Prepping Pizza ahead of time for party

theeggcellentchef

Sorry for repost last one went in Poultry topic:

My twins 1st birthday is this Saturday and I am contemplating making the pizzas instead of ordering.  I'd be making three thin crust style pies.  My question is since life in general is crazy with twins can I make the pizzas ahead of time on parchment paper so I just throw them on when guests arrive?  If so how far in advance can I do this?

Thanks!

Big_Green_Craig

Depends on how far in advance you plan to make them. The dough will continue to rise while they are being stored. Definitely make the dough ahead of time, but wait and dress them fresh. 

fishlessman

you could partially precook the dough, this link shows how to dock it and prebake it. might make things easier

http://www.butteryum.org/blog/2010/05/10-secrets-for-making-pizzeria-quality.html

dmourati

Pizzas cook pretty fast. Almost faster than you can eat them. I'd make all the dough, prep all the cheese and other ingredients, and set up an assembly line. Get the egg fired up to around 600 with your stone all set. You can probably make those three pizzas in under 20 minutes.

Carolina Q

I don't think you're going to like the results if you shape the dough and top the pizzas ahead of time. You don't want to let a pie sit there like that for much longer than it takes to get it on the egg.

I would do as dmourati suggested. Don't forget to take the dough balls out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you plan to shape them. They need to warm to room temp or they'll act like rubber bands when you try to stretch or roll them out. Keep them covered at all times or they will skin over.

Push out one dough ball, top it and throw it on the egg. While it's baking, make the next one. Yes, you'll be busy, but your pizza will be better.

GATraveller

One year old twins at home......your life is insane!!!!!

(I have 11yr old twin girls)  Best thing that ever happened to me!

rekameohs

theeggcellentchef said:

can I make the pizzas ahead of time on parchment paper so I just throw them on when guests arrive?  If so how far in advance can I do this?

Papa Murphy's web site says you should cook their pizzas within 24 hours.  I done ones from them a few hours after bringing them home and they were fine.

DoubleEgger

Big_Green_Craig said:

Depends on how far in advance you plan to make them. The dough will continue to rise while they are being stored. Definitely make the dough ahead of time, but wait and dress them fresh. 

This. You aren’t saving that much time prepping a few pies in advance. It’ll provide for some adult conversation as well. 

nolaegghead

Especially with thin crust, you can make the dough, stretch it out and par cook it or freeze it.  You don't lose significant quality in the final product.

It's easy to be a purist and say just do the process right, but the OP is trying to streamline the event.

dmourati

You can streamline and still be a purist.

Focker

With the extended bake times for the BGE, I always prep the next pie, while the one before it cooks.  Works great at eggfests, and for dillas too.  

The dough will absorb the sauce if it sits on there long enough, thin crust would even lessen the time for that to happen.  Prebaking extends an already long bake time, to then cook the toppings.  Both, not my bag.

Open dough, top, launch, spin, pull, repeat.  Yeah you will be busy, but it's not that bad.