At-Home Pizza Party

Dinner

Apr 21

This is our favorite formula for a choose-your-own-adventure pizza night. The goal: great crust, fun toppings, minimal mess, and a setup that lets everyone build what they actually want to eat. Prepping the dough and sauces the night before you plan to cook means deeper flavor, better texture, and a much more relaxed pizza night—it’s the easiest way to feel like a pro without doing more work. New Reynolds Kitchens® Countertop Prep Paper does a lot of heavy lifting here. We use it to roll the dough, build the pizzas, organize toppings, and even to serve the slices, turning your countertop into a full-on pizza station without any of the mess.

At-Home Pizza Night

Servings: 4–6 (makes 2–3 pizzas)

Prep Time: 1–2 hours, plus an optional overnight rise

Cook Time: 8–12 minutes per pizza

Print the Recipe

Ingredients

For the dough (makes 2–3 (12–14-inch) pizzas):
- New Reynolds Kitchens® Countertop Prep Paper
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105–110°F)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the red sauce:
- 1 (14–16 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
For the garlic sauce:
- 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
- 1/2 cup olive oil (or enough to cover)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
For the Spicy Sweet Pepperoni Pineapple Pizza:
- 3/4–1 cup red sauce
- 6–8 oz shredded mozzarella
- 3–4 oz pepperoni
- 1/2 cup pineapple (fresh or canned, drained)
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Hot honey, for serving
For the Fig and Prosciutto Pizza:
- Garlic sauce (from above)
- 2–3 tbsp fig jam
- 4–6 oz mozzarella (optional but recommended)
- 3–4 oz prosciutto
- Fresh arugula, for finishing
- Lemon zest, for finishing
- Extra Parmesan, for finishing

Instructions

Preheat the Oven & Prep Your Setup: Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F (or as hot as your oven goes). Let it heat for at least 30–45 minutes.
Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Add the flour, salt, and olive oil. Fit with the dough hook and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 1–2 minutes. Increase to medium-low and knead for 6–8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

If the dough sticks to the bowl, add flour 1 tbsp at a time. If it feels stiff or dry, add water 1 tbsp at a time. Properly kneaded dough should feel soft, smooth, and just slightly tacky, not sticky.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1–1 1/2 hours, or in the fridge overnight, until doubled in size. An overnight rise improves flavor, texture, and stretch, giving you a chewier, more flavorful crust that bakes up golden and blistered.
Make the Sauces: Add garlic cloves and olive oil to a small saucepan, making sure the garlic is fully submerged. Bring to a very gentle simmer over low heat and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the garlic is soft and lightly golden.

Meanwhile, blend the canned tomatoes with olive oil and a pinch of salt until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning; it should taste bright and well-seasoned.

Let the garlic mixture cool slightly, then mash the garlic into the oil with a pinch of salt. Stir in the Parmesan to create a loose, spreadable mixture.
Prep the Dough: Line your countertop with New Reynolds Kitchens® Countertop Prep Paper— lightly dampen the surface with water, tear off desired length of paper, lay it shiny side down and press it into place. This will be your rolling surface, prep station, and pizza-building zone. Set out all toppings in small bowls so everything is within reach.

Turn the dough out onto floured New Reynolds Kitchens® Countertop Prep Paper and divide into 2–3 equal pieces (about 250–300g each for 12–14 inch pizzas). Shape each piece into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath and rolling gently against the counter to create surface tension. Place dough balls on a lightly floured surface or tray, cover loosely, and let rest for 20–30 minutes before stretching.

If using store-bought dough, let it sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes so it relaxes and is easier to stretch.
Roll & Build the Pizzas: Lightly flour a pizza peel, then place a dough portion on top. Stretch or roll into a 10–12 inch round, leaving a slightly thicker edge for the crust.

Pepperoni–Pineapple: Spread with red sauce, then top with mozzarella, pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeño.

Fig & Prosciutto: Spread with the garlic–Parmesan mixture, add dollops of fig jam, mozzarella (if using), and prosciutto.
Bake: Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 8–12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

Transfer baked pizzas to a cutting board to slice (do not cut directly on the prep paper), then move slices onto a fresh sheet of Countertop Prep Paper for serving.
Finish as Desired:
Pepperoni–Pineapple: Drizzle with hot honey.
Fig & Prosciutto: Top with arugula, lemon zest, and more Parmesan.

Write the pizza varieties on the paper so guests know what the toppings are, and set out extra toppings in their place so everyone can customize and keep the choose-your-own-adventure vibe going.