It’s hard to believe we are already almost half way through 2022 and that this weekend is the 4th of July! One of our favorite summer night traditions is to pull out the pizza oven and make delicious, home-made pizza. The kids love it, and honestly there is nothing better than a wood fired pizza! We’ve had our Ooni grill for a few years now and have definitely worked out the kinks on how to make the whole summer pizza night thing a success – and not a doughy mess. So many of you wanted tips, so here you go!
- It’s all about that dough, baby. My family uses this recipe religiously – do NOT skimp on the 00 dough. Trust me. It’s the key. This recipe won’t stick in your pizza oven, it gets crusty on the outside and stays doughy and soft on the inside. We also heavily flour working surfaces when it’s pizza rolling time with Semolina flour.
2. Prep all of your toppings ahead of time in serveware. I love to use a divided melamine chip + dip bowl for all of my toppings – the pieces are removable so they can be easily covered and stored in the fridge without taking up a ton of room. The kids are a total snooze-fest and usually stick to shredded mozzarella and crumbled sausage (that I cook ahead of time!) but we get super creative with our adult pizzas. Some of our go-to toppings:
- Trader Joe’s pizza sauce
- Trader Joe’s Pizza Cheese (a toscano cheese blend)
- Trader Joe’s Spicy Honey
- Fresh Burratta
- Fresh jalapeno
- Balsamic Glaze
- Fresh torn herbs
- Spicy Italian Meats
- Peaches
- Arugula
3. Get pizza serving accoutrements. We’ve had the most successful and smooth pizza nights since we purchased MULTIPLE packs of wooden pizza peels. Allowing everyone to make their own pizza on their own peel that can easily transfer the pizza in and out of the oven is key. It has cut down on mess, dishes, and gooey pizza oven mishaps. Multiple silicone spreaders for sauce, a huge pizza spatula and a legit pizza cutter have also helped.
4. Invest in your pizza cooking gear! If a wood oven isn’t in your budget – there are grill-top versions and stones that can still bring your pizza to the next level. And if you do have a pizza oven and you’re struggling to get it lit and KEEP it lit – especially during those breezy evenings on the patio – a BBQ starter is key. Kind of like a blow dryer for your wood oven – it helps get things to temp quickly!
One response to “Summer Pizza Night Tips”
You are so great at what you do! Such a gift! Thank you for sharing this special recipe:)