Grill Season Kick-Off, Day 1, Part 2: Grilled Pizza
Being a vegetarian or not overly fond of meat doesn't mean you can't take advantage of grilling. Gardenburgers, veggie kabobs, and ears of corn aside, a great veggie grilling option is pizza! These grilling tips have been borrowed from allrecipes.com. Once you've got the guidelines for grilling pizza crust down, check out this delicious recipe for fig and goat cheese pizza--your meat-eating friends will be jealous.
With grilled pizza, the crust is the star--think of it as a great flatbread. Choose a few simple ingredients that can showcase the smoky flavor and crispy crust. Or go for minimalism: top the grilled bread with a brushing of good olive oil, a sprinkling of coarse salt, and a scant amount of chopped fresh herbs.
Prepare the grill for high heat. Shape the dough into rounds, either stretching it by hand or using a rolling pin. Each round should be no more than ¼ inch thick. Dust a baking sheet, a peel, or a plate with flour or cornmeal for easy transport, so the dough won't stick. You can stack the rounds by layering waxed paper, parchment, or a clean well-floured kitchen towel in between the individual crusts.
When the coals are hot, have all of your toppings ready near the grill. The easiest method for grilling pizza is to par-bake the crust: grill one side just long enough to firm up the crust so you can move it easily. By taking it off the heat, you can take your time arranging the toppings and are less likely to burn the bottom of the pizza.
Directions:
1. Begin by placing one dough round on the grill.
2. You can oil the grill's grate, but it's not necessary; once the crust has set, after about three minutes, it should be easy to pull off the heat with tongs, a spatula, or your fingers.
3. Don't worry if it droops a little through the grate, as it'll firm up fast.
4. After two to three minutes, give it a little tug--it should move easily. If it sticks, give it another minute or so.
5. When the crust is set, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a plate or peel; flip it over so the "done" side is up, and add the toppings. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough rounds.
6. Grill the topped pizzas until the cheese melts and the toppings are heated through. Depending upon the heat of the grill and the size of your pies, this can take two to ten minutes (if your grill has cooled dramatically, you may need to cover it with a lid to finish the cooking).
--AndreaLeigh
Ed Bush on May 30, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Geez, woman! Ever hear of a pizza stone?
And the crust is supposed to get scorched. If you've ever eaten at a pizzeria with a wood burning oven, you'd know that.
Better stick to burgers. You don't know jack about pizza.
All best.
Ed Bush on May 30, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Geez, woman! Ever hear of a pizza stone?
And the crust is supposed to get scorched. If you've ever eaten at a pizzeria with a wood burning oven, you'd know that.
Better stick to burgers. You don't know jack about pizza.
All best.
Wes on May 30, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Well, it sounds delicions to me. I plan on trying it htis weekend.
beez on May 30, 2008 at 01:24 PM
grilled pizza is great!
so is it off a stone!
ken on May 30, 2008 at 01:25 PM
Ed is a dimwit. I've been grilling pizza exactly as described for years. The smokey crust is indeed the star (but I use charcoal, not gas). You'll love it.
Michael Mealling on May 30, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Yea, I second the recommendation to do it off the stone. The smokiness and crispiness of having the crust directly on the grate makes all the difference. As far as moving the pizza around on the grill, getting and using a peal is a really good idea.
One of the best toppings I use is a smoked mozzarella. You can find it at most grocery stores but it definitely makes the entire thing. I also do a sauce with nothing but organic crushed tomatoes, white wine and some garlic.
Great stuff...
Ed Bush on May 30, 2008 at 02:56 PM
Ken,
If you like something made this way, eat it. Just don't call it pizza. If you must give it a name call it bad focaccia.
Name calling is not nice. If you have a point, you don't need to.
Don't know why my first post came up twice. I'm not that passionate about this.
Marilyn Terrell on May 30, 2008 at 04:03 PM
If you live anywhere near Rhode Island, it's hardly worth grilling your own pizza when you can go to Al Forno in Providence instead. Or go there first to find out how it should taste:
http://intelligenttravel.typepad.com/it/2008/05/pizza-pilgrimag.html
djr on May 30, 2008 at 06:19 PM
Seems like this would work better in a calzon style (a pocket-like pizza). I think calzon is properly named, as in calories on.
steve on May 31, 2008 at 12:22 AM
> Geez, woman! Ever hear of a pizza stone?
Umm... But then it wouldn't be grilled pizza.
Marilyn, I've been several restaurants that specialize in grilled pizza around RI (My favorite is Bob & Timmy's on Federal Hill) but never to Al Forno. I used to live right near there & knew it was quite well known but didn't realize until recently that their claim to fame was the invention of grilled pizza.