How to Plan a Pizza Night

Pizza night is easy when the dough, toppings, and oven are ready before anyone is hungry. The difficult version is trying to prep every pizza while also cooking.

Work backwards

Choose the serving time first. Allow enough time for the oven to preheat fully and for cold dough balls to relax at room temperature. Prepare sauce and toppings before lighting the oven.

Keep the menu focused

Two or three combinations are enough. Portion ingredients into small containers and avoid excessively wet toppings. A simple margherita is useful as the first pizza because it tests the oven with minimal waste.

Cook one at a time

Stretch and top the next pizza only when the oven is ready. After each bake, let the stone recover its heat. If several people are making pizzas, assign one person to manage the oven.

Watch: Gozney’s pizza party guide

Make one extra dough ball. It covers a torn base, a failed launch, or the inevitable request for another pizza.