Wood fired pizza ovens are the hottest addition to Australian alfresco areas, and throwing a pizza party is an excellent way to gather your friends and family for a taste test to try out your new cooking appliance. Creating artisanal pizza with gourmet toppings together can be very entertaining, so here is what you need to do to guarantee your pizza-tasting adventure becomes a great success:
About the Dough
There is no shame in starting with pre-made dough from the local supermarket, but if you already know how to make Neapolitan pizza dough with flour, water, salt, and yeast, make a few batches in advance. All your guests have to do is shape the pizza, add the toppings, and bake it in your new wood fired outdoor pizza oven.
Dough Tips:
- Have at least 1.5 times the number of dough balls as expected guests to account for any botched efforts.
- Make your dough a day or two in advance. Dough that has had a 3-5 day rest in the fridge will be tastier and easier to work with than freshly made.
- Let your dough rest for at least 2 hours before the party. Cold dough is a nightmare to stretch, so you want it at room temperature.
Get Saucy
For the marinara, you can go simple with crushed San Marzano tomatoes seasoned with sea salt, or get a bit more adventurous with these:
– Home-made Pesto
– Barbecue Sauce
– Béchamel (white sauce)
Top It Off!
With your dough rested and your sauces ready, it is time for toppings and to fire that oven up! Whilst entertaining your guests with all you recently learnt about outdoor pizza ovens, offer a varied selection and encourage your mates to get creative and adventurous.
Some top-notch topping ideas:
Cheeses
Fresh buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, cheddar, ricotta, chèvre, feta, smoked mozzarella or gouda.
Cured Meats
Pepperoni, spicy soppressata, raw sausage, lardo, bacon or chorizo.
Veggies
Sliced onions, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, olives, capers, potatoes, spinach, zucchini and figs.
Finishing Touches
Chilli flakes, coriander, fennel seed, nuts, pickled peppers, prosciutto, fresh herbs, arugula, lemon or extra-virgin olive oil.
Get Ready to Feast
Stretch and shape the dough, and top one pizza at a time. Since baking takes less than two minutes, have a cutting board and pizza wheel ready. Once the pizza is done, let each chef share the inspiration behind their masterpiece.
Don’t forget your dessert pizzas! Honey, walnuts and blue cheese are a great combination, as is a post-bake spread of Nutella!
There you have it – everything you need to host the ultimate pizza-tasting adventure. Get planning, get baking, and get ready for your guests to be blown away by the restaurant-style pizzas that outdoor pizza ovens can create.
Treat Yourself to a Wood Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven
If you want to throw a pizza party but don’t have an oven yet, visit our showroom at Sydney Heaters & Pizza Ovens at 151 Briens Road Northmead NSW 2152 for our full range of pizza ovens.
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