German Pizza Recipe

Activate yeast and mix

In a large bowl, combine warm water (about 110°F/43°C), sugar, and instant yeast. Stir and let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Add olive oil, then add flour and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, knead on medium speed with the dough hook for 4–5 minutes.

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 60–75 minutes. Alternatively refrigerate for up to 24 hours for more flavor (bring back to room temp before shaping).

Prepare crème fraîche base

While dough rises (or about 30 minutes before baking), in a small bowl combine crème fraîche, optional sour cream (to loosen if you prefer a spreadable consistency), grated or minced garlic, salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Cook bacon

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the bacon lardons and cook until browned and crisp in places, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, reserving ~1 tsp of bacon fat in the skillet (drain excess if there's more).

Sweat onions

Add 1 tsp olive oil to the reserved bacon fat in the skillet and return to medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not deeply brown, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Preheat oven

Place a pizza stone or an inverted baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. If you cannot reach 500°F, set to the highest temperature your oven allows.

Shape dough

After the dough has doubled, gently deflate and divide into 2 equal pieces for two 10–11" pizzas (or keep whole for one large). On a lightly floured surface, shape each piece into a round and press or roll to a thin 10–11" circle, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Dust a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet with cornmeal or semolina to prevent sticking.

Assemble toppings

Spread a thin, even layer of the crème fraîche mixture over the stretched dough, leaving a 1/2" rim. Scatter the cooked bacon and the softened onions evenly over the crème fraîche. If using cheese, sprinkle the grated Gruyère or Emmental lightly — traditional Flammkuchen/German pizza is mostly white sauce with little cheese, so keep it minimal. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil around the rim if desired.

Bake

Slide the assembled pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet and bake until the crust is blistered and golden and toppings are set, about 8–12 minutes at 500°F (times vary with oven). Rotate once halfway through baking for even color.

Finish

Remove pizza from the oven. Sprinkle with thinly sliced fresh chives and a few cranks of black pepper. Let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings if making multiple pizzas.