Why Individual Pizzette on Homemade Dough Reinvents Sunday Pizza
Pizza is often better when it’s small and personal. In the pizzette format, everyone builds their own, removing the need to argue over slices. A gluten-free dough, kneaded at home, provides a light, neutral base for a fresh summer topping. Thinly sliced zucchini replaces greasy cured meats with bright vegetable freshness, while a smear of cream cheese and a scattering of green onion stalks add gentle creaminess and a hint of bite. This compact format also means you can bake a single portion and refrigerate or freeze the remaining dough for another meal.
The result is an easy, adaptable dish that showcases seasonal produce, requires minimal time in the oven and fits perfectly into a relaxed weeknight or an impromptu alfresco lunch.
Ingredients for Zucchini, Green Onion and Cream Cheese Pizzette
Makes 2 pizzette. Prep 30 minutes, rest 1 hour, bake 15 minutes.
For the dough
- 200 ml lukewarm water
- 240 g gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch of salt
For assembly
- 1 zucchini
- Green onion stalks (spring onion greens)
- 100 g cream cheese
- Tomato coulis or tomato sauce
Steps from Gluten-Free Dough to Topped Pizzette
- In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, yeast and salt. Add the olive oil and pour the lukewarm water in a thin stream while mixing to bring the dough together. Knead for at least eight minutes until the mixture becomes smooth and pliable.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover it with a cloth and let it rise for at least one hour in a warm spot, away from drafts, so the yeast can work and the dough relaxes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Roll out the dough and cut one oval roughly 10 x 20 cm; set aside the remaining dough in the fridge or freezer for another time.
- Place the oval on a baking sheet or pizza pan, spread a thin layer of tomato coulis, then crumble the cream cheese evenly across the surface.
- Rinse and pat dry the zucchini, slice it into very thin rounds without peeling, and arrange the slices over the cheese.
- Finely snip the green onion stalks with scissors and sprinkle them over the pizzette. Bake for about fifteen minutes at 180 °C until the edges are lightly golden and the zucchini is tender.
Kneading and Resting: Keys to a Tender Gluten-Free Dough
Working with gluten-free dough requires a slightly different approach. Without wheat’s elastic network, it benefits from thorough kneading—about eight minutes—to fully hydrate the flour and activate the yeast. A one-hour rest under a cloth allows the dough to relax and develop a softer texture, making it easier to roll out and yielding a more tender crumb after baking. Skip this pause and the dough can remain dense and brittle rather than light and supple.
How to Top and Adapt the Pizzette to Your Garden
This simple base adapts easily to whatever your market or garden provides. Zucchini rounds pair well with diced bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes or fine ribbons of eggplant. For the cheese element, cream cheese can be swapped for mozzarella, ricotta or a few shavings of aged sheep’s cheese to change the flavor profile. Finish each pizzette with a drizzle of olive oil, a few torn basil leaves and a crack of black pepper just after it comes out of the oven to brighten the flavors and turn a modest snack into a light, summery meal.