Desserts by Annie: Summer Grilling: PIZZA

Mmm... who doesn't love the smell of something grilling in the summertime?! You know when you can smell your neighbor grilling hot dogs or hamburgers and it makes you want some right now. My hubby is the typical male and loves to barbecue! He gets a cold beer and heads out back with the dog and whatever he is grilling that day.

A few years ago I was working at a resort in Wisconsin after Culinary school. I was making the desserts for the restaurants and was also in charge of making the pizza dough for the Italian restaurant. Every once and awhile when it was either slow or we were really hungry, we would trade desserts from the pastry kitchen for food from one of the restaurants. That's when I first had one. Oh. my. gosh. The one cook made us grilled pizza and it was possibly one of the BEST pizzas I have ever had! Ever since then, I have always wanted to try making some myself.

So one day I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner and I remembered it. I had everything I needed to make pizza, since we like to make it once every week or two. Since I wasn't totally sure how to grill the pizza, I did what I normally do when I want to find something out. I googled it.

Turns out it is SO simple! Must faster and more delicious than baking it in the oven! I read that it is closer to baking a pizza in a wood burning pizza oven then a normal oven. And it makes sense too. It cooks at a much higher temp than the oven so it cooks in just a few minutes. And the crust gets all charred and yummy!

Pizza Dough

recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup Pizza Flour (or All Purpose if you don't have it, but pizza flour makes it so delicious! I get mine from King Arthur Flour)
2-3 tbsp. Pizza Dough Flavor, again from King Arthur Flour. It's a mix of cheese and garlic so you can add Parmesan and garlic powder as a substitute.
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. instant yeast

Directions:

In mixer bowl, add yeast and warm water. Let sit for 3-4 minutes so the yeast dissolves.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth, adding additional water or flour if necessary. You want a nice, smooth dough that is not sticky to the touch.
Let rise in a water place with a towel over the bowl for 1 hour.
For 2 thin crust pizzas, divide dough in half. For one thick crust, use all the dough.

Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza dough
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced into thin slices
1 can pizza sauce
Any toppings
Non stick spray for the grill
Flour for dusting

Directions:

Roll the dough out to the desired size. I made 2 pizzas from 1 recipe of pizza dough.
Set 1 on a floured cutting board or pizza peel with plastic wrap on top. Place the other dough on top.
Heat the grill on medium heat.
If using vegetables for toppings, I sauteed them first so they are a little soft. If you like them crunchy and raw, don't cook them first.
Make sure you have everything you need by the grill when you start. It will cook quickly, so you don't have time to be running to the kitchen to get anything!
Spray the grill with non stick spray.
Place the pizza dough onto the grill. Cook for a few minutes until you see nice grill marks on the bottom.
Using tongs, flip the pizza dough over.
Quickly, spread pizza sauce on the already cooked side of the dough. Add cheese and any toppings.
Close the grill and allow the cheese to melt.
Once the cheese has melted, it's done! I used a pizza peel to get the pizza off the grill. You can also use tongs and a cutting board, but make sure not to let the cutting board actually touch the grill!!
Cut, serve and enjoy!