Flatbreads and pizzas are both beloved around the world, but is the dough used to make them really that different? While flatbreads like naan, lavash, and tortillas tend to be unleavened, pizza crust uses yeast to get that characteristic rise. However, with some adjustments to ingredients and techniques, the dough for flatbread and pizza can be quite similar.
The Basic Ingredients
At their core, most doughs for flatbread and pizza contain the same basic ingredients:
- Flour – Usually wheat flour, sometimes whole wheat or white.
- Water – Hydrates the dough to activate gluten.
- Salt – For flavor and regulating yeast activity.
- Fat – Like oil or butter, keeps dough tender.
- Leavening – This is where flatbread and pizza dough differ, as flatbreads do not use yeast.
The proportions of these ingredients determine the characteristics of the finished dough. More water makes a wetter, chewier dough while less makes a stiffer, crisper crust. The type of flour also impacts texture and flavor.
The Role of Yeast
Here is where traditional flatbread and pizza doughs diverge – pizza uses yeast for leavening and rise while flatbread does not:
- Yeast – Active yeast proofs in the dough, feeding on sugars and releasing carbon dioxide bubbles that make the dough rise.
- No yeast – Flatbreads get structure from kneading and resting, but do not significantly rise.
However, there are “yeasted flatbreads” that blend methods. Naan can be made with yeast, yogurt, or baking powder for some lift. Focaccia also uses yeast for an airy, pizza-like texture.
Preparation Methods
Making the dough also differs between traditional flatbread and pizza recipes:
- Kneading – Flatbread dough requires vigorous kneading to develop elastic gluten strands.
- No-knead – Many pizza doughs use a no-knead method with long resting periods.
- Rising time – Pizza dough is allowed to proof until doubled; flatbread does not significantly rise.
However, techniques overlap. Some pizza dough is kneaded while some flatbread dough uses a no-knead approach. The preparation impacts the final texture.
Baking Process
The baking method also differs:
- Flatbread – Cooked on a hot surface like a griddle or tava, usually around 500°F.
- Pizza – Baked in an oven, usually between 400-500°F.
The high heat from direct contact gives flatbread its characteristic charred spots. Pizza develops an airy, chewy crust from oven heat. But some flatbreads are finished in the oven while pizza can be cooked on a grill or flat top, blurring the lines.
Serving Styles
Flatbreads and pizzas also differ in final form:
- Flatbreads – Simple bread served whole or cut into pieces.
- Pizza – Topped with sauce and toppings before serving slice.
However, flatbread toppings are becoming more popular. Topped naan and lavash are served pizza-style. Meanwhile, simpler pizzas highlight the crust without lots of toppings.
Examples of Dough Overlap
Some specific doughs further demonstrate the overlap between flatbread and pizza:
| Dough Type | Flatbread or Pizza? | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Naan | Can be both | Soft, chewy crumb. Yeast and yogurt variants have some rise. |
| Focaccia | Flatbread with pizza traits | Uses yeast for rise. Can be topped like pizza. |
| Tortilla | Flatbread | No yeast. Lean dough makes thin, flat crust. |
| Sicilian Pizza | Thick pizza with flatbread traits | Minimal rise. Dense, chewy crust with focaccia-like texture. |
Adapting Techniques
Bakers can adapt techniques from flatbread and pizza to modify texture and rise:
- Add yeast to flatbread dough for a fluffier rise.
- Subtract yeast from pizza dough for a denser, chewier crust.
- Knead pizza dough for increased stretch and chew.
- Skip kneading flatbread dough for a softer texture.
With adjustments to ingredients and method, the distinction between flatbread dough and pizza dough becomes less defined. The same basic dough can produce flatbreads or pizza depending on fermentation time, baking technique, and serving style.
When to Use Which
Certain doughs are better suited for flatbread or pizza depending on the characteristics desired:
| Best for Flatbread | Best for Pizza |
|---|---|
| Lean, dense texture | Light, airy rise |
| Kneaded for stretch and chew | High-hydration, no-knead |
| Quick cooking | Longer proofs |
| Direct heat | Oven baking |
| Simplicity | Layered toppings |
But expectations are changing as bakers innovate. A pizza crust can mimic flatbread or vice versa.
Conclusion
While traditional recipes differ, flatbread dough and pizza dough contain mostly the same ingredients. The biggest distinction is the use of yeast for rise in pizza dough versus kneading for flatbread dough structure.
However, there is significant technique crossover as bakers adapt methods to modify texture and risen. With adjustments to ingredients, preparation, and baking, a single dough can produce flatbreads or pizza depending on the goal. The categorization comes down to served form and flavor profile expectations.
At their core, great pizza and flatbread come down to quality ingredients and proper technique. With an understanding of how variables impact the dough, bakers can tweak recipes to get the perfect crust, whether flat or fluffy.