Grill Next Door: Make the Perfect Grilled Pizza
Chef and host Megan Mitchell turns the grill into an outdoor pizza oven and makes a quick and easy Grilled Pizza with Grilled Tomato Sauce. Using just five ingredients, Megan creates a delicious homemade sauce and pizza in about 30 minutes. And, the entire meal can be made for about ten bucks!
Culinary tips:
-Preheat your grill to 500°F (hot!) on the grill lid thermometer and be sure to keep the grill lid closed. If you don't have a grill thermometer, if you place your hand above the grill grates, you should only be able to keep your hand above the grate for about a second.
-No special equipment needed. Use the back of a cookie sheet