Cooking Resources

Zhlake · 06-10-2006, 03:48 PM

Wanted to share this with you all.

Grilled Pizza

For the dough:
1 1/4 cups warm (100 to 110 degrees F) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons kosher salt

For prep:
1/2 cup good olive oil
Cornmeal

For the dough, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 cups flour, then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature. Roll and stretch each ball into a rough 8-inch circle and place them all on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. (You will be able to fit 2 pizzas on each 18 by 13-inch baking sheet.)

Light your grill and wait until it's hot.

Place the pizzas directly onto the grill and cook on 1 side for 1 minute. Turn the pizzas over and brush with olive oil or garlic oil.

Top the pizzas with any toppings you wish, piling them high. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the lid on your grill and cook for 5 minutes more, until the crust is crisp and the toppings are cooked

Constance · 06-10-2006, 04:56 PM

I have been wanting to try grilled pizzas for some time. Thanks for telling us how to do it.
My shoulders don't have the strength to knead the dough anymore, but I might try using a packaged pizza crust.

pdswife · 06-10-2006, 05:03 PM

That sounds delish.
Maybe, I'll get Paulie to grill the next
time I need pizza.

Thanks!

QSis · 06-10-2006, 06:05 PM

I've done this on a gas grill before and I recall brushing the side I first lay down on the grill with oil, too.

I use already-made pizza dough that I buy in the grocery store in a plastic bag. You must have the toppings RIGHT next to the grill, so after you've flipped the dough, you can quickly brush the cooked side with oil and throw the toppings on. These cook quickly!

Great homemade pizzas without heating up your kitchen in the summer.

Question: I haven't owned a gas grill in years - has anyone here with a charcoal kettle done pizza?

Lee

Constance · 06-10-2006, 07:23 PM

I saw the Barefoot Contessa doing it on food TV. I noticed that it went so fast that the cheese really didn't melt very well, and all the toppings were pretty well raw. I'm sure the smoky taste was nice, though.
You could turn down a gas grill. I think that would be easiest way to start.

ironchef · 06-10-2006, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Constance

I saw the Barefoot Contessa doing it on food TV. I noticed that it went so fast that the cheese really didn't melt very well, and all the toppings were pretty well raw. I'm sure the smoky taste was nice, though.
You could turn down a gas grill. I think that would be easiest way to start.

Did she bother closing or covering the grill at all? We used to make grilled pizzas at one of the restaurants I worked at (we used piadina as opposed to pizza dough) and we always sauteed and/or roasted the toppings before hand, and then added them to the pizzas to order. If you want the toppings cooked through that's really the only way you can do it because you don't have the same heat that a pizza oven or a conveyor-type oven has.

Zhlake · 06-10-2006, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Constance

I saw the Barefoot Contessa doing it on food TV. I noticed that it went so fast that the cheese really didn't melt very well, and all the toppings were pretty well raw. I'm sure the smoky taste was nice, though.
You could turn down a gas grill. I think that would be easiest way to start.

That recipe is actually from that show (just a little modified by me).

What we did is grill the one side, flip them over, olive oil, toppings and then let it sit for a minute or so on the grill. Then we put them on the top rack and closed the grill so the toppings would get good and melty. that way we got a good grilling on the bottom, but then all the toppings got melted too. They really were just wonderful!