Party Pizzas (Ohio, 1960s, adapted)

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Party Pizzas are more of an idea than a recipe; an easy way to throw together pizza goodness for a weeknight meal or midnight stack.  This particular idea/recipe comes from a mid-60s cookbook compiled by the VFW post in rural Round Head, Ohio.  The underlying idea is simple:  instead of pizza crust, roll refrigerator biscuits flat and top them with your favorite pizza toppings.  It works much better than I expected it would.  I’m obviously not a pizza snob if I’m recommending this recipe, but I’m also not a big fan of frozen or most delivery options.  I’m not above scarfing down Pizza Hut or Papa Johns but the major chains tend to skimp on sauce and toppings.  And frankly their crust isn’t a whole lot better than refrigerator biscuits, either.   If I want good pizza I’ve got a top-notch NY-style joint nearby, but it’s on the spendy side and they don’t deliver.   So when I’ve got the hankering for pizza it’s either this or pizza casserole.

Since you’re skimping on the crust you’ve got to go all in on the toppings.  Making some fancy homemade pizza sauce kind of defeats the purpose, but find a sauce you like and be generous with it.  Use freshly shredded mozzarella and quality toppings and go nuts.  I’ve tweaked the recipe, such as it is, just a smidge to improve the quality of the crust.  Dust your cutting board with a little bit of flour to keep it from sticking and sprinkle some corn meal around the baking pan, like you might with a traditional pizza.  It doesn’t do much to change the flavor but it makes it seem a little bit more like the real thing.  Don’t be afraid to let the crust get a little bit crispy on the bottom – there’s enough fat in the biscuit dough to let it brown before it burns.

Pair with carrots and ranch and a soda pop.  Enjoy!

Party Pizzas (Ohio, 1960s, adapted)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450º F.
  2. Dust your work area and rolling pin with a little bit of flour. Roll refrigerator biscuits flat into approximately four-inch rounds. Place on a large baking pan dusted with cornmeal.
  3. Top each pizza with about 2 tbsp of sauce and about a quarter cup of cheese. Add toppings as desired.
  4. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned at the edges and dough is cooked through. Serve immediately.

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