Homemade Tray Pizza

Name: Homemade Tray Pizza
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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roubashahin.com.au

Mains

Thick base, golden edges, loaded with toppings — this tray pizza is pure comfort food.

PREP TIME

20 minutes (plus rising time)

COOK TIME

15–20 minutes

SERVES

Serves 4–6

About this recipe

There is something about a homemade tray-baked pizza that takes me straight back to childhood. My dad had a pizza takeaway shop, and we all worked in it — so I grew up knowing exactly how a pizza is built. Sauce first, then cheese on the base to anchor everything, then toppings, then another handful of cheese over the top. That order is in my hands now without even thinking about it. But the pizza I really grew up eating was not from the shop. It was the one our mums made at home, in a pan, without a second thought. No dough obsessing, no measuring anything twice — they were not Italian and they were not trying to be. What they cared about was the topping. All the vegetables thrown into one bowl together, tossed, and piled on generously. Get the ratio right and the rest takes care of itself. That is exactly the spirit of this homemade tray-baked pizza.
The base is simple and honest — thick, pillowy, and golden on the bottom, the kind that gets pulled straight out of the oven dish and cut into generous squares at the table. A small spoonful of yoghurt goes into the dough, which keeps the crumb soft and tender even after baking. The tray gets a generous coat of olive oil before the dough goes in, and that oil is what gives you those slightly crispy edges that make a tray pizza so irresistible. What’s more, the second rise happens right in the tray, so the dough puffs up beautifully before it even sees a topping. No fuss, no overthinking — just good, honest pizza the way it was always meant to be made at home.

If you love baking with dough, my Mini Mana-eesh with Three Fillings is another one worth bookmarking — soft, pillowy rounds topped with za’atar, cheese, or muhammara that are pure Middle Eastern comfort. And if you are curious about different ways to top a flatbread, my Mini Manoushi Toppings post has nine ideas that work just as well on a tray pizza base. Best of all, this pizza comes together with pantry staples you likely already have at home.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

375 grams plain flour or 00 flour
5 grams dry yeast (just over half a sachet)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
190 ml warm water
1 tablespoon plain yoghurt
15 ml olive oil (for the dough)
3 tablespoons olive oil (for the tray)

For the Toppings

1 cup pizza sauce
2-3 cups shredded mozzarella (for the base)
1⁄2 cup shredded mozzarella (extra for the top)
6 button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 red capsicum, sliced thinly
1 green capsicum, sliced thinly
1 red onion, sliced thinly
3⁄4 cup black olives, sliced
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
A drizzle of olive oil to finish

Notes from Rouba

The yoghurt in the dough is the secret to keeping the base soft — do not skip it.
Make sure your water is warm, not hot. Hot water will kill the yeast before it gets a chance to work.
If the dough springs back when you press it into the tray, walk away for 10 minutes and try again. It will relax.
Do not be shy with the olive oil in the tray — it is what creates that golden, slightly crispy bottom.
I like to layer cheese on the base first and then again on top. It keeps the toppings anchored and gives you that beautiful cheesy finish.
Slice the vegetables as thinly as you can so they cook evenly in the oven without the base becoming soggy.

Equipment Note

For this recipe I used a 40 centimetre round oven dish — having the right tray really does make a difference to the result. You can find the one I used here.

I also used a pizza dough docker — a pastry roller with spikes that dimples the dough evenly before you add the sauce, which stops the base from puffing up unevenly in the oven. It is such a handy little tool to have. You can find it over in my Amazon Shop

Method

Step 1. Make the Dough

In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, dry yeast, salt, and sugar and mix well so everything is evenly distributed. Add the warm water, yoghurt, and olive oil, then mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 5–8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic — If it feels too dry, add a small splash more water. Shape into a ball, place back in the bowl, cover with plastic cling wrap, and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 2. Prepare the Tray and Press the Dough

Pour the olive oil into your 40 centimetre round oven dish and spread it across the base and up the sides. Tip the risen dough into the oiled tray and use your fingertips to press and stretch it out to the edges. cover and leave to puff up again in the tray for 30 minutes.

Dimple the surface all over with your fingers or fork

Step 3. Add the Toppings

Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan-forced) (220°C conventional) (390°F). Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough, then scatter over the mozzarella. Arrange the combined toppings evenly across the top. Finish with the remaining 1⁄2 cup of mozzarella, a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of dried oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Step 4. Bake

Place the tray on the lower-middle rack of the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the base is golden, the edges are pulling away from the sides of the tray, and the cheese is melted and starting to colour. Remove from the oven, slice into squares, and serve straight from the tray.

A FEW THINGS YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW

Which flour is better for this — plain or 00?
Both work, but they give you slightly different results. 00 flour is milled much finer, which makes the dough smoother and easier to stretch into the tray, with a slightly more tender crumb once baked. Plain flour gives you a more rustic, hearty result — still delicious, just a little more textured. For a thick tray-baked pizza like this one, either is a great choice. If you have 00 flour at home, use it. If you only have plain flour, do not go out of your way — it will still be wonderful.

My dough kept springing back when I tried to press it into the tray — what do I do?
That just means the gluten needs a little more time to relax. Cover the tray, walk away for 10 minutes, and then try again. It will stretch much more easily.

Can I use a different pizza pan or tray?
You can, but keep in mind that the size of your tray will affect how thick the base turns out. A smaller tray will give you a thicker pizza; a larger one will spread the dough thinner. A 40 centimetre dish is ideal for this quantity of dough or make 2 smaller trays.

Can I change the toppings?
Absolutely. This base works with whatever you love. Keep the layering the same — sauce first, then a base layer of cheese to anchor everything, then your toppings, then a little more cheese on top.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. After the first rise, you can wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it overnight. Bring it back to room temperature before pressing it into the tray, then allow it to have its second rise before topping and baking

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings: 6

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

375 grams plain flour or 00 flour
5 grams dry yeast just over half a sachet
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
190 ml warm water
1 tablespoon plain yoghurt
15 ml olive oil for the dough
3 tablespoons olive oil for the tray

For the Toppings

1 cup pizza sauce
2-3 cups shredded mozzarella for the base
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella extra for the top
6 button mushrooms sliced thinly
1 red capsicum sliced thinly
1 green capsicum sliced thinly
1 red onion sliced thinly
3/4 cup black olives sliced
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
A drizzle of olive oil to finish

Method

Step 1. Make the Dough

In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, dry yeast, salt, and sugar and mix well so everything is evenly distributed. Add the warm water, yoghurt, and olive oil, then mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 5–8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic — If it feels too dry, add a small splash more water. Shape into a ball, place back in the bowl, cover with plastic cling wrap, and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 2. Prepare the Tray and Press the Dough

Pour the olive oil into your 40 centimetre round oven dish and spread it across the base and up the sides. Tip the risen dough into the oiled tray and use your fingertips to press and stretch it out to the edges. cover and leave to puff up again in the tray for 30 minutes. Dimple the surface all over with your fingers or fork.

Step 3. Add the Toppings

Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan-forced) (220°C conventional) (390°F). Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough, then scatter over the mozzarella. Arrange the combined toppings evenly across the top. Finish with the remaining 1⁄2 cup of mozzarella, a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of dried oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Step 4. Bake

Place the tray on the lower-middle rack of the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the base is golden, the edges are pulling away from the sides of the tray, and the cheese is melted and starting to colour. Remove from the oven, slice into squares, and serve straight from the tray.

Sahtan - Enjoy in Good Health

Vegetarian

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Homemade Tray Pizza

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About this recipe