Two Ingredients, One Pizza: The Dough Recipe Pizza Chefs Rarely Talk About

Forget the yeast, the lukewarm water and the hour of waiting for the dough to rise. All you need for a homemade pizza base is Greek yogurt and self-raising flour. Mix them, rest the dough for ten minutes, roll it out, and dinner is practically on the table. The dough is also a little richer in protein than a classic one, and the Greek yogurt in it contains less sugar than regular yogurt.

The model who couldn't wait for pizza dough

The two-ingredient dough is often associated with Elettra Wiedemann, daughter of actress Isabella Rossellini and granddaughter of Ingrid Bergman. She spent more than ten years as a fashion model and the face of Lanc{-15436}me, earned a master's degree in biomedicine at the London School of Economics, and later became the executive food editor at Refinery29.

Despite all that, she has openly admitted that she is not one of those effortless home cooks who can whip up an elegant quiche without thinking. In an interview on the Snacky Tunes podcast (Heritage Radio Network), she explained how a pop-up restaurant project led her to start a recipe website for people with plenty of appetite and very little time. That website became Impatient Foodie and later a cookbook of the same name, full of shortcuts for busy people. The quick yogurt dough fits that philosophy perfectly, which is why pizzas made this way are sometimes called "Wiedemann pizzas."

The recipe goes like this.

The recipe: Greek yogurt pizza dough

You will need:

• 200 g self-raising flour, which is flour with added baking powder and salt. You can buy a ready-made mix or make your own: 200 g plain flour, half a sachet of baking powder (about 1 teaspoon) and a pinch of salt.


• 150 g Greek yogurt, plain and unflavoured. Full-fat yogurt gives the softest and most flavourful dough.

Method:

1. Add the yogurt to the flour and mix well until a dough forms. At first it will look dry and shaggy, but it comes together as you work it with your hands.


2. Once the dough is ready, let it rest for 10 minutes.


3. Roll it out, adding a little more flour if needed so the dough is not sticky.


4. Top your pizza however you like and bake it in a hot oven, around 220 to 250 {-15696}C. Many cooks, including the Tesco Recipes team, pre-bake the base for a few minutes until it turns lightly golden, then add the toppings and finish baking.

Why does it work without yeast?

The secret is a small piece of kitchen chemistry. As Food Republic explains, the natural acidity of the yogurt activates the baking powder in the flour, which helps the dough lift and puff slightly in the oven. So there is no waiting for the dough to rise. The result will not be an airy Neapolitan crust. It is closer to a soft, slightly tangy flatbread with a pleasantly chewy centre.

Greek or regular yogurt? The difference matters

There is a considerable difference between Greek and regular yogurt. You can substitute one for the other, but the taste and texture will not be the same. Greek yogurt is strained to remove much of the whey, which makes it thicker and creamier. It tastes a little like fresh cheese while still keeping its yogurt tang. Full-fat versions can contain around 10% fat. Traditionally it was made from sheep's milk, sometimes from a mix of cow's and sheep's milk, but today most Greek yogurt on store shelves is made from cow's milk.

There is another difference that might influence your next shopping trip. According to a Healthline nutrient comparison, Greek yogurt contains almost twice as much protein as regular yogurt and about half the carbohydrates and sugar, because straining removes some of the lactose (milk sugar). On the other hand, it contains somewhat less calcium. WebMD adds that straining makes the yogurt denser, so protein and live cultures are more concentrated.

The texture matters for the dough as well. The author of The Big Man's World tested several kinds of yogurt and found that only Greek yogurt had the right thickness. Regular yogurt required far more flour to shape the dough, and thinner natural yogurt made it very sticky.

If you want to know more about which yogurt to choose and when it may not suit you, read our article Does yogurt really work miracles and can it also harm you?

Is this pizza really healthier?

You may not believe it, but this pizza can be a lighter, more nourishing choice than a classic one. Here is why.

In a classic dough, the flour is mixed with water, which adds no nutrients. Here, the liquid part is Greek yogurt. The 150 g in this recipe brings roughly 12 to 15 g of extra protein to the whole dough, along with some calcium and B vitamins. Protein-rich meals tend to keep us feeling full for longer, a point also noted by Medical News Today, so you may find that one or two slices are enough.

That said, the toppings make all the difference. A base covered in salami and a double layer of cheese is still an indulgence. For a lighter result, try:

• a thin layer of tomato sauce with plenty of vegetables, such as peppers, mushrooms, courgette, spinach and onion;


• a moderate amount of mozzarella, or a little crumbled feta for more flavour with less cheese;


• lean protein such as chicken, tuna or ham;


• fresh basil, rocket or oregano added after baking.

The dough has also become popular among people who track what they eat. Versions made with fat-free Greek yogurt have circulated for years as "WW 2 Ingredient Pizza Dough", a nod to the WeightWatchers community, where it became a favourite.

A small note: Greek yogurt still contains some lactose. If you are sensitive to dairy, a lactose-free Greek-style yogurt is worth trying, and if you have any dietary concerns, a registered dietitian can help you adapt the recipe.

What home cooks say

The recipe has won over many busy cooks. A recipe developer at Taste of Home writes that every Friday is pizza night in her house. Her usual yeast dough needs a six-hour rise, so the two-ingredient version comes to the rescue whenever she forgets to start it in the morning.

Readers who have tried it often share the same tips:

• Do not be afraid of extra flour. Yogurts differ in thickness, so the exact amount of flour varies. The dough should be tacky but should not stick to your hands.


• Knead for a few minutes. A short kneading makes the dough smoother and easier to roll.


• Pre-bake the base. It helps prevent a soggy centre, especially with juicy toppings.


• Use the leftovers. The same dough works for flatbreads, garlic bread or quick pitta-style breads.

The bottom line

Two ingredients, ten minutes of rest and a hot oven: that is all it takes. Wiedemann-style pizza will not replace a slow-fermented Neapolitan crust, and it does not try to. What it offers is a quick, homemade base with a little more protein and a lot less waiting. Next time a pizza craving strikes, open the fridge before you reach for the phone. A tub of Greek yogurt might be all you need.