Grilled Pizza a la Burgh
Whenever we have people over at our house for dinner, I make it a mission to cook grilled pizza. The dough recipe makes enough to feed eight, so it's not something I can make all the time (shoosh with your "just half the recipe" business--math and pizza don't mix). It's a great recipe for guests anyway, because you can make the crust and prepare the toppings in advance, and then it's up to the guests to do the actual grilling, freeing you up to enjoy having people over (or to chase a Toddler if you're cool like me). They get to pick their own toppings, so there's no worrying about trying to keep everybody happy. Really, it's genius.
Alexis' Grandma requested the recipe, and I figured that it would be easier to throw it into a blog post than to write it by hand. See how nice I am? I even share with you.
Grilled Pizza Crust
(adapted from Fine Cooking September 2004 issue) (Um, how the heck do I have an issue that old?)
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
4 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive olive
Stir the yeast into the water and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. While mixing using low speed on a mixer with a dough hook, slowly add the yeast mixture and the olive oil alternately to the flour. Knead until well combined (using the mixer or on a floured surface by hand), until the dough becomes elastic. The dough should feel soft and be a little bit sticky. If it feels grainy or dry, add more warm water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Place the well-kneaded dough into a bowl which is lightly oiled and cover with a damp dishtowel. Allow the dough to rise until it is doubled in size, approximately one hour. The dough is done rising when you poke it and the dough holds the finger poking impression (fancy wording right there, don't you think?).
Once the dough is done rising, punch it down and divide it into 8 evenly-sized balls. Roll out each ball using a rolling pin until each circle is approximately 1/4 inch thick (thicker if you prefer thick crust, thinner if you have excellent taste and like crispy crust). You can stack the crusts on a plate by placing a sheet of wax paper in between each one.
And, you have crust. You can do the dough in advance. For example, if you want to make it one day in advance, do all the combining and mixing and kneading, then wrap the dough up and put it in the fridge. It will slowly rise overnight and you can roll it out the next day.
Here's the cooking instructions:
Heat the grill to medium. Using a pastry brush, brush olive oil on one side of a crust and place the crust oil-side down on the grill. Close the grill lid and wait a few minutes. The first side of the crust is done when it is lightly browned (we like it to get dark brown stripes, but don't like any black burnt crust up in the joint).
Brush oil on the uncooked side of the crust and flip it using tongs or a spatula. While the second side of the crust is cooking, throw on some toppings. We like to start with standard red pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese, but we do tend to get fancy with the artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, spinach, Feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, red onions, and whatever else floats our boats that day. If the bottom crust looks like it is completely cooked before the cheese melts, move the pizza to the top rack in the grill.
We usually don't cook more than one or two at a time so that there is space for people to work their magic with their own toppings.
A finished pizza which proves I am not a good food photographer AT ALL:
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Reader Comments (29)
This looks YUMMY! I am a pizza fanatic FREAK!
Oh, and btw.. your a better recipe blogger than me! lol
That sounds delicious! Makes me want a grill for yet another reason.
I made pizza from scratch tonight, but it was baked...so definitely not nearly as exciting as your variety ;)
Nom. Nom. Nom.
I love grilled pizza. You did a great job with the pics. Perfect pics aren't always appealing. Your pics are real and that is.
That looks sooo good!! Pizza makes me very happy I will so be trying this recipe.
you are obviously a highly talented person.
and it's not fair to show yummy pizza when i didn't get dinner and i'm STARVING right now!
MUST you show reasons why my "everything yummy is too hard to cook" excuses simply don't cut it?
*sniff* And here I thought we were friends.
Okay, I think I might be able to pull that off!! Jon will be so proud!
Sounds good!
Yum! I've never thought to grill pizza... we'll have to try that one.
We have so many people over for dinner, I get tired of my same old standbys for things that are easy and impressive at the same time. This one looks like it'll fit the bill! Thanks for sharing!!
Ooh, yummy! I can't wait to try that.
Okay, so you are good with computers, you make organic doggy treats or some nonsense, you plant flowers that actually flourish, you decorate your house at Christmas to look like it belongs in a magazine, you teach your beautiful daughter 1000 signs, you play softball, you read and comment to a crapload of blogs and write a post everyday, you keep a saltwater fishtank in operation, and YOU COOK!?!
Could you please write a post about something that you CAN'T do, so the rest of us poor slobs don't feel inferior of your Superwoman status?
One word...YUM!
Where were you all spring when I tried and tried and TRIED to grill pizza, failing miserably and yet forcing the family to eat blackened crust?
I thought you claimed that you didn't cook. Liar.
YUMMO! That looks fabulous! Now I want some.
I don't cook. Ask Mr. Husband.
Reason #578 the husband needs to buy me a grill.
looks yummy, I will have to try that this weekend.
That looks GREAT! Can't wait to try it.
I am going to try that! We used to make pizza (in the B.C. years -- you know, Before Children). It's so easy, I'm not quite sure why I stopped.
Oh, yeah, because it's messy, too. My kids need a couple more years before they can help with that.
But we love to grill and we love pizza, so our next get together will be grilled pizza night!
ciao,
rpm
You are WRONG. Pizza and math DO mix. But in the multiplication sense! mmmm.... more pizza please :)
pizza? gooooood
grilled pizza? mmmm gooooood
homemade dough by me? never good.
trip to the burgh for grilled pizza? someday before I perish I will see the burgh and have pizza.
i take it you won't be enjoying a deep dish Chicago when you come to town? that's OK, we have fabulous thin and crispy to keep you happy.
Oh, and thanks for sharing the recipe. I'm totally copying and posting about cheesy feet!
so you're saying the dough is ready when it looks and acts like my ankles did right before having my kids?
also, that just reminded me that I forgot to make mini-cupcakes for Cooper's class tomorrow!!!!!! ARGH! dang time-sucking Plurk and FB!
Wow! Now THAT is yummy and sure does give me a whole new meaning to grill food!
I wonder if I could use Bertucci's dough like that...hmmmm...YUM!
Thanks for the recipe! This looks so yummy and I could eat pizza three meals a day, 365 days a year!
I'm hungry. :( I'm a plain girl though - arribiatta sauce and buffalo mozzarella and I'm done.
Thanks for the dinner idea. Having grilled pizza tonight for dinner.
That sounds delicious. I will have to try it! Thanks!
Now I'm hungry! ... which way to the Burgh?
Thanks for the link, I'll be trying this out tonight!