If you don't have a mixer, mix by hand in this next step. With the stand mixer running on low speed, add flour, olive oil and salt; beat on low speed for 1 minute. The dough should be thick. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface, including any loose flour. Knead dough with lightly floured hands for 2 minutes until it begins to come together and becomes smooth. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add 1-2 more tablespoons of flour.
Place dough in a greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to sit and rest for 45 minutes at room temperature. When it has rested and has risen slightly, place it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
As the dough is resting and rising, prepare toppings.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Shape dough:
Punch dough down to release any air; divide dough into 2. On a lightly floured surface with floured hands and working with 1 dough piece at a time, begin shaping and stretching dough until it's 1/4 inch thick. A floured rolling pin can be used for this as well. Don’t worry about the shape of the dough, just make sure it’s pretty thin. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Carefully transfer both pieces of dough to a parchment paper or silicone-mat lined baking sheet, or a pizza stone. You could also shape/roll out the dough directly on a silicone baking mat or a large sheet of parchment if that is easier and then transfer the whole thing to the baking sheet.
Poke fingers or a fork all around the surface of the flatbreads; drizzle or brush with 1/2 t. olive oil. Top each with favorite toppings.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until crusts and toppings are browned. Remove from oven.
Serve warm.
2-4 servings.
Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.