How to Grill Pizza

By ladydee009

by Kristen Desmond

Now is a great time to grill pizza for friends and family. That’s right — grill pizza. It’s unexpected, it’s fun and it’s delicious. Set up a toppings bar and invite everyone to build their own pizza. With a variety of sauces and toppings to choose from, all ages and tastes will be pleased with the results!

Kristen Desmond, a freelance food writer and chef, has fond childhood memories of watching her Dad grill just about everything, including the Thanksgiving turkey. For more of Kristen’s seasonal recipes, visit www.getyouryummyback.com.




















































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Ingredients

• Equipment
• Grill
• Food processor
• Large mixing bowl
• Small bowls for sauces and toppings
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rolling pin
• Metal spatula
• Baking sheet
• Plastic wrap
• Ingredients for four 8-inch pizzas
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 envelope dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus more for the work surface)
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• Pizza toppings (see step 3)

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1 Gather equipment and ingredients


Step 2 Prepare the pizza dough

You can buy pizza dough, or make your own. Either way, it takes about one hour to rise, so plan accordingly.

It's easy to make your own. Here's how:
1.Combine the water and honey in a food processor. Sprinkle yeast over the mixture and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2.In the food processor, add the oil, whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour and salt. Process for about 1 minute until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it's smooth and elastic. Add more flour if the dough is sticky.
3.Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it stand in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
4.Punch the dough down and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into an 8-inch round.


Step 3 Prepare the toppings

Have your toppings ready to go so that once the crusts are ready, you're ready to top them. When it comes to topping pizza, you're limited only by your imagination. Here are some options:

Sauces. Tomato sauce, pesto, olive oil

Vegetables and fruit. Garlic, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms and pineapple

Meat. Pepperoni, grilled chicken, prosciutto, ham and Italian sausage

Cheese. Mozzarella, parmesan, goat cheese, feta and fontina

Fresh herbs. Basil, thyme and oregano


Step 4 Prepare the grill

The grill should be clean, hot and well oiled. Use a grill brush or grill stone to scrape the grate clean.

Light the coals, making sure the vents are open on the grill, allowing oxygen to circulate with the cover on. When the coals are glowing and covered in gray ash, put the grate on the grill and give it a minute to heat up before oiling it. One way to oil a hot grill is to douse paper towels with vegetable oil, hold the towels with long-handled tongs and rub the oil directly on the grill.


Step 5 Cook the pizza

Place the pizza crusts directly on the prepared grill. Grill them for about 3 minutes, until the top of the dough puffs and the underside is crisp. Turn crusts over and grill for 1 minute. Transfer crusts to a baking sheet with the most grilled side up.

Top your pizzas and then use a large metal spatula to return them to the grill. Close the grill or cover the pizzas loosely with foil. Grill them for about 3 minutes until the cheese melts and the bottom crust is cooked through and browned. Transfer pizzas to plates