Grilled Pizza with Ricotta and Pesto

  • 8
  • 10 mins
  • 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces pizza dough
  • Flour, for rolling surface
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill, or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium heat.

Roll the pizza dough into 8 small pizzas, each about 1/8-inch thick and 3 inches round.


Lightly brush both sides of the pizzas with oil. Grill the pizzas over medium heat until the first side is nicely browned and firm to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes.

Turn the pizzas over on the grill. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of pesto on each pizza, spreading it to the edges.

On top of each pizza, spoon 4 teaspoons of ricotta cheese, in little balls. Cook the pizzas until the ricotta just begins to melt, 3 to 5 minutes from the moment you turned the pizzas.

Sprinkle Parmesan over the top of each pizza. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serve warm.


***Entertaining Notes: You don't need to make your own dough, not for a party of 8 people. Buy it from a local pizzeria. To work ahead, roll the dough into rounds about a half hour before your guests arrive and stack them, dusted with flour, at room temperature, between sheets of parchment paper.