How to Make Rachetta Pizza

Before I get too far into describing how to make a rachetta pizza, there’s another question I should address first: “What the heck is a rachetta pizza?” To be perfectly honest, when I first heard this term I had no idea what it was either.

In Italian rachetta means “racket,” so simply put a rachetta pizza is a pie shaped like a racket. Not only is this pizza fun to make, but it also makes for great presentation when feeding your family or guests. Best of all, it involves tucking extra cheese and toppings into the handle of this one-of-a-kind pizza. Part pizza, part calzone, we’re going to show just how to make your own version at home.

Tend to Your Toppings

You can use any toppings your heart desires with a rachetta pizza, but there’s something to consider about your selections. Just like with any other pizza, you’ll want to pre-cook toppings that take time to soften. Tough items like potatoes, kale, butternut squash, broccoli, and other vegetables should be roasted ahead of time until they’re nearly fully cooked. Softer vegetables like mushrooms and onions simply taste better with a little head start before they’re put on the pizza, especially anything being folded into the “handle” of your rachetta pizza.

Rachetta Technique

The rachetta starts like any other pizza, by pounding your dough into a flat circle then stretching it to size. Once you’ve got the typical circle shape on your pizza peel, the fun begins.

1. Stretch your dough to desired size and place it on the pizza peel.
2. Dedicate ¼ of the circle to the “handle” of the rachetta. Place desired toppings and cheese onto this ¼ piece of the dough.
3. Fold the dough together by wrapping it around the toppings and pinching it tightly to seal. Pinch tightly so that the dough does not come apart when baked.
4. Place sauce and cheese on the rest of the pizza, add desired toppings and bake using preferred method.