Padellino pizza with biga is an authentic Italian pan pizza known for its airy crumb, crispy base, and rich aroma.
This method combines the traditional pizza al padellino technique with a high‑percentage biga preferment, following a Giorilli‑style approach. The result is a light yet structured dough, perfect for baking in small round pans at high hydration.
If some of the terms used in this page are unknown, you are invited to read the Glossary of the terms.
What is Pizza al Padellino / Frying Pan Pizza?
Pizza al padellino is a traditional Italian pan pizza baked in a small iron or aluminum pan. Unlike classic round pizza, this style rises directly in the pan, creating a soft interior and a well‑fried, golden base. It is especially popular in Northern Italy and pizzerias focused on dough fermentation quality.
Why Use Biga for Padellino Pizza?
Using biga as a preferment improves gluten strength, flavor, and shelf life. In this padellino pizza recipe, biga represents 70% of the total flour, following Giorilli’s method. This high percentage allows long fermentation while keeping the dough stable, even at 75% hydration.
Biga enhances aroma, produces a more open crumb, and helps balance yeast activity. That makes it ideal for pan pizza, where structure and softness must coexist.
🧪 Dough Parameters (Theory)
- Preferment: 70% Giorilli’s Biga
- Final hydration: 75%
- Diastatic malt: 0.5%
- Dry yeast: 0.5%
- Salt: 2.5%
- Extra virgin olive oil: 2%
- Dough ball: 250 g for a 26 cm pan (Dough Thickness = Custom, Factor 0.47)
👩🍳 Padellino Pizza with Biga – Step‑by‑Step Method
- Prepare Biga and let it mature until ready (Biga Calculator)
- Mix Biga with the remaining ingredients as from the Calculator
- Knead until smooth and elastic
- Perform folding if necessary
- Puntata in an oiled container with lid at 40%
- Staglio
- Puntata in oiled frying pan at 50%
- Spread some oil on the surface and turn the dough over
- Appretto in oiled frying pan at 50%
Baking has two options:
- on the baking paper – turn the dough from the frying pan over on the baking paper
- in the frying pan
Bake in a convection oven at 260 ℃ with with steam for 8 minutes, then 200 ℃ for 10 minutes.