it's a grandma style pizza party over here 💁🏼♀️! A pizza tray with all of my fav toppings. it's essentially half pepperoni & half garden pizza blanketed over a fabulous focaccia. I unintentionally let the dough ferment for 3 days and the veil was lifted ... I realized at that point, that that was exactly where the magic lied. if you have the time to make your own dough its most delicious, try to get at least 2-3 days of fermentation going before you make the best pizza of your life!
>> its definitely an investment of time but the pay off is plentiful. I've never been more impressed or proud of myself than the Friday evening that I gave birth to this showpiece. Now, I have made a couple of hundred pizzas in my life and have never been one who thought it was that big of a deal to not use store bought dough, the pizzas have been decent, tasty in fact but nothing magical. I've simply despised baking, so naturally making my own dough was a complete non negotiable, BUT! in this new year I've become more explorative and determined to broaden my culinary horizons so I'm taking on some bigger cooking projects and adding "master baker" to my list of talents. {tips hat}. I will earn that stand mixer yet!
>> a pizza party, whether it's for a few or just for you a 'pizza tray at home' is definitely a way to build immeasurable loyalties and feed the souls of the humans you love. Make your next weekend a legendary one, make this recipe, have some drinks, play some music and tell the homies to come feast.
If you fancy yourself as a visual learner, check out the pizza party tray reel on IG.
pizza party tray.
(serves 6-12)
grocery list
{dough}
instant dry active yeast - packet
{sauce}
whole peeled toms- 28oz can
basil - 2 hearty sprigs
{toppings}
fresh mozzarella - 8oz sliced
parmesan cheese - 8oz
pepperoni - 1.5 - 2C
mushrooms - 1C sliced
black olives - 1/2C
diced toms - 1/2C
basil - 10 - 12 leaves
*any toppings of your choice really, this is just what I used.
things you probably have on hand
{dough}
maple syrup - 1TB
olive oil - 3/4C, plus more for bowl & pan.
AP flour - 4-5C
salt - 2t
water - 2C warm
{sauce}
garlic - 4-6 cloves or more if you're super into garlic, get nuts.
olive oil - 3T
S&P
RPF - 1TB
{toppings}
olive oil - drizzle
RPF
subs
syrup - honey or any sweetener be sure it dissolves, this is added so the yeast has something eat.
AP flour - bread flour or any other kind you like
toppings - literally anything can work here, either whatever you like or whatever you have in the crisper and pantry.
method.
🌀in a large bowl, whisk together warm water, yeast, syrup until yeast is incorporated. slowly add in AP flour, using a wooden spoon mix until it begins to resemble 'dough'. at this stage it will not be homogenized but instead flaky and frankly quite messy. add in salt and continue to mix until the dough begins to look moist and tacky or shaggy.
🌀cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge overnight, it will double in size and the dry and wet ingredients will be fully fused.
🌀remove dough from the fridge and punch down, folding it into itself repeatedly until it looks a lot smoother (put some olive oil on your hands and drizzle a little on the dough to make the job easier). Once dough favors a smooth ball grease the bowl with olive oil and place dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap again and return to the fridge for another 24hrs. - Alternatively if you do not have the time you can begin making the rest of pizza from this point. it will still be delicious, but the two night ferment is absolutely divinity.
🌀transfer dough onto a generously olive oiled sheet pan. Using your fingertips gently stretch dough over the surface of the pan, the dough will not reach the rim in this step. drizzle with lots of olive oil over top, cover with plastic and set sheet pan in a warm spot for another 1hr.
🌀while dough rises again, make your sauce and gather your pizza accoutrements.
🌀preheat oven to 450 deg.
🌀in a saucepan heat 3TB olive oil, toss in garlic and let toast. add basil and RPF and cook for a minute or so before squeezing in whole toms with all of its sauce, season with a hearty dash of salt and stir well.
🌀let simmer until sauce has thickened up, about 20 minutes. check for flavor and season to taste. Set aside to cool.
🌀Assemble your toppings - cut mozzarella into easy to pull apart slices, slice mushrooms and in separate bowls divide up the diced toms, black olives and pepperoni.
🌀the dough will have doubled making it fluffy and very easy to manage. you will now be able to stretch and dimple it into all corners of the sheet pan.
🌀sprinkle over about a half cup of parm and spoon pizza sauce over dough to evenly coat. spread ripped pieces of mozzarella over the entire surface. on one half load up with pepperoni and scatter the rest of the veg on the other half.
🌀drizzle with olive oil and more on the crust to ensure that it's crispy.
🌀bake until crust has browned and cheese and toppings are hot and bubbly, start checking after 30 minutes.
🌀once pizza is done, garnish with parm, RPF, basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
🌀cut into wedges and serve.
Feast & have fun!
- check out the reel for this recipe on IG, if you're like me and always need a visual!
- use the hash #fullayum or tag us @fulla_yum on IG, if the spirit moves you to make this or any other dish on the site!
-share your experiences making this dish or suggestions in the comment!
Xx.