Making pies for 20 isn't like making them for 4

As you all know I have been working hard to make some great pizza at home. But when it comes to making it for the family, 3 or 4 pies, versus making it for a crowd it is a totally different game. For our daughters first birthday, we served pizza, what else?

First you have to have everything ready... all the toppings prepared, all the cheese shredded, the oil and salt and flour right in hands reach. This is how restaurants are able to crank out so much food. Its much faster (and easier) if i dont have to look for anything. As you can see, I have my toppings all together, my sauces all together and my cheeses all together. That made it easy to stretch out the dough, top the pies and pop them in the oven.

Second, you have to have way more pies going at a time. This makes it a bit trickier as you have to move them around the oven and every time you open the door the oven cools off.




I recently picked up these dough boxes. They allow me to make my dough and pop them in the refrigerator for a few days and not loose an entire shelf because I can put stuff on top. Then its easy to take them out to proof a couple hours before using them. Its much easier then my old system of each dough in a separate container.



After experimenting with different broiler / pan methods, I used a hybrid one here. Just for the record, my oven sucks. The broiler cycle was too short to use and every time I tried the oven cooled down too much. Some of the pies came out good, others a bit too well done on top (with the broiler cranking) but not enough on the bottom (because the oven had cooled).

Here was the run down:
Margherita
Spinach and mushroom


Even the decorations were enjoying the pizza. (It was an Itsy Bitsy Spider Theme)






Giardinera and garlic



Caramelized onion and blue cheese


Truffle with arugula


Grilled eggplant and sliced tomato


Potato rosemary


Oven roasted tomatoes


And another Margherita



I think all in all they were good but not great. I really do need to do more pizza parties....anyone interested in being my Guinea Pigs??