Mozzarella crown

I have often prepared this mozzarella crown when I felt like making something fluffy and using fresh mozzarella. The first time I tried it was on a Saturday afternoon when I wanted to bake something that didn't require much attention but looked appealing when served, especially if you have guests or want something warm alongside a salad. It's a recipe that starts simply, with common ingredients, and results in a snack that looks good and is eaten immediately while warm.

Quick Info

Total time: approximately 2 and a half hours (including rising and baking)
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes active
Rising time: 1-2 hours
Baking time: 25-30 minutes (depending on the oven)
Servings: 6-8 (one large crown)
Difficulty: easy to medium, if you've made yeast dough before
Recipe type: warm appetizer, savory snack, suitable for serving at the table or at a gathering with friends

Ingredients

300 g type 00 flour (for fine texture)
80 g lard
100 ml water (divided into two: 50 ml for the starter, 50 ml for kneading)
1 cube of fresh yeast (25 g)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 egg (for brushing)
250 g mozzarella (ideally the type that drains well and is cut into cubes)
4-5 tablespoons tomato sauce
basil (a few leaves or a little dried, to taste)

Preparation method

1. Dissolve the fresh yeast in 50 ml of warm water, not hot. Add the sugar and salt over the yeast and mix well until everything dissolves. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. In a large bowl, place the flour. Add the lard (at room temperature, for easy mixing) and lightly rub it with your fingers until you get a kind of fine crumb.
3. Pour the yeast mixture over the flour. Start kneading, gradually adding the remaining 50 ml of warm water. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should not be sticky, but not too hard either. If you need 1-2 more tablespoons of water, you can adjust a little.
4. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until it doubles in volume. I usually let it rise for about 1 and a half hours.
5. After rising, knead the dough a few more times, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a round sheet, large enough to cover the baking tray used.
6. Grease the baking tray (round, medium or large diameter) with butter and dust it with flour. Cut the sheet of dough to the size of the tray.
7. Drain the mozzarella well and cut it into small cubes. This is important so that the filling doesn't wet the dough.
8. Place the cut dough in the tray. On the outer edge, spread a layer of tomato sauce, then the cut mozzarella and basil to taste.
9. With a sharp knife, score the middle part of the dough sheet into 8 triangles. Do not cut all the way to the edge, just enough to form the triangles in the center.
10. Each triangle of dough from the center is pulled and flipped over the filling layer on the edge. Basically, bring the triangles from the center towards the edge, over the mozzarella.
11. From the remaining dough (usually a little is left after cutting), roll thin strips and place them in the center, like a spiraled circle. It doesn't have to be perfect.
12. Brush the dough with beaten egg using a brush, but only the dough part, not the filling.
13. Bake the tray in the preheated oven at 180°C, on the middle rack, for about 25-30 minutes. The dough should be well risen and nicely browned, and the mozzarella melted and slightly golden.
14. Remove from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting. Serve warm.

Why I make the recipe often

The dough is fluffy, quick to make, and doesn't require special techniques. The crown looks good on the table, is easy to cut, and can be used for lunch or as a warm snack. It can be quickly adapted based on what you have in the fridge. For me, it's a good solution when I want to use fresh mozzarella and prepare something quickly, but a little different from pizza.

Tips and variations

Tips

Dissolve the yeast only in warm water, not hot, so you don't stop it from rising.
Drain the mozzarella well, otherwise it may leave water in the dough.
Grease the tray well, otherwise the dough will stick and be hard to remove.
If you have an oven that bakes more intensely on the bottom, you can place the tray on a rack, not directly on the base.

Substitutions

You can use butter instead of lard, but the final texture will be slightly different, less flaky.
Instead of mozzarella, you can use cheddar if you want a stronger flavor.

Variations

You can also add a few thin slices of fresh tomatoes on the edge, along with the mozzarella.
You can put a little green onion, olives, or very thin slices of ham between the mozzarella and the tomato sauce.

Serving ideas

Serve warm, for lunch or dinner, possibly with a green salad on the side.
It's suitable as a snack at parties or gatherings with friends, cut into slices.

Frequently asked questions

1. What do I do if the dough doesn't rise?

If it doesn't rise after an hour, it means the yeast wasn't activated or the temperature was too low. Leave it in a warmer place and wait another half hour. Don't try to bake if it hasn't risen, as it will turn out dense.

2. What type of mozzarella should I use?

Classic mozzarella, the type in balls, is suitable if you drain it well. Pre-sliced pizza mozzarella works, but it's drier and melts differently.

3. Can the dough be frozen?

The dough can be frozen after kneading and before rising. When thawing, let it reach room temperature and rise before using it.

4. Can I make the recipe with regular flour, not type 00?

Yes, it works with regular baking flour too. The dough will be a bit denser, but it rises enough.

5. If I don't have a round tray, can I use another shape?

It also works in a rectangular tray, but it won't look exactly like a crown. The important thing is to adjust the size of the sheet to the tray.

Nutritional values (estimates)

One medium slice (out of 8): approximately 250-300 kcal
Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
Proteins: 10-12 g
Fats: 10-12 g
Values may vary depending on the exact type of mozzarella, lard, or if you use butter. The recipe has enough fat from the lard and mozzarella, but it's filling and low in sugar. It's not a very light snack, but it works occasionally.

Storage and reheating

The crown is best when warm, shortly after coming out of the oven. If you have leftovers, you can keep it covered in the fridge for a day, but when reheating, the dough loses some of its fluffiness. It can be reheated in the oven at 160°C for a few minutes, but I don't recommend keeping it for more than a day as the mozzarella doesn't have a good texture after cooling.

 Ingredients: 300 g type 00 flour, 80 g lard, 100 ml water, 1 cube of fresh yeast, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1 egg (for brushing), 250 g mozzarella, 4-5 tablespoons of tomato sauce, basil

 Tags:  mozzarella crown fluffy dough