Zanzibar Pizza
Zanzibar's most theatrical street-food spectacle — paper-thin dough is stretched almost translucent, then laden with spiced minced beef, fresh egg, diced vegetables, and a scatter of cheese before being folded into a sealed envelope and fried in a pool of butter until the exterior turns a burnished, crackling gold while the interior steams into a layered, molten filling. Each pizza is made to order, cut open tableside with scissors in a burst of steam, revealing the glistening, egg-rich interior that runs together with the spiced meat and caramelised onions. Eaten standing, wrapped in newsprint, at Forodhani Night Market — or plated beautifully as the showpiece it deserves to be.
Ingredients
400 g plain flour (all-purpose)
plus extra for rolling
220 ml warm water (38°C)
8 g salt
divided — 4g for dough, 4g for filling
30 ml neutral oil for dough
plus extra for resting
400 g minced beef (15-20% fat)
room temperature
1 whole yellow onion
very finely diced — 3mm dice
1 whole green bell pepper
deseeded and finely diced — 3mm dice
2 whole fresh green chili
finely chopped
3 cloves garlic cloves
minced to a paste
15 g fresh ginger root
peeled and grated
5 g ground cumin
5 g ground coriander
3 g turmeric
15 g fresh coriander
finely chopped
4 whole eggs
one per pizza — cracked directly into filling when assembling
120 g unsalted butter
divided — 30g per pizza for frying
80 g mature cheddar or local hard cheese(optional)
coarsely grated
60 ml mayonnaise(optional)
for serving
60 ml tomato ketchup(optional)
for serving
30 ml chili sauce(optional)
for serving
Prepare Steps
- 1
Make and Rest the Dough(60m)
Combine flour and 4g salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm water and oil. Mix with your fingers until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out and knead vigorously on an unfloured surface for 10 minutes until completely smooth, supple, and slightly tacky but not sticky — it should pass the windowpane test, stretching thin without tearing. Divide into 4 equal balls of approximately 160g each. Coat each ball lightly in oil, cover with a damp cloth, and rest at room temperature for minimum 45 minutes and up to 2 hours. This rest is what allows the dough to stretch paper-thin without tearing.
- 2
Mix the Spiced Beef Filling(8m)
Combine the minced beef with finely diced onion, bell pepper, green chili, garlic paste, grated ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, chopped fresh coriander, and 4g salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands until all aromatics are evenly distributed throughout the meat. Do not pre-cook — the raw filling will cook directly in the pan, keeping the moisture inside the parcel. Divide into 4 equal portions.
Cook Steps
- 1
Stretch the Dough(5m)
On a lightly oiled (not floured) flat surface, begin stretching one dough ball. First press flat with your palm, then use both hands to gently stretch outward from the centre, rotating the dough as you work. Alternate between lifting and stretching over the backs of your knuckles. The goal is a roughly 35-40cm round that is nearly translucent in places — thin enough that you can see your hand through it. Thin spots are fine; holes will trap filling and cause bursting. Work gently.
- 2
Fill and Fold the Pizza(3m)
Lay the stretched dough flat. Place one portion of the spiced beef filling slightly off-centre, spreading it in a rough 15x15cm square, leaving at least 8cm border on all sides. Using your fingers, create a small well in the centre of the beef and crack one whole egg directly into it. Add a scatter of grated cheese if using. Now carefully fold the dough edges inward over the filling like an envelope — fold the bottom up, the top down, then the sides in — pressing the edges together firmly to create a sealed square parcel with no gaps. The egg will be encased inside.
- 3
Fry the Pizza in Butter(8m)
Heat a flat cast-iron griddle or large flat-based non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 30g of butter and allow it to melt and foam. When the foam subsides and the butter is hot but not brown, carefully place the sealed dough parcel seam-side down. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until the base is deep golden and set. Spoon 1 tablespoon of hot butter from the pan over the top surface. Carefully flip using a wide spatula, pressing gently to ensure full contact with the pan. Cook the second side for 3 minutes until equally golden. The egg inside will have set from the pan heat; the centre should still have a slightly soft, custardy feel when pressed. Repeat for all four pizzas.
Serve Steps
- 1
Cut and Serve Tableside(1m)
Transfer the pizza to a plate. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut an X or cross through the centre — the steam will billow dramatically. Fold back the four triangular flaps to reveal the layered interior of egg, spiced beef, and cheese. Drizzle mayonnaise, ketchup, and chili sauce in parallel lines across the open interior in the authentic Forodhani style. Serve immediately — the molten centre sets as it cools, and Zanzibar Pizza is at its peak in the first 90 seconds after cutting.