You’ve already heard me wax poetic on the subject of homemade pizza night.
And while Daniel and I do consider ourselves as the only guests enough to constitute calling it a party, there’s no doubt that the old adage “the more, the merrier” also applies.
We’ve been wanting to host a make-your-own pizza party for some time now, but I never could quite figure out how to do it with just one lonely pizza stone. The solution? This great new pizza dough recipe I recently discovered that makes perfectly thin and crispy crust in a baking sheet. Brilliant! Lord knows I’ve got plenty of those.
I found the pizza dough recipe through this fabulous three-cheese pizza recipe with pancetta and mushrooms, which I’ve adapted below. I doubled it and added more toppings (arugula and Prosciutto – feel free to add your own favorite ingredients) to make 4 pizzas, serving 6-8 people (which for us was more like 4-6 – ha!).
Everyone had so much fun getting in the kitchen and playing chef. I loved it because I had everything prepared in advance, and thus had plenty of time to enjoy with our guests.
Get all of your cheese-shredding and sauce-making done earlier in the day, and then bring them out before guests arrive.
Same with the preparation of the toppings.
{Though you may want to let guests know that the pancetta is a topping and not an hors d’oeuvre – note the half-eaten bowl of it in the back!}
Our friends couldn’t believe how easy it was to make homemade pizza – and you won’t either! As long as you give yourself a little time to make the dough in advance and get your prep work done, you’ll be spending minimal time in the kitchen.
{Leaving maximal time for cocktailing}
Happy pizza-making!
Three-Cheese Pizzas with Assorted Toppings
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis via Bon Appétit
First, prep your ingredients. Get your cheeses grated (I recommend using a food processor) and set aside. (I grate my own Fontina and Parmesan and typically buy the mozzarella pre-shredded – if I use fresh, I will slice it rather than shred it.) If you’re making your marinara, do that ahead of time and set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain, leaving rendered fat in the pan. Add mushrooms to the pan, season with salt, and sauté until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned. Set aside.
When you’re ready to make your pizzas, reheat oven to 475°F. Line 4 large baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Roll each onto a lightly floured surface to form a 13 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch (approximately!) rectangle. Transfer to baking sheets. Spread marinara sauce over each pizza, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cheeses and preferred toppings (except for the arugula, which should be added after baking) on top. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake pizzas until brown on bottom and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Cut each pizza crosswise into rectangles and enjoy!
Pizza Dough
From Giada De Laurentiis via Bon Appétit
- 3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Roll out dough according to recipe instructions. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before proceeding.
