Put away those pizza delivery menus! You'd be surprised at how easy it is to make your own personalized pizza...and on the grill to boot! Grilled Pizza! No cardboard pizza boxes here, my friends! A simple homemade crust, your favorite toppings, a preheated grill and you are set to go! Mama (insert your last name here) is in the kitchen!
When our girls brought friends home from college, they all knew that for one of the days during their stay, Phil and I would make our "signature" Grilled Pizza...the ones that our girls had been talking about all semester long! Before they'd head out for their California tourist-ey outings, and knowing I'd need to run to the market, we'd "take their orders."
While the pizza dough's rising and Phil is heating up the grill, I pull some leftover Roasted Garlic from the refrigerator and start getting the toppings ready! Since most of the visiting college friends were from NY and NJ, we had to make sure we were spot on with the toppings! Elle, Gina, Katie and Rachel...are our favorite east coast girls...they know (and love!) their food!
Grilled Pizza
Ingredients
Basic Pizza Dough
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water, no warmer than 115 degrees.
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 4-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
Instructions
- Special equipment: Pizza pan (with homes is best) or a pizza stone. Cookie sheet is okay, too.
- Place yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer; add salt and olive oil. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Bubbling and foaming lets you know that the yeast is active and working.
- Using paddle attachment, mix the contents on low (set at 2 on a KitchenAid mixer)
- Add flour slowly, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Refit with dough hook.
- Increase speed to medium-high (set at 6 on KitchenAid mixer). Mix until dough comes together a ball.
- Mix 2 more minutes until dough is soft and pliable.
- Turn dough onto a light floured work area. Lightly oil same bowl and set aside.
- Knead dough gently for 5 minutes. Place in oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free area for 30-40 minutes. Gr8 time to clean up and prepare toppings. **See Gr8 Do-Ahead.
Make the Pizza
Toppings
- Favorite red sauce, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, any or all of your favorites.
This is what we LOVE to use:
- Fresh mozzarella, Pepperoni, Arugula*, Onions, Artichokes (frozen or marinated and drained), mushrooms, Sausage, Garlic, Bell peppers.Anything else that makes you happy! Crushed red pepper flakes make me VERY happy!
Directions
- Preheat gas grill to 500 degrees. If your grill has 2 or 3 burners, leave 1 of them off fro Step 4.
- Turn the dough onto a floured work area and cut into 3's (or stretch into 12" x 6" if using cookie sheet.
- Place stretched shaped dough onto pizza pan (or cookie sheet) and place pan directly onto grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Slide pizza dough directly onto grill over indirect heat.
- Cook for 2 minutes more. Cook/grill time may vary depending on thickness of dough. Keep an eye on it.
- Now the fun begins! With the cooked side up, place pizza back onto pan.
- Add chosen toppings. start with sauce. No sauce? Add a slug of olive oil. Follow with cheese and other chosen toppings.*
- When toppings are added and the "chefs" are happy, carefully slide the pizza off pan and directly onto grill, again over the indirect heat. Grill until underside is crispy, cheese has melted and all of your toppings are cooked to perfection!
- To serve, drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil. Cut with kitchen shears, pizza cutter or sharp knife, pour a nice glass of Chianti and turn on some Andrea Bocelli. Now, sit back and let your mind take you to that beautiful country on the Mediterranean coastline.
Notes
Gr8 Tips:
- If adding arugula, add it AFTER the pizza and toppings are off of the grill and the pizza is done.
- I like to use a rolling pin to "stretch" out my dough, but be careful not to stretch it too thin! You don't want those toppings to fall through!
Looks like you made quite an assortment of pizzas, Lon! I bet your guests were impressed! I'm sure it was a Gr8 night! Thanks for the support! Let us know when you make another Great Eight Friends dish! Enjoy the week ahead.
Brenda, as soon as you try this, you'll be hooked! These grilled pizzas are fun too, when you have a small group of friends over! Put them to work! They'll all be busy seeing whose pizza turns our best! Have a Gr8 holiday weekend!
Thanks Lon! It's surprising how easily it all comes together. While the crust rests to rise, you're getting the toppings ready and your stomach is already growling! Thanks for your support! Have a Gr8 long weekend!
I have made Debbie's pizza recipe several times and it is as easy and as good as she says. It becomes your own when you make your own special sauce and choose your ingredients. Make it!! It is awesome!!
This is making me so hungry! Really nice.