Its summer, hot and there is lots of time to kill. For many while the thought of cooking grilled pizza outdoors outside seems incredulous you need to keep in mind that it will spare you heating up your oven to 450F indoors! during the hot summer months.
This technique keeps the heat outside where it belongs and the open fire gives your grilled pizza unique flavour that you cannot get any other way. That’s not to mention it is quite easy and with properly formed pizza dough nothing will fall through the grates and the dough forms a lovely browned crispy crust.
Grilled Pizza Directions
To begin with, you need to cook the dough on one side until it browns the flip it, add the sauce and toppings and repeat the process.
Grilled Pizza Ingredients
- Pizza dough enough for two medium sized pizzas
- Olive oil
- Regular toppings of tomato sauce, herbs, cheese (preferably mozzarella), some thinly sliced onions, tomatoes, mushrooms or pepperoni
- Some flour for dusting the cooking area
Grilled Pizza Method
- Make the pizza dough into the desired size and shape
- Prepare the grill and use olive oil on the grates to prevent sticking. Ensure you have all the toppings sliced and ready to cook
- Flatten the dough with your hands to the desired shape and let it sit for five minutes. Ensure you have dusted the surface below as this will keep the dough from sticking. Do not make a raised edge, as this will interfere with grilling.
- Place the dough on flour dusted cutting board and allow the dough to slide onto the grill.
- After two minutes, lift the sides with the spatula to check if the dough has browned. Rotate accordingly to ensure it is evenly browned on all sides.
- The process of browning one side should only take a couple of minutes at the right temperature and you will tell the dough is ready by the evidence of bubbling air pockets in the dough.
- Once adequately browned use the spatula to flip the dough onto the dusted cutting board or cookie sheet with the browned side facing up.
- Paint the browned side with olive oil then pour about one ladle of sauce and spread this evenly over the surface. Be cautious not to use too much sauce as it could result in a soggy pizza.
- Sprinkle our toppings over the sauce and finally add the cheese. If using meat sprinkle the pieces over the cheese.
- Slide the pizza back on to the grill. Ensure that if you are using gas the control is turned to low heat. If using charcoal close the air vents almost completely when you begin dressing your pizza.
- Close the lid and allow the pizza to cook for about 2-3 minutes until the bottom is about to char or the cheese is bubbly.
Use spatula to gently ease the ready grilled pizza onto the cookie sheet and allow a few minutes for the pizza to cool. Slice, serve and enjoy!
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