Grilled Pizza

What is it about pizza that is so wonderful?  It always sounds good.  After trying this recipe, it sounds even better when I think about it.  Talk about a ridiculously good recipe.  Man... The best part- the oven doesn't have to heat up in this cool, Las Vegas summer weather.  

This is one of those pizza crusts that is tender to the bite, but slightly crunchy when you cut through it with a pizza cutter.  We had some friends over for dinner when we ate this, and the husband said that he liked it better than Setta Bello pizza.  Score!  This is a recipe that I will go to over and over and over again.

Grilled Pizza:

source: It's all American Food by David Rosengarten

1 1/3 c lukewarm water

2 1/4 t yeast

1 T molasses

2 1/2 T kosher salt

1 c extra virgin olive oil

2 c bread flour

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

pizza sauce:

1/4 c olive oil

2T - 4T c minced garlic (not a typo) adjust to your liking

14 oz diced tomatoes, put in a food processor to get rid of chunks

2 c water

1 T fresh basil (or 1 t dried)

1/2 T fresh parsley (or 1/2 t dried)

1 1/2 t sugar

1/4 t pepper

toppings:

mozzarella

pepperoni

prosciutto, chopped

Italian sausage

mushrooms, sliced

black olives, sliced

red onion, diced

fresh oregano

Put the warm water in a bowl.  Add the yeast and molasses and stir.

Within a minute or so, the yeast works its funky magic, mutates, and turns into this foamy, bubbly mess.  I can see how some people have a yeastophobia.

 Add the three types of flour.  I didn't have bread flour, so I just used 1 3/4 c + 2T of all purpose flour.

 Stir it together until the flour is incorporated.  I used a wooden spoon at first and used my hands to incorporate the rest of the flour.

 Divide the dough into four sections.  Place them on a greased cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit in a warm place for 40 minutes.

I don't have any pictures of the sauce because it was some marinara sauce left over from some chicken I had made the previous night.  It's pretty simple though.

Place the oil in a saucepan and heat over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for only until it starts to turn darker in color.  Add the tomatoes (make sure they've put pureed in a food processor).  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer while the dough is resting.

After the forty minutes, you'll have big poofy balls of dough.

 
Stretch them out to an even thickness.  It's okay if it's not in a perfect circle. It adds to the character of the pizza.

Prepare a two-zone heat on the grill.  Make one side hot and the other side medium-hot Place the dough on the hot side of the grill.  Let it cook for a minute or two until air bubble appear on the surface.  There should be grill marks on the bottom.

 Flip the dough and place it on the medium-hot side of the grill.  Spoon some sauce on the top.

 Add any of the meat toppings that you'd like.

 Sprinkle the cheese on.  Add any other toppings you'd like: mushrooms, olives, onions, oregano, etc.

Close the lid of the grill and let it cook until the cheese is melted- about 5-7 minutes.

Bask in the gloriousness that is this pizza.  I want it again already.  Who wants to come over?