Ten creative uses for pizza dough (that you wouldn’t expect)

Making pizza at home is relaxing, fragrant and… sometimes you’re left with a bit of dough. Throwing it away would be a real crime: with just flour, water, yeast and salt you have a neutral and super versatile base that can turn into dozens of different sweet and savory preparations.

Here are 10 easy, quick and super tasty ideas to avoid wasting even a gram of pizza dough… and impress everyone!

1. Stuffed appetizer bites (fried or baked finger food)

Shape 15–20 g balls, fill them with olives, anchovies, diced salami, mozzarella or vegetables. Seal well and fry in hot oil for 2–3 minutes, or bake at 220 °C for 12–15 minutes. Irresistible with a spritz!

2. Mini express hot dogs

Roll out the dough thin, cut squares, place a small sausage (25–30 g) in the center and twist like a candy wrapper. Brush with milk, sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds and bake for 10 minutes at 200 °C. Perfect for kids’ and adults’ parties.

3. Tomato and oregano breadsticks

Roll out very thin, top with tomato purée, oil, salt and oregano. Cut into strips and bake 8–10 minutes at 220 °C. Extra crunchy — they disappear instantly!

4. Super soft hamburger buns

Shape 4–6 balls of 90–100 g, flatten slightly, brush with oil and sesame seeds. Bake 15 minutes at 200 °C. They soak up ketchup and sauces perfectly — the best homemade burger buns.

5. Sweet fruit rolls

Roll out rectangles, fill with apples, pears, jam, raisins, cinnamon and pine nuts. Roll up, slice and bake 15–18 minutes at 190 °C. A healthy and original sweet snack.

6. Apulian panzerotti (fried or baked)

The big classic: dough discs filled with tomato and mozzarella (or creative fillings: eggplant, turnip greens, strong ricotta…). Fry 3–4 minutes or bake at 220 °C for 15 minutes. One leads to another.

7. “Crust baking” for roasts and vegetables

Use the dough as a “blanket” for meat roasts, whole fish or stuffed vegetables. It protects juices and becomes an aromatic bread to enjoy with the main course.

8. Mini savory croissants

Roll out a circle, cut triangles like sweet croissants, fill with ham and cheese (or pesto, ricotta and walnuts) and roll. Bake 12–15 minutes at 200 °C for the perfect aperitivo.

9. Cinnamon rolls (quick version)

Brush a rectangle of dough with melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up, cut 3 cm slices and bake 18–20 minutes at 180 °C. Result: Italian cinnamon rolls in half the time!

10. Sweet or savory crispelle

With lightly salted dough: fry small balls and sprinkle with sugar or honey. With regular dough: fill with anchovies, ricotta or ’nduja before frying. A Calabrian tradition that wins everyone over.

The secret to baking ALL these recipes perfectly?

Most of these preparations require medium-high temperatures (200–250 °C) and a surface that distributes heat evenly. With a traditional oven it takes longer and the result is often gummy. With the Diavola Pro 3.0 – the electric oven that reaches 500 °C in 15 minutes – you get perfect crispiness for panzerotti, rolls and crispelle in just a few minutes, just like in a pizzeria.

Features that make it ideal for these creative recipes:

• BOOST mode for ultra-fast cooking
• Artisanal biscotto stone or cordierite
• Independent temperature control
• Compact and safe even on balconies

Don’t waste a single gram of dough ever again!
Discover Diavola Pro 3.0 →