Recipes › Bread & Pizza › Party Pizzas Recipe

Party Pizzas Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Party pizzas are individual-sized Italian flatbreads perfect for entertaining a crowd. These crispy-bottomed, soft-topped pizzas feature a traditional tomato base with fresh mozzarella, basil, and quality olive oil, allowing guests to enjoy authentic pizza in an elegant, bite-sized format. Easily customizable and impressive in appearance, they're ideal for casual gatherings and formal events alike.

Ingredients

• 500g (3⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
• 325ml (1⅜ cups) warm water
• 7g (1½ tsp) instant yeast
• 10g (2 tsp) salt
• 15ml (1 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 400g (14 oz) canned San Marzano tomatoes
• 4g (1 tsp) salt for sauce
• 5g (1 tsp) sugar
• 300g (10.5 oz) fresh mozzarella di bufala
• 20g (¾ cup) fresh basil leaves
• 30ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil for finishing
• Coarse sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Mix warm water with instant yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 2 minutes until foamy. Add flour, salt, and olive oil, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding minimal flour as needed.

3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes until puffy and increased by half.

4. While dough rises, prepare the sauce by passing canned tomatoes through a food mill into a bowl, then stir in salt and sugar. Set aside.

5. Preheat oven to 240°C (465°F) and place two baking sheets inside to heat for 5 minutes.

6. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (approximately 90g each). Shape each piece into a ball and let rest covered for 5 minutes.

7. Gently stretch each dough ball into a 15cm (6-inch) round, working from the center outward without tearing, and place on parchment paper.

8. Carefully remove hot baking sheets from oven and slide pizzas (on parchment) onto them. Bake for 6 minutes until edges begin to set and lighten.

9. Remove pizzas from oven, spread 2 tablespoons tomato sauce on each, then tear and distribute 35g fresh mozzarella over each pizza.

10. Return pizzas to oven and bake for 6-8 minutes more until crust is golden-brown and cheese is melted with light browning. Top each with a basil leaf and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and coarse salt immediately after removing from oven.

Substitutions

• Use whole wheat flour for 25% of the flour for a nuttier flavor and added fiber
• Substitute fresh mozzarella with aged provolone or smoked scamorza for deeper flavor
• Replace San Marzano tomatoes with other high-quality canned Italian tomatoes if unavailable
• Use dried oregano and thyme as a garnish instead of fresh basil for a different herb profile

Tips

• Do not overstretch the dough; gentle handling prevents tearing and ensures even cooking
• Preheating baking sheets is essential for crispy bottoms; use an oven thermometer to verify temperature accuracy
• Tear mozzarella by hand rather than slicing for more rustic appearance and better melting distribution
• Assemble and bake pizzas in batches if your oven space is limited rather than crowding the sheets

Pizza al taglio and small pizzas have deep roots in Italian street food culture, particularly in Naples and Rome where vendors sell individual portions. Serving pizzas at parties reflects the Italian tradition of entertaining with simple, quality ingredients and convivial shared meals.

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