Have Your Best Pizza Night

As parents of two young kids, my wife and I are always looking for interesting ways to get our kids in the kitchen. While I love to take a slab of beef and mash some potatoes, my kids need something a little more accessible. Pizza night is a tradition we love. The kids love kneading the dough, placing it on the pizza stone, putting on our homemade pizza sauce recipe, and layering on as many toppings as their little pizzas can hold. I want everyone to have the same experience I do with pizza night, so I’ve rounded up the top 20 items you need for making pizza at home.

20 Items You Need for Making Pizza at Home

Here’s the thing with any kitchen, you need to build up and look for tools you can reuse. While some of the items on this list our expensive, you can use them for years to some. Others are more pizza-specific, but they allow making pizza at home to go much smoother.

Cut the Pie with Pizza Cutters

A pizza cutter is the old standby. You can use it to cut nearly anything that’s flat, including tortillas and pita bread. The main thing I see when people pull out their trusty pizza cutter is that it was likely purchased in their college days. Invest in a quality pizza cutter to ensure even slicing that will last for years with proper care.

You’ll ‘Knead’ Homemade Pizza Dough

Nothing makes a pizza better than homemade pizza dough. Ideally, it’s flavorful, chewy and crispy, creating a unique flavor profile and texture that perfectly compliments your pizza. You just can’t get that with pre-made dough. If you’re just not ready to get fingers-deep and knead dough, consider investing in a KitchenAid stand mixer with a dough hook. You can get a refurbished model for under $300, and you’ll use it for much more than your perfect pizza dough.

Get Quality Pizza Stones

I remember one of the first times I made a pizza. It was cooked unevenly, resulting in burnt spots next to dough. Yuck. I quickly learned the secret to a quality pizza: a pizza stone. Stone or steel options offer different benefits (most are made from cordierite stone), but both push your pizza to the next level. Their heat retention design offers slower, even cooking that can’t be beat.

Invest in a Pizza Oven

I know you’re probably thinking that a pizza oven is just another thing to add; however, you won’t make your pizzas any other way. Available in outdoor or countertop models, pizza ovens are designed to cook pizza that way it’s supposed to be made. An outdoor model will be significantly larger, offering you more space for larger pizzas, while a countertop model is (usually) more convenient.

Try a Pizza Peel

Pizza peels can seem a bit overwhelming. Whenever most people are exposed to them, it’s when a chef is moving around pizzas. However, a quality pizza peel is integral to handling the pizza.

Blending Homemade Pizza Sauce

Homemade pizza sauce is one of my favorite parts of the process. Crushed tomatoes, fresh or dried oregano, olive oil and some salt and pepper are all you need for a basic but flavorful sauce. To get that perfect sauce, consider investing in a quality blender like a Vitamix. From homemade spaghetti sauce to thick soups, I use my blender for a variety of tasks.

Personalize Your Pizzas

My family is full of pizza fans, but it can be difficult when everyone wants something different. Luckily, I have a solution: pan pizzas. Personal pan pizzas allow everyone to customize their pizzas—and no one has to worry about sharing. They’re great for people who want unique flavors (e.g. pineapple) that no one else wants even toughing their food.

Top It Off

Whether my family and I are doing pan pizzas or a large one for everyone, we always pull out these topping bowls. Topping bowls allow everyone to get in on the action while providing an easy clean up. Fill them with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil for a caprese pizza that can’t be beat. The only limit is your imagination. As an added bonus, they also work great for taco and nacho bars or dip bowls for appetizers.

Burn the Right Way

Did you know there is a correct wood for making pizzas? It may seem hard to believe, but the right wood can make a huge difference in how your pizza tastes. I remember several years ago I tried out certain woods, including cherry, apple, and oak, to discover which one left the best flavor. After rigorous testing, and lots of pizzas, I settled on oak. However, it can be difficult to find quality oak. Luckily, Cutting Edge offers oak for pizza ovens, creating the best environment for your pizza.

Weigh It Out

You want to know the secret to a perfect pizza? Weighing all your ingredients. When I was first getting into cooking, I used to measure out my ingredients with measuring cups. I couldn’t figure out why my recipes never ended up tasting the same way twice. When I switched to a food scale, my recipes tasted the same way every time I made them. This precision is necessary for perfect pizza dough.

Mix It All Together

I love a KitchenAid when I’m short on time. However, there are days when I want to feel the dough in between my fingers. I truly think the best cooks start out by hand-kneading their dough. This allows them to figure out exactly what the dough should look and feel like, what it looks like after its first rise, etc. To do this, grab some glass mixing bowls and get to work really knowing your dough. On a side note, you can make a quality dough in about 30 minutes.

Crisp It Up

I’m not going to say you can’t get a crispy pizza without this crisper pan. However, not everyone has the time to use a pizza stone to create that perfect pizza taste. This crisper pan allows you to get a near-perfect pizza—even in your regular oven. This makes it perfect for the pizza connoisseur looking to host the ultimate pizza party.

Serve It Up

One of the best things about a pizza party is serving your creations to your family and friends. Seeing my kids take a bite out of something they made is a wonderful feeling. What a lot of people don’t take the time to consider, however, is what they’re serving on. When looking for new and unique ways to serve pizza, I discovered this serving set. It’s perfect for making your pizza party into a buffet that everyone will love.

Cut It Right

I know I brought up a pizza cutter either, and they are great for most pizzas. However, they can become tedious when you’re looking to cut a lot of larger pizzas. This is where a cutter comes in. Featuring a long, slightly curved blade, a pizza cutter is what most pizza places use to cut their pizzas. It allows you to cut a pizza quickly and easily.

Cut and Serve Quicker

Nothing sucks more than when you discover you’ve cut a pizza incorrectly. Luckily, there are certain tools you can use to ensure quality cuts, every time. One of my favorites is this pizza plate. Featuring eight little notches, you can accurately cut your pizza while serving it on the same plate thanks to the handle.

Serve It Correctly

This might seem like a frivolous purchase, but trust me when I say that you won’t want to go back to the spatula or hand method after getting this server. Featuring a long handle and a slightly curved design, this server (which doubles as a pie server) gets your pizza out with all the toppings intact. If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is.

Grate On Your Nerves

I totally understand the appeal of pre-grated cheese. I’m not above using it if I am in a pinch. However, the best pizzas are made with freshly grated cheese. By investing in a quality box grater, you can deliver “the goods” for each pizza party, cutting your cheese and some toppings with the handy little tool.

Get Out the Wooden Spoons

Look, I know every time you watch a cooking show the chef is using a wooden spoon. Why? Because wooden spoons don’t retain heat like their metal counterparts nor will they melt like plastic. A set of wooden spoons can last for years as well. Use them to mix your pizza or spaghetti sauce, mix the dough ingredients and cook certain toppings.

Check Your Temps

One of the biggest things about quality pizza is temperature control. This is easy for pizza ovens; simply move the pizza closer or further from the fire. Inside, an oven may be set to a certain temp, but I could be off by as much as 50 degrees! Invest in an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is always the right temperature.

Throwing a pizza night party is the perfect excuse for making pizza at home. With the above tools, your party will quickly become the talk of the town. Get ready to sit back, jump to your favorite recipe and enjoy the best homemade pizza of your life.