Crispy Lavaş Pizza with Stuffed Cheese Crust

This lavaş pizza turns a simple flatbread into a crispy, golden dinner with a gooey stuffed cheese crust. Four mozzarella sticks are rolled into the edges, then the base is loaded with tomato sauce, kaşar cheese, sucuk, tomatoes, and peppers. Baked until bubbling, it’s a quick and satisfying meal that feels like a treat.

Lavaş is a thin, soft flatbread that crisps beautifully in the oven. Here it becomes the base for a pizza that’s all about contrast: a crackly bottom, a chewy top, and a molten cheese border that pulls into long, stretchy strands.

The toppings are simple and classic – sucuk, tomatoes, green peppers, and plenty of melted cheese – but the real star is the stuffed crust. It’s the kind of dinner that comes together in under half an hour and disappears just as fast.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

Rolling mozzarella sticks into the edges of the flatbread creates a built-in stuffed crust without any extra dough work.

As the pizza bakes, the cheese melts and turns the crimped edges into a golden, chewy rim that contrasts with the crisp bottom. The egg wash helps the crust brown evenly and develop a shiny, appetizing finish.

Baking at a high temperature on a preheated sheet ensures the bottom crisps quickly while the toppings stay juicy. Lavaş is thin, so it needs intense heat to become crunchy rather than soft.

The combination of a hot oven and a short bake time gives you a pizza that’s crisp enough to hold its toppings but still pliable enough to fold.

Notes and substitutions

Lavaş flatbread is available in Middle Eastern markets and many supermarkets. If you can’t find it, a large flour tortilla works, though the texture will be slightly different.

Kaşar cheese is a Turkish semi-hard cheese that melts well; substitute mozzarella or provolone for a similar stretch. Sucuk is a spicy, garlicky Turkish sausage – if unavailable, use pepperoni or a spicy salami.

The egg wash is brushed only on the crust edges to give them a golden shine. Nigella seeds add a subtle oniony flavor and a nice visual contrast. For a milder pizza, omit the sucuk or use a mild Italian sausage. This recipe is best eaten fresh out of the oven while the crust is crisp and the cheese is still molten.

• kaşar cheese: shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
• Turkish sucuk: spicy Italian sausage or pepperoni
• lavaş flatbread: large flour tortilla or thin pizza crust
• egg yolk: milk or cream for a non-egg wash

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board