This simple pizza-style flatbread is topped with the flavors of aglio e olio: olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, salt, pepper and freshly grated Parmesan. It bakes into rounds that can be torn like garlic bread, served alongside a meal, used to mop up sauces, or dipped into soups.
Jump to Recipe
If you want to get this recipe right the first time, follow the sections below. The Table of Contents in the original post highlights the parts of the post that will help most with dough handling, timing, and baking technique.
Making your own bread — even a simple yeasted flatbread — may seem intimidating, but it is straightforward if you follow a few basic principles. If you prefer an unleavened flatbread or other variations, there are similar recipes such as Farmhouse Rosemary-Parmesan Flatbread, Parmesan Piadine (Italian Flatbreads), or easy flour tortillas. For other yeasted options, consider a rustic Turkish-style bread.
🤷♀️ What’s an Aglio e Olio Pizza?
Aglio e olio literally means “garlic and oil.” It’s a classic, minimal pasta preparation of garlic and red pepper flakes gently sautéed in olive oil, finished with parsley and Parmesan. This recipe adapts those bright, aromatic flavors to a thin pizza-style flatbread, swapping dried oregano for parsley to better suit the bread topping. Serve the finished rounds plain or with an extra drizzle of rosemary-infused olive oil for dipping.
👩🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- The dough hook on a stand mixer does the heavy work of developing gluten and creating a smooth, elastic dough, which yields the best texture after baking.
- A slow, cold rise in the refrigerator deepens flavor. Refrigerating the shaped dough overnight is an ideal approach.
- Bring the dough to room temperature before shaping. Cold dough resists stretching and won’t develop the desired bubble structure.
- Shape the dough by hand only. Avoid a rolling pin, which flattens the air pockets that give the crust its light texture. Use the cupping or knuckle techniques to stretch the dough gently and evenly.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
See the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.
Pizza Bread
- Bread flour — ensures good gluten development and structure. King Arthur or other consistent bread flours work well.
- Instant yeast — convenient and reliable for this dough.
- Kosher salt — if using finer table salt, reduce the amount accordingly.
- Extra-virgin olive oil — contributes flavor and soft crumb.
- Ice water — divided; cold water helps control fermentation during mixing.
- Cornmeal — for dusting pans if desired to prevent sticking.
Aglio e Olio Topping
- Garlic — pan-roasted or gently simmered in oil until soft and mellow.
- Extra-virgin olive oil — used both for cooking the garlic and brushing the dough.
- Red pepper flakes — for a touch of heat.
- Dried oregano — aromatic and earthy.
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Freshly grated Parmesan — or a plant-based Parmesan-style cheese to keep the pizza vegetarian.
Disclosure: the original post included affiliate links to products used in the kitchen. You can source equivalent tools locally or from your preferred retailers.
📝 Instructions Overview
Full, detailed directions are in the recipe card below. Here’s a concise overview to orient you before you begin.
Step 1
Make the dough. Combine bread flour, instant yeast and salt. Add olive oil and cold water and mix until the dough comes together, then knead until smooth and elastic.
Step 2
Knead and first rise. Shape the dough into six equal balls, oil them lightly, cover, and refrigerate overnight for a slow, flavorful fermentation.
Step 3
Second rise. Bring the chilled dough to room temperature, then press each ball into a small disk. Cover and let rise while you prepare the garlic oil.
Step 4
Shape and bake. Stretch each disk gently to about 9 inches, brush with garlic oil, scatter the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, pepper and Parmesan, then bake at a very high temperature until browned and crisp.
💡 Ideas for Variations
This dough makes a versatile pizza base. Use it for a more traditional sauced pizza or add creative toppings: barbecue-style vegetables and seeds, roasted balsamic tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, or a finishing sprinkle of crunchy roasted chickpeas for texture. The dough holds up well to a variety of cheeses and vegetable toppings.
Aglio e Olio Pizza
This simple pizza bread can be torn like garlic bread and served with soups, stews, or pasta. One serving is one 9-inch pizza round. Bake time per batch is 5–8 minutes at a very high oven temperature.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Stand mixer with paddle and dough hook
- Baking sheet (quarter or half sheet)
- Flexible dough scraper or bench scraper
- Baking stone (optional)
- Small skillet or pan for garlic
- Silicone basting brush
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 4 ½ cups (20.25 oz) bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling dough
- 1 ¾ cups ice water, divided
- ½ cup cornmeal
Aglio e Olio Topping
- 18 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (you will have oil left over)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (or plant-based alternative)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- Whisk the bread flour, instant yeast and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using the paddle, mix in olive oil and 1 ½ cups of ice water until absorbed. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium for at least 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly sticky. If the dough clears the bottom of the bowl entirely, add a little more water. No dough should stick to the sides of the bowl.
- Lightly oil a sheet pan. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead briefly, then divide into six equal pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place on the oiled sheet pan, brush or rub the tops with oil, cover tightly with plastic, and refrigerate overnight (up to 3 days).
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before shaping.
- Lightly oil a second sheet pan. On a floured surface, gently press each dough ball into a 5-inch disk. Place disks on the oiled pan, brush with oil, cover, and let rise for 2 hours. Preheat oven with a baking stone to 500°F (260°C) while the dough rises.
- Working one at a time, stretch each disk by hand to about 9 inches in diameter. Use the cupping method or light knuckle technique, keeping the outer rim intact for a defined crust. Aim for even thickness across the dough to avoid thin spots that can burn.
- Brush each round with the prepared garlic oil, sprinkle with the pan-roasted garlic, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and finish with grated Parmesan. Slide onto the preheated baking stone or onto an inverted baking sheet if you do not have a peel.
- Bake 5–8 minutes until the edges are golden and the surface is blistered to your preference. Remove with tongs or a peel and cool briefly before tearing into pieces.
Pan-Roasted Garlic
- Place peeled garlic cloves in a small skillet or pot, cover with extra-virgin olive oil so the cloves are submerged, and gently simmer over very low heat for about 15 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and fish out the cloves. When cool enough to handle, mince or mash the garlic. This can be made while the dough is rising.
Notes
Use enough olive oil to fully cover the garlic cloves in the pan; any leftover oil can be stored and used for dressings or cooking. Keep dough handling gentle to preserve air bubbles for a light, tender crust. If you do not have a pizza peel, use the inverted backside of a baking sheet to transfer pizzas to the stone.
Nutrition (per 9″ round)
Calories: 815.4 kcal | Carbohydrates: 83.1 g | Protein: 14.4 g | Fat: 47.7 g | Saturated Fat: 6.8 g | Sodium: 1587 mg | Fiber: 4.3 g