Who can grill a pizza? I desperately need your help! With today's beautiful weather and our recent acquisition of a gas grill and giant picnic table, Em and I thought "what better day to fire up the grill and make a tasty pizza?" Attempt number one yielded what I would call "cajun flatbread" (you might say "charred brick formerly known as dough"). Attempt two was barely salvaged (and yet still yummy). Please, please, give me some pizza grilling tips!
1. The dough – you need to be sure to add a little bit of yeast and let it rise. Also, let it air out before you grill it. That way the crust will dry a little and give it some firmness on the grill.
2. Get the grill really hot with tht cover on. Only open it to put the pizza in and close it quickly. You can then turn down the flame.
3. Get a pizza stone. It is not quite the same, but it is good to have until you master the technique. You do have to let the stone get hot before putting the pizza in.
6 ounces Pizza Dough, recipe follows
1/4 cup virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup loosely packed shredded fontina
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano
6 tablespoons chopped canned tomatoes, in heavy puree
8 basil leaves
Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10 to 12-inch free-form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.
When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the 2 corners closest to you, and drape in onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over, onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough, and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that it is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.
This recipe was provided by professional chefs and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
Pizza Dough:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
6 cups high-gluten flour
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes.
Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface creating a high walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold it’s shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again and form dough into 4 balls.
Grilled Pizza with Hot Sausage, Grilled Peppers and Onions and Oregano Ricotta
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
See this recipe on air Monday Jul. 24 at 11:30 AM ET/PT.
1/2 pound Italian hot sausage
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 large yellow pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
2 large red pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 recipe favorite pizza dough, rolled into 4 (6-inch) rounds
1/2 pound grated fontina cheese
1 cup sheep’s milk ricotta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Basil Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Preheat a grill.
Grill the sausage on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side. Brush onions and peppers with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onions and peppers until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the sausage from the grill and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Remove the onions, separate into rings, and roughly chop. Remove the peppers and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices.
Heat grill to high. Brush dough with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and place on a flat surface.
Divide the fontina cheese among the 4 pizza rounds. Divide the sausage, onions and peppers over the cheese. Place the pizza on the grill, close the cover and grill until the cheese has melted, about 3 to 4 minutes. To finish in the oven, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pizza on sheet pans and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Mix together the ricotta, extra-virgin olive oil, and oregano in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pizzas from the oven and drizzle with Basil Vinaigrette. Top with dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Basil Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.
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1. The dough – you need to be sure to add a little bit of yeast and let it rise. Also, let it air out before you grill it. That way the crust will dry a little and give it some firmness on the grill.
2. Get the grill really hot with tht cover on. Only open it to put the pizza in and close it quickly. You can then turn down the flame.
3. Get a pizza stone. It is not quite the same, but it is good to have until you master the technique. You do have to let the stone get hot before putting the pizza in.
Buona fortuna!
Um.
How ’bout this: Don’t burn the frelling thing.
Mario Batali is pretty good at grilling pizzas. you should call him up.
Grilled Pizza Margarita
Recipe courtesy Johanne Killeen and George Germon, Cucina Simpatica: Robust Trattoria Cooking From Al Forno, Harper Collins, 1991
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Yield: 1 (10-inch) pizza
User Rating: 4 Stars
6 ounces Pizza Dough, recipe follows
1/4 cup virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup loosely packed shredded fontina
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano
6 tablespoons chopped canned tomatoes, in heavy puree
8 basil leaves
Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10 to 12-inch free-form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.
When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the 2 corners closest to you, and drape in onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over, onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough, and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that it is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.
This recipe was provided by professional chefs and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
Pizza Dough:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
6 cups high-gluten flour
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes.
Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface creating a high walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold it’s shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again and form dough into 4 balls.
Episode#: MU1A07
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
Grilled Pizza with Hot Sausage, Grilled Peppers and Onions and Oregano Ricotta
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
See this recipe on air Monday Jul. 24 at 11:30 AM ET/PT.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
User Rating: 5 Stars
1/2 pound Italian hot sausage
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 large yellow pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
2 large red pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 recipe favorite pizza dough, rolled into 4 (6-inch) rounds
1/2 pound grated fontina cheese
1 cup sheep’s milk ricotta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Basil Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Preheat a grill.
Grill the sausage on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes per side. Brush onions and peppers with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onions and peppers until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the sausage from the grill and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Remove the onions, separate into rings, and roughly chop. Remove the peppers and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices.
Heat grill to high. Brush dough with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and place on a flat surface.
Divide the fontina cheese among the 4 pizza rounds. Divide the sausage, onions and peppers over the cheese. Place the pizza on the grill, close the cover and grill until the cheese has melted, about 3 to 4 minutes. To finish in the oven, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pizza on sheet pans and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Mix together the ricotta, extra-virgin olive oil, and oregano in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pizzas from the oven and drizzle with Basil Vinaigrette. Top with dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Basil Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.
Episode#: GL1A01
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved