I'm hosting large pizza party. Looking for appetizer and dessert ideas. No dessert pizza please. See details

Question

There'll be about 57 people. A local pizzeria makes gigantic party size pizza's and we have used them in the past for getherings. This will be for my sons wedding rehearsal party (their suggestion) and at my home, indoors and out. I have a large home with about an acre of land so people won't feel cramped. Any ideas how to make it really special? I thought I'd try to do a Tuscan Theme using beautiful Tuscan golds, poppy reds, olive greens, terra cotta and eggplant colors. Pillar candles for the tables.

Any better or additional ideas?????

Answer 1

For appetizers, you can riff on antipasto plates. Selections of meat, olives, gherkins etc, and if the presentation resembles Italian-style antipastos, you can use a good many less-expensive foods and vegetarian options.

Lots of 10-inch appetizer sized serving plates instead of huge platters. There's something so grim about a huge platter with half the food gone....

I'd keep all the food serving areas close to the house & kitchen. If your grounds are large, Chinese lanterns can create sitting areas in the distant corners.

Answer 2

I think the chili pepper lights sound tacky, but everything else sounds great! I'd serve the pizza with a lettuce salad and dressing and maybe some garlic bread or breadsticks. A great appetizer would be to do wine and cheese. I'd have a variety of wines, with a variety of cheese and probably some fruit also. Then for dessert you could have cheesecake. Good luck!

Answer 3

make a few salads for the side like a pasta salad and green salad with a fresh dressing! for other appetizer foods how about a veggie tray with dips and some cheese, sausage, crackers and hummus, maybe a taco dip and chips. or some tortilla roll ups with all different stuff inside. these stuffed tomatoes are good too http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baby-BLT/De... -search around on that website they have tons of yummy recipes with ratings.

for dessert how about a nice cheesecake with different toppings...or some kind of refreshing berry cake!

Answer 4

Being you're doing a Tuscan theme, and pizza, you can do an Antipasti, which is what Italians and Sicilians do before the meal.  It is a platter of Italian meats, cheeses, olives, etc.   You can get the ingredients and make it yourself or go to any deli and have them do it.  There's NO cooking, it's just arranging them on a platter.

What's on the platter is usually:

Salami

Prevalone

Supresatta

Olives both black and green

lettuce

Tomatos

Proscuitto

Mozzerella cheese if you wish

other Italian cheese if you wish

Mortedella

Then there's a basket of bread and breadsticks.  You also serve oil and vinegar on the side with this.  People take what they want and put it on a plate and eat it.  

You can also put anchovies, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, etc. there is SO much that can go into a real antipast, you go to the deli and talk to them.  You'd need a number of platters for that many people.

For dessert, again, going with your theme, you can do Italian pastries like cannolis and such and Italian cookies.  You can also do Tiramisu, etc.  The tiramisu is trickier because not everyone likes coffee desserts.  You're safer with the pastries and the cookies.  

The only reason why I'm suggesting all the Italian foods is because of the theme you have chosen.  I LOVE the theme and the colors you have chosen with it.  You can even put up some clear, stringed, Christmas lights all around the party area and around the bushes and trees, they'll look like twinkling lights all around and add such a nice ambiance to the party area.

Congratulations to your son and future Daughter-in-law!  I hope you have a great party and wonderful time at the wedding, Congratulations to you and your husband too!

Answer 5

It sounds lovely:) .....Bagna Cauda is a good appetizer ... or just an Anitpasto platter of Italian relishes (peppercini, sweet cherry peppers, different types of olives, etc) .....Caprese Salad (sliced tomatoes & fresh mozzarella with olive oil drizzled over it; sprinkled with fresh basil)  .....  Veggies with a dip flavored with Italian seasonings .....Dessert:  Tiramisu;  Gelato and biscotti;  zabaglione ... espresso