Pizza Party Help!

[Jaronimo]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

I have had two big parties so far. One big, the other a little smaller. The kids love to make their own pies, the adults will eat what you make for them. I have also done a few get-togethers with under 15 people.

Since many of the kids did not eat the entire pie, we set up another table and the pies went on it. Kind of like a pizza buffet table. At the second party I just started making pies, cutting them, and putting them on that table. People would come past, grab a slice, and walk back to their conversations. If anyone wanted something special, they just let me know. It worked out very well.

I think in the overall picture it was actually less time working for me. When everyone is making their own pies I still have to spend some time fixing toppings so they don't fall off, or having to bump into kids because they have to stand right in front of the oven to see their pizza getting cooked. When I made everything it became an assembly line for me and I was knocking them out pretty quickly.

I think a lot of people like to make their own pie as a novelty. Once they have done it once, they usually don't mind at the second party if I make most of the pies.

[david s]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Hi David,
My wife will like this idea a lot, she is a lot more organized than myself. I like the menu idea and she will appreciate the shopping list!
now I will show my ignorance, what is rocket?

Rocket is a kind of peppery lettuce. Quite nice, very trendy, but you could substitute fresh basil or baby spinach. It is added as a garnish as the pizza comes out of the oven prior to cutting. I usually manage the fire, pizza cooking, garnishing and cutting, with an assistant doing the prep. After I cut the pizzas, I slide the metal peel under the pizza then slide it off onto a plate, grab a hovering guest and tell them to share it around, while the rest of the vultures await the next one. This way you are in perfect control and everyone gets a bit now and again rather than having them wait for "their pizza" works well for me, but you'll develop your own style, everyone does.

[Aegis]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Try this, new file format.

Hi David,
My wife will like this idea a lot, she is a lot more organized than myself. I like the menu idea and she will appreciate the shopping list!
now I will show my ignorance, what is rocket?

[Aegis]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Yes, you can stack and refrigerate them. I even tested them by freezing them.

Taste and texture was almost the same when they were cooked as compared to doing them the regular way. Try it out side by side and see what you think.

I will definitely give this a whirl before hand (I still have 8 weeks before party) so a lot of time to experiment!

[Aegis]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Here's a menu and shopping list I use. It is for 20 people so you can adjust accordingly.
Getting guests to make their own is not a good idea if you have about 30 people IMO because they take ages to roll out the dough, causing delayed potential cooking time, They get sauce between the peel and the base, then you have sticking problems. And they pile way too much stuff on in the belief that more is better. If you stick to four simple pizzas and have a couple of assistants your guests can share a piece of this and that as they come out. People end up eating far less that way too. A much healthier and preferable way to eat.

I like the idea of keeping it simple - four pizza's and having a couple of assistants would be great. All the guests are either close family and or great friends. So a very comfortable relaxed atmosphere, with everyone willing to help.
I am leaning towards a demo pie or two so people can have a bite to eat as they wait for their pies. Hoping to show less is more!
Thanks for the great input!

[david s]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

If I'm doing a large party (more than 40) I sometimes buy the partially cooked bases from a wholesale catering supplier. They come frozen and make the preparation much easier. They are not as good as a fresh base, but not bad. I sometimes do half fresh and half pre cooked. It allows you to always have one ready to throw in the oven.

[Jaronimo]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Yes, you can stack and refrigerate them. I even tested them by freezing them.

Taste and texture was almost the same when they were cooked as compared to doing them the regular way. Try it out side by side and see what you think.

[brickie in oz]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

I pre-baked the dough the day before.

Blerk, sounds disgusting.

[Les]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

I didn't fully cook it, which will let it puff up. I only partialy cooked it. Just enough to hold its shape and enough to get rid of any stickyness.

That is clever. Were you able to just stack the crusts and put them into the fridge? This is one of those epiphany moments - solves a ton of issues.

Thanks!

[Jaronimo]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

I didn't fully cook it, which will let it puff up. I only partialy cooked it. Just enough to hold its shape and enough to get rid of any stickyness.

[Poetryart]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Now that's a solution! Brilliant, Jeronimo! I'm definately doing that next party. One question, how did you keep the dough from puffing up like crazy without the toppings on it?

[Poetryart]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Now there's a solution! Jaronimo, you are brilliant. Definately doing that next party!

[Jaronimo]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

I hosted a memorial day party with a lot of people. Since I wanted to get everyone involved I let them make their own pizzas, even the kids. Everyone had a fantastic time. I ended up cooking 42 pies.

I pre-baked the dough the day before. Then everyone just grabbed a pie crust and built their pies. They then brought them to me and I did all the cooking. By pre-baking the crusts I did not have to worry about how they piled it on, or if they tore the thin uncooked crust, because it was already partially cooked and not so fragile.

[Poetryart]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

The problem isn't how long the guests stay and how long the pizza cooking takes, it's (1)how long the oven is at pizza temp. You'd have to stop once in a while and reheat the floor and all. And...the other problem (#2)is people who think they're helping....We had 4 guests over recently, 3 of whom we hadn't met before, but we knew they were coming, (well, sort of, I uh, um had put them on the calendar for Saturday and when they called on Friday for directions, and were enroute, it was a bit of a race to get the dough and the oven ready, but that's another story..) Okay, so we get the stuff together, strangely enough the dough worked out quite well, for not having lots of time to rise, and I demonstrated the first pizza making and cooking technique. It worked beautifully! Was a PERFECT pizza, if I do say so myself. Here's what happened next... Male guest, "My grandmother was full Italian" says, I know what to do. Rolls out the dough and sticks it really good to the counter, no matter how many times I said he needed to add corn meal, and what he did add was kneaded into the dough! Then he puts too much topping on and when I tried to slide the peel under it, well, you know what happened. It was a mess, I tried to patch the holes, and managed to pretty well mangle the dumb thing. His response "Don't be embarrassed, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon", of course it became something of a calzone in the oven, scattering toppings ALL over the place, again he says "That's okay, I know you'll do better next time." Sigh. Then we had to wait ages for the goo to burn off to put in pizza #3. Seriously, make them yourself and save the make-your-own for a smaller party. Really smaller party. Or have them make the pizzas on trays and just cook them that way. You will save yourself a tremendous headache.

[david s]

Re: Pizza Party Help!

Try this, new file format.