Pizza Vs Flatbread: What's The Difference?

Neither pizza or flatbread require too much of an introduction. Both are cherished for their deliciousness and for their seemingly infinite customizability. But since there's somewhat of an overlap between how you can use these two dishes, it's understandable that some confusion might arise when you try to actually differentiate pizza and flatbread. After all, the invention of pizza, as we know, it was heavily influenced by flatbread. So how do you tell them apart?

There are also several key differences that separate pizza and flatbread The main intrinsic difference is the presence or absence of a leavening agent. Pizza dough and flatbread dough both consist of similar ingredients, but pizza dough also includes yeast. Additionally there are also differences in how they're prepared, the other ingredients that they utilize, and the flavors that they present. Needless to say, there's enough separating the two dishes to make them completely distinct dishes, even if they are related.

Yeast helps pizza dough rise and lends a relatively airy, fluffier texture compared to the typically crispier flatbread. Since pizza dough is usually made with a high-protein flour, the addition of both water and some hearty kneading creates gluten. These two processes combine together to form a crust that's soft, tender, and light, and it's this crust that serves as a great base for some generously-applied sauce and toppings.

Pizza is very forgiving in regard to all sorts of toppings, and in great amounts, too if you'd like. Pizza's stronger yeasty flavor means it'll stand up to some pretty bold tastes. And compared to flatbread, pizza can also be sauced more generously; while there's certainly a correct to sauce a pizza, there's usually more room (literally and figuratively) for some sauce. The same logic applies to cheese and various other toppings. So whether you want to think traditional with an margherita pizza, or experiment with a smorgasbord of ingredients, the dough will support all of your endeavors.

When it comes to flatbread, the relative lack of yeast is what makes this dough much more dense and (to risk stating the obvious) flat compared to pizza. Otherwise, the ingredients that comprise flatbread echo not only pizza but most breads: flour, water, and a bit of salt. Of course, there are differences within the flatbread community itself, such as those between pita and naan bread, but all retain the same general composition.

However, using flatbread for a dish requires a more delicate touch than pizza. Since flatbread lacks that strong yeasty quality that helps pizza dough stand up to other ingredients, it has a softer and more nuanced taste. This means that when it comes to sauce, cheese, and other toppings, your flatbread can only withstand so much.

A light coating sauce of choice is all you usually need, and the same applies for cheese. As far as toppings go, you can't go wrong with just a couple of consciously-chosen ingredients. When looking into the differences between pizza and flatbread, it's good to consider not only how you make them, but also how you approach and prepare them.