Grilled Pizza Three Ways Recipes

SANDWICH-INSPIRED PIZZAS THREE WAYS

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Whisk 2/3 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F) and the sugar in a medium bowl; sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil.
• Whisk the flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir with a wooden spoon, starting from the inside of the well and working your way out, to make a rough dough.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, dusting with more flour if necessary. Form into a ball. Brush a large bowl with olive oil, add the ball of dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes. If not making pizza immediately, at this point you can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to come to room temperature before rolling out.
• One hour before baking, put a pizza stone or large inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Place the ball of dough on a large piece of parchment that's been lightly dusted with flour, then stretch into a 12- to 14-inch round. Slide the parchment with the dough onto a pizza peel or a second inverted baking sheet. Top as desired and bake following the instructions below.
• For the Italian sub pizza: Spread the pizza sauce on the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with half of the mozzarella, then add the banana peppers, roasted red peppers, the remaining mozzarella and a pinch of oregano. Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto the hot stone or baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with the salami, capocollo, prosciutto, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, another pinch of dried oregano and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes before slicing.
• For the shrimp po' boy pizza: Stir together the butter and 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce in a small bowl, then brush on the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with half of the mozzarella, then add the shrimp and remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning. Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto the hot stone or baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, make a remoulade sauce by stirring together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, lemon juice, remaining 2 teaspoons hot sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Top the pizza with the lettuce and drizzle with the remoulade sauce. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes before slicing.
• For the breakfast sandwich pizza: Stir together the olive oil and grated garlic in a small bowl, then brush on the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with half of the mozzarella, then add the bacon and remaining mozzarella. Crack the eggs on top of the pizza, leaving about 1 inch between each egg, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Slide the pizza (on the parchment) onto the hot stone or baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with the chopped chives. Let cool 1 to 2 minutes before slicing.

PIZZA DIP THREE WAYS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Dust a work surface with flour to keep the dough from sticking. Divide each dough ball into 12 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch rope and twist into a knot. Arrange the knots around the edge of a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan, leaving 1/4 inch between each. Use the remaining knots to form 2 lines to divide the pan into 3 sections widthwise. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the garlic oil. Combine the butter, olive oil, parsley, garlic powder, fresh garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
• Brush the knots with about 1/4 cup of the garlic oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until just starting to brown, about 20 minutes. (The knots won't be fully baked.) Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, 1 cup mozzarella, the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and 6 tablespoons of the garlic oil in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and combined, about 3 minutes.
• Make the dips in the pan of half-baked knots. Divide the marinara sauce evenly between the far left and far right sections. Sprinkle half of the pepperoni over the right-hand section. Sprinkle half of the peppers and onions over the left-hand section. Then dollop and spread two-thirds of the ricotta mixture in the center section. Divide the remaining ricotta mixture between the right and left sections, dolloping it over the sauce and gently spreading with the back of a spoon or small offset spatula. Divide the remaining cup mozzarella between the far right and far left sections, sprinkling it on. Top the far right section with the remaining pepperoni and the far left section with the remaining peppers, onions and olives. Bake until the knots are golden and the dips are bubbling and lightly browned, 20 to 25 more minutes.
• Brush the knots with the remaining garlic oil and sprinkle the fresh basil over the center section.

GRILLED PIZZA -THREE WAYS

Steps:

