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Recipe: Cocktail-Hour Pizzette

Make cocktail hour more delicious with these crisp homemade pizzettes. Discover an easy pizza recipe with mozzarella, prosciutto, olives, and fresh herbs.

By Vuya Maqubela | August 22, 2026 | Category recipes

Small, crisp and made for eating with one hand and a drink in the other, these pizzettes are the perfect answer to a relaxed cocktail gathering.

Keep the toppings simple, use good-quality ingredients, and let a scalded crust do most of the work.

Makes: 12 small pizzas

Serves: 6 – 8

Prep: 25 minutes

Cooking: 8 – 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 500g white bread flour
  • 7g instant yeast
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 325ml lukewarm water
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the topping

  • 1 x 400g tin peeled tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 250g fresh mozzarella
  • 100g prosciutto or good-quality ham
  • ½ cup pitted olives
  • ½ cup marinated artichokes
  • Handful of fresh basil
  • Handful of rocket
  • Parmesan, to finish
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Chilli flakes are optional

Method

  1. Make the dough: Mix the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and olive oil and knead for 8 – 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
  2. Make the sauce: Crush the tomatoes and mix them with the garlic, oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 
  3. Shape: Heat the oven to its highest setting – ideally 250°C or higher – with a pizza stone or heavy baking tray inside. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each into a small, thin round, leaving the edges slightly thicker.
  4. Top: Spread each base with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Add a little mozzarella and two or three toppings. Try combinations such as prosciutto and rocket, artichoke and olive, or sundried tomato and mozzarella.
  5. Bake: Bake for 6 – 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling. Finish with fresh basil, rocket, Parmesan, olive oil, and a pinch of chilli flakes.
Keep the toppings simple and seasonal — think prosciutto, olives, artichokes, corn, and plenty of good mozzarella.

The entertaining trick

Don't overload the pizzas. The best ones are crisp enough to pick up easily and generous enough to feel special without becoming messy.

Serve them warm on a large ceramic platter alongside bowls of olives and Parmesan.

For a South African feel, use a good local extra-virgin olive oil for finishing touch – its peppery flavour works beautifully with the salty cheese, cured meat, and tomato.