Pizza party
Instead of ordering pizza in, make your own pies at home
Pizza is one unstoppable food trend. Whether it’s made thick or thin, quick-baked in a gas-fired pizza oven, on a grill or in the oven, nothing is easier or more flexible than pizza. All you need is the ultimate pizza dough and a variety of toppings, and you have the ideal all-occasion meal solution.
My biggest pro tip is that genuine, pizzeria-style dough can be made with a no-knead recipe (see recipe). It only calls for brief mixing and then the dough is refrigerated for 12 to 18 hours. Dough that’s been cool-risen is easy, workable and ready when you are, and makes an authentic, artisanal crisp-edged crust.
Once the dough is primed to go, there’s the panning out part. For thin, crisp pizzas, gently coax enough dough for one crust into an oval or round shape about 23 centimetres (9 inches) in diameter, then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been coated with olive oil. Top it as you like and let it rise. For a thin, crisp pizza, bake it as soon as you want or let it rest, lightly covered with plastic wrap, about 60 to 90 minutes.
For a thicker, chewier pizza, dress it with toppings, cover with plastic wrap and let rise two to three hours. Finally, for a large bready or bakery-style pizza to serve a crowd, use the entire batch of dough. Pat it into an olive-oil-coated 23 x 33-centimetre (9 x 13-inch) pan, top with preferred toppings and let it rise two to three hours.
Thinner pizzas get baked quick and hot at 245 C (475 F) for eight to 12 minutes; thicker, chewy pizzas appreciate a lower oven temperature of 230 C (450 F) for 14 to 16 minutes. Breadier, bakery-style pizza, usually served in squares, not wedges, needs moderate heat, 190 C (375 F) and more time, 25 to 30 minutes.
Sauces. Alfredo, barbecue, curry sauce, marinara, olive oil, pesto
Cooked/cured meats. Back bacon, bacon, chicken, pepperoni, prosciutto, salami, sausage
Shredded cheeses. Feta, goat cheese, havarti, mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone
Fruits and veggies. Arugula, bell pepper, garlic, mushroom, olives, onion, pineapple, sauerkraut, spinach, squash, tomato (fresh or sun-dried)
Herbs. Both fresh and dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme—MG
