Top 10 Tips for Hosting a Pizza Party by Ooni

With these tips from Ooni, you’re all set to host an amazing pizza party. Enjoy the delicious homemade pizzas and have a great time with your guests!

1. Always use ‘00’ flour for Neapolitan-style pizza
This finely ground Italian flour makes the dough easy to work with, stretches beautifully, and adds a delightful texture and flavour to your pizzas.

2. Stretch pizza dough at room temperature
Let the cold-proofed dough rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours to relax fully and make stretching easier.

3. Flour everything
Before stretching your pizza, flour your hands, working surface, and peel generously to prevent sticking. Semolina is also commonly used for dusting.

4. Work with two peels
Use a ‘prep peel’ for building and launching the pizza and a separate ‘warm peel’ for turning and retrieving hot pizza from the oven to prevent sticking.

5. Check for holes
After stretching the pizza base, inspect for holes or tears to prevent moisture from causing the dough to stick to the peel.

6. Keep the pizza moving on the peel before adding toppings
Shake the peel gently to ensure the base is not stuck before proceeding with the sauce and toppings.

7. Keep toppings light
Avoid overloading the pizza with heavy ingredients as it can make it difficult to transfer from the peel to the oven.

8. Ensure the ideal temperature for Neapolitan-style pizza
Aim for 400-450ºC, as temperatures closer to 500ºC may result in burning. Keep track of the oven’s stone temperature accurately using an Ooni Infrared Thermometer.

9. Balance stone and air temperature for perfect pizza
Pizza stones heat up slightly slower than the displayed air temperature on digital thermometers. Achieve the best results by using the Ooni Infrared Thermometer to balance both temperatures.

10. Master the art of cooking with fire
In the Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven, strategically place the pizza in the middle of the stone and rotate it every 20-30 seconds for even baking on crusts and toppings. Consider the flames’ proximity to control how your pizza cooks.