HOMEMADE GRILLED PIZZA

HOMEMADE GRILLED PIZZA image

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

Making the dough First thing to know: you can just buy dough at the store. But from-scratch is best, so here's how to make it.
Dough:
¾ teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing bowl (divided)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
Combine the yeast, water and 1 tablespoon oil in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside for 10 minutes. Add the flours and salt to the bowl and knead with dough hook for 6 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. (If kneading by hand, work the dough for 10 minutes.) Remove dough from bowl, rub the bowl with oil, return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, 1½ to 2 hours.
Setting up the grill If using a gas grill, clean the grates thoroughly and heat them over medium heat. If your grill has multiple burners, set one side to medium and one side to low, to create a "cool zone."
If using charcoal, use a chimney starter to light enough briquettes or hardwood to cover two thirds of the bottom of the grill in a single layer. When coals begin to ash over (about 20 minutes), distribute the charcoal evenly in a single layer so that about two thirds of the grill has medium heat and the remainder is free of coals. Lay on the grates and let them heat thoroughly before grilling pizzas.
To check grill temperature, count the seconds you can hold your hand, palm side down, 2 to 3 inches above the rack, until it feels uncomfortable - 4 seconds for medium.
Getting the toppings ready Whatever your toppings, get them all prepped so you can move fast at the grill. For the margherita, about 45 minutes before the end of the dough's rising time make the pizza sauce and heat grill to medium heat as described at left.

Steps:

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until it is fragrant but not browned, 45 seconds. Add the tomato puree, salt and sugar and simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly, 20 minutes; set aside. Shaping the pizzas Just remember: pizza doesn't need to be perfectly round to taste good. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and then roll each into an 8- to 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface, stretching a bit as needed to make the dough round quite thin. Stack between sheets of parchment or wax paper on a small baking sheet and set aside. Return the pizza sauce to a simmer; warm sauce helps the cheese melt. Grilling the first side Sprinkle a pizza peel or a rimless baking sheet with a few generous pinchs of coarse cornmeal and top with a round of dough. Slide the dough onto the hotter side of the grill with a quick jerk and grill uncovered until bubbles begin to appear and dough is browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Move the dough around as needed to prevent it from burning. Flipping and topping Using a spatula or tongs, transfer the dough back to the pizza peel, grilled side up. Quickly spread hot pizza sauce sparingly on the cooked side, sprinkle with a fourth of the cheeses and basil and season lightly with salt and pepper. (Be sure not to get any of the cheese or sauce on the pizza peel or the dough will not slide off.) Slide the pizza back onto the coolest part of the grill. Put the lid on the grill and cook until the crust has browned on the underside and the cheese has melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Serving and eating Transfer the finished pizza to a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve immediately or transfer to a rack and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while grilling remaining pizzas.