• Dough: Combine the flour and yeast in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt, water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and malted barley syrup. Start the mixer on low, using the hook attachment, and mix until the dough just comes together, approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 15 minutes.
• Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disk. Gently stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the bakers windowpane, or a see-through, taut membrane has formed. The dough will be quite sticky, but manageable. Fold the dough onto itself and form it into a smooth ball. Oil the bowl of the stand mixer or other large canister with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and roll it around to coat with the oil. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to double in size, approximately 1 hour.
• Split the dough into 3 equal parts using a knife or dough scraper. Flatten each piece into a disk on the countertop. Form each piece into a ball. Roll each ball on the counter until they tighten into rounds. Cover the balls with a tea towel and rest for 45 minutes.
• To shape and cook the margherita pizza: Heat a gas grill to high and make sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris.
• Toss the tomato with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
• Lightly flour the countertop and flatten 1 of the dough balls. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 16-inch round, rotating and stretching the dough as you go. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel and stretch to re-shape if necessary.
• Oil the grill grates and decrease the heat to medium. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and flip onto 1 end of the hot grill, leaving room for the tomatoes on the grate. Put the prepared tomatoes on the grill, close the lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the raw side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then immediately flip using the peel. Top with the grilled tomatoes, smashing and spreading the tomatoes to create a sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, mozzarella and basil. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, another 1 to 2 minutes. Using the peel, remove the pizza to a cooling rack and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
• To shape and cook the date and Prosciutto pizza: Heat a gas grill to high and make sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris.
• Layer 2 paper towels on a plate and lay the mozzarella slices in a single layer. Top with 2 more paper towels, a second plate, and a 2 pound weight. Set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lightly flour the countertop and flatten 1 of the dough balls. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 16-inch round, rotating and stretching the dough as you go. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel and stretch to re-shape if necessary.
• Oil the grill grates and decrease the heat to medium. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and flip onto the hot grill. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown, for 1 to 2 minutes. Brush the raw side of the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then immediately flip using the peel, brush with remaining 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and top with the Parmesan, prepared mozzarella, prosciutto, dates and thyme. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using the peel, remove the pizza to a cooling rack and rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
• To shape and cook cracker pizza: Lightly flour the countertop and flatten 1 of the dough balls. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into an 11 by 17-inch rectangle to fit a standard, stainless steel cooling rack. Lay the dough sheet onto the rack and gently stretch around the edges, pinching to hold in place. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Attach the Vise-Grips to 1 end of the cooling rack to use as a handle. Turn a gas burner on high. Hold the rack about 2 inches above the flame, and move back and forth constantly until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn the dough over, brush with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Cook, as before, until golden brown, an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Two to three hours before grilling, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, divide the dough into three even pieces. Drizzle a teaspoon of neutral cooking oil into three soup bowls. (Each bowl should be able to hold at least twice the volume of the dough pieces.)
• Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape each into a ball by stretching it and pinching it into a point at the bottom, forming a sort of "skin" that wraps the whole ball. Lightly dust your hands with flour as necessary to prevent excessive sticking. Transfer the ball to one of the oiled bowls and turn it a few times to completely coat the surface in oil, then let it rest seam side down. Repeat Step 2 with remaining dough pieces, then drape a damp kitchen towel over all three bowls. Let the dough balls rest until roughly doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Transfer the tomatoes to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and shake the strainer, allowing the tomatoes to drain thoroughly. Still working in the strainer above the bowl, season well with salt, and, using clean hands, squeeze them through your fingers until a rough purée is formed. (The pieces of tomato should end up ranging from 1/4 inch to roughly 1 inch in size.) Allow any excess liquid to drain (you can save the strainer tomato juice for another use), then transfer the crushed tomatoes to a bowl and set aside.
• Turn out one ball of dough onto a floured work surface and dust thoroughly with more flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch-by-12-to-14-inch oblong. Dust both sides thoroughly with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining two dough balls, stacking them on top of the first with a layer of parchment paper between each.
• To cook, ignite a full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are mostly covered in gray ash, spread evenly under half of the grill. (If using a gas grill, set half the burners to high, leaving the remaining burners off. Cover, and allow to heat for 10 minutes.)
• Using your fingers, carefully lift one piece of rolled-out dough from the stack and drape it quickly on the grill grates directly above the fire. Let it cook without moving until the top starts to bubble and the bottom is lightly browned, about 20 to 30 seconds. Continue cooking, using metal tongs and a large spatula or thin metal pizza peel to move and rotate the crust as it cooks, until the bottom is evenly browned all over with a few charred spots, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Flip the crust, and brush the cooked side with a thin layer of olive oil. Continue cooking until the second side is browned, charred and crisp. Flip again (so that the bubblier side faces up), transfer to a clean baking sheet, and brush the second side with olive oil. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 with remaining two pizza skins, stacking the crusts as they finish cooking. (If using coal, the heat may start to dip. Extend cooking time to compensate, or add 15 to 20 fresh coals to the top of the embers and allow them to ignite before continuing.)
• Working one pizza at a time, transfer the crust to the pizza peel. (A cutting board or the back of a baking sheet will also work.) Spread a thin layer of shredded cheese across the surface of the crust (about 1 cup should do it). Using a spoon, add tablespoon-size dollops of crushed tomatoes, spaced an inch or two apart, across the whole surface of the pizza. Add toppings as desired (see Tips). Slide the pizza onto the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp, 1 to 5 minutes total, rotating the pizza occasionally to encourage even melting and crisping. Transfer to a cutting board, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil or scallions, cut into squares, and serve immediately. Repeat Step 8 with remaining pizza crusts.