The best pizzas in the world come from the wood-fire grills of Naples. Disagree if you like, but Naples began perfecting its pie hundreds of years before Pizza Hut stuffed its first bloated crust. From the wisp of smoke captured in the cheese to the brittle crust running along the belly, Neapolitan pies are entirely unlike their US cousins.

For one thing, they’re lighter in carbohydrates and less saturated with grease, so they’re less likely to make you look like the kind of guy who eats too much delivery. But beyond that, they’re also endlessly versatile and loaded with rich, warm flavor. Whatever you want on your pie—be it lobster and Alfredo sauce or bacon and eggs—you can have it. And so long as you have a grill, you have everything you need to put a Neapolitan spin on your next pizza.

Or better yet, invite over some friends for a legitimate grown-up pizza party. The only trick is that you have to know people who like pizza. That shouldn’t be too tough. Then follow guidelines below.

Ask your guests to bring toppings
Tell every guest to bring one or two toppings. Assign roles if you have to: One friend brings cheese, one brings meat, one brings sauce, and so on. If one of your friends is a vegetarian, put him in charge of the vegetables. The more you have to work with, the more interesting your pies will be.

Think outside the pizza box
The options for the typical delivery pie is limited to a very predictable list of ingredients—sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, etc. Those are fine options, but you should encourage your guests to dig deeper. Instead of shredded mozzarella, try the fresh stuff or soft goat cheese. Experiment with grilled Brussels sprouts or kale, or give your pie a savory punch with shaved prosciutto. Marinara makes a fine sauce, but try spiking it with bbq sauce or replacing it with fresh-grilled tomato slices.

Bring the dough
Aside from manning the grill and playing crowd control, this is your sole responsibility. For acquiring pizza dough, you have three options: 1. Make it from scratch (recipe below), 2. look for it at your supermarket, or 3. walk into any pizza joint and ask them to sell you some. Option 3 is perhaps the easiest and most reliable. If you’re going to need a big batch, be sure to call ahead of time. Tell them how many people you’re serving, and they’ll help you determine how much you need.

Create a pizza buffet
Begin by grilling the toppings need to be cooked—onions, peppers, uncured meats, etc. Then set all the toppings out on a table next to a bowl of sauce with a ladle in it. There should be enough for every guest to make one pie.

Build and grill your masterpiece
The stone method: If you don’t have a pizza stone, you might consider buying one. Actually you might buy a couple so that one can cool off the grill while the other cooks your pizza. Then pull off a ball of dough, and using a rolling pin or wine bottle, roll it out flat. Spread it over you pizza stone, rub it with sauce, sprinkle on the toppings, and place the stone directly on the hot grates of the grill. If you’re using charcoal, perfect. Your crust will taste almost like it was cooked over a campfire. If you’re using gas, you might consider adding a smoker box filled with wood chips. Close the lid and let it cook about 10 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted.

The no-stone method: If you don’t have a pizza stone, here’s what you do. First, create warm and cool zones on your grilling surface by banking the coals to one side (if it’s a gas grill, simply turn one burner up and leave the other one low). After you’ve rolled the dough into a pie, rub it with olive oil and drop it on the hot part of the grill, directly over the coals. Let it cook for 30 seconds and then rotate it 45 degrees to create diamond-shaped grill marks. After 30 more seconds, flip the crust and move it to the cool part of the grill, away from the coals. Quickly top it however you like, close the grill, and let it cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Use tongs to rotate it 45 degrees and let it cook for another couple minutes. If you have a pizza peel, use it to slide the pizza off the grill. Now enjoy.

Homemade Pizza Dough
Recipe from Grill This, Not That! By Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding

You’ll Need:
1 cup hot water
1 Tbsp sugar or honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 envelope instant yeast
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for kneading and rolling

How to make it:
1. Combine the water, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes while the water activates the yeast.
2. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour. When the dough is no longer sticky, place on a cutting board, cover with more flour, and knead for 5 minutes, folding the dough over on itself and using the heel of your hand to push it into the cutting board.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for at least 90 minutes. It will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Makes two 10-inch pies. 

Via: Host A Grilled Pizza Party