Grilled Pizza

I know it’s super hot outside, but some of us still want pizza. I have heard tell of grilled pizza for quite some time, and even recommended it to recipients of an e-newsletter that I write. Disclaimer – No I don’t always try the recipes I recommend in the other newsletter. I’m sorry! I have things to do! But, the ones I post here, I really do try. Really! For reals! That’s how I get these wonderful photographs!  Back to grilled pizza. Grilled Pizza is one of those things that at first sounds hard to do, and then you read the recipe and say, “Really, that’s all there is to it?” and are immediately skeptical. Then when you see someone do it, you say “Doy! It is totally easy!” Does that make any sense at all? I bet it does to some of you.

Yesterday I was at my parent’s house and my mom (who taught me everything I know about cooking and is probably one of the best mom chefs anywhere. I will fight you if you contradict me.) says “Let’s grill a pizza!”
I was all “What? Really? You know how to do it? I always thought it was a mysterious complicated process only to be attempted by the likes of Bobby Flay!”

“Bobby Flay? PFFFT! I use Alton Brown’s recipe and instructions. It’s super easy!” My mom is a purist. You can tell by her loyalty to Alton.

“Aight’ Ma! Let’s do this! Also, I’m going to take pictures of you for my blog.”

“Fine, but not my face.” Ok, my mom might not have actually said that, but she thought it. She hates having her picture taken.

Ingredients:
Basically whatever you want, the only thing you really need is some dough (mom used frozen but you can make your own) ,toppings and extra virgin olive oil.
Ready?

1. Get your shit together. Mom says this is KEY. (I think this pertains to life in general, so does my mom, however right now we’re talking about your pizza supplies.) See how she has everything  there on the pan: sauce, cheese, spices, tongs, oil and pastry brush. Once you get this thing on the grill you do NOT want to have to keep running back into the house.

2. Get your dough spread out nice and thin. Mom did this outside on a cutting board. Her dough even has a couple holes in it. I was all, “MOM! HOLES!”
        And she was all cool and calm “It doesn’t matter.” Note – mom likes her crust SUPER thin, like cracker thin. I’m thinking you could probably go a little thicker. I’m sure if she disagrees you all can read about it in the comments.

2a. Did I tell you to fire up your grill yet? Yeah you should have done that already. Get it smoking hot. Like this:

3. Liberally apply extra virgin olive oil to the dough. If you aren’t liberal you can judiciously apply it.
4. Next is the “part that sucks”, says mom.  You have to get the dough onto the grill. Mom just picks it up and flings it on there. She’s a bad ass and kind of a cooking ninja. Good luck with this.

Success!

5. Let the dough cook until it’s all nice and browned underneath. It takes a few minutes. It may get all bubbly on top, like this:

Mom is preparing to flip it. This is what it looks like after the “flipping”

6. Now it’s time for toppings! We put on red sauce, provolone cheese, truffle salt (because my mom puts either truffle salt or truffle oil on pretty much everything) artichokes, and oregano.
                                          
        
         
7. Now let the pizza cook until the bottom is brown and the cheese is melted, a couple more minutes. Carefully use some tongs to lift/slide the pizza onto a pan or cutting board.
8. Slice it up and eat it!
That’s all folks! Hope grilling a pizza seems way easier now.  I think that this method would be particularly good with my salad pizza.  I plan on trying it soon.

3 thoughts on “Grilled Pizza

  1. Someone just pointed out to me that I didn't say if it was good or not. Oops! YES! It's so, so, so good. Unbelievably good.

  2. Wow! That is amazing. Your mom IS a cooking ninja. What the heck is truffle salt like? Can I afford it? I dont have my own pig.

  3. Stace, my mom got it from the Oyster Creek mushroom guy on the Standpipe Rd. in Damariscotta, it's right off the Biscay Rd. I think it was like $7. it's totally worth it, you just use a little at a time. He also sells truffle oil, for like $12, which seems like a lot but it'd probably last you years. Next time you come up to visit Dana's 'rents you should stop in! Here's the linky: http://www.oystercreekmushroom.com/

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