Cut It Up: 24 Flatbreads & Pizzas to Start the Party

Crisp, chewy flatbread is a welcome start to any party, and tastes great with whatever toppings you have on hand. Pizza works just as well, cut into bite-sized pieces and served warm from the oven. Whatever you call it, these 24 recipes and techniques for making crackly-crusted dough, with or without toppings, are easy crowd-pleasers.

For the quickest party prep, use store-bought pizza dough or puff pastry, or freeze your own rounds of homemade pizza dough for future use. From there, the possibilities are endless: cheese, vegetables, caramelized onions or leeks, meats and even beans make tasty toppings. Just remember to avoid loading on too much — no one likes a soggy, heavy appetizer.

If you’re feeling minimalistic, even an unadorned round of freshly-made pita bread or a wedge of gluten-free chickpea pancake starts the party off right.