Pizza Montanara (Neapolitan Fried Pizza)
Little discs of dough fried until puffed and blistered, then topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Basic bread dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.21 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Divide your ready made bread dough (see the base recipe) into 8 pieces of about 75 g and shape each into a ball. Cover and rest for 15 minutes, then stretch each into a flat disc about 12 cm across.
15 min - 2
Pour the sunflower oil into a deep, heavy pan so it is no more than half full. Heat to 180 C using a cooking thermometer. If you do not have one, a cube of bread should turn golden in about 30 seconds.
- 3
Warm your ready made basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) in a small pan.
- 4
Lower 2 dough discs gently into the oil, away from you. Fry for 1 minute, turning once, until puffed and golden on both sides. Lift out onto kitchen paper. Repeat with the rest.
1 min - 5
Spoon a little warm tomato sauce on each disc, then add the mozzarella and vegetarian hard cheese.
- 6
Place under a hot grill for 1 minute to melt the cheese, then add the basil and drizzle with the olive oil. Serve immediately.
1 min
Tips
- Never fill a pan more than half full with oil and never leave hot oil unattended. Keep a lid nearby to smother any flames.
- Keep the oil at about 180 C. Too cool and the pizzette are greasy, too hot and they burn before cooking through.
- Pat each disc dry of flour before frying, or the oil will foam and darken.
Storing and freezing
Eat straight away while crisp. Cool used frying oil, strain it and discard it, or keep it for up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar in a cool cupboard for one more fry. Cooked discs do not keep well.
Questions
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes. Bake the discs on a very hot tray at {t240} for 6 to 8 minutes. They will be like a thin pizza base, not the classic puffy fried one, but still delicious.
What oil is best for frying?
Sunflower or vegetable oil is best, because they have a high smoke point and a neutral flavour. Never use extra virgin olive oil for deep frying.
Is this pizza vegan?
Not as written, because of the mozzarella. For a vegan version, use a vegan mozzarella style cheese and leave out the hard cheese. The dough and tomato sauce are vegan.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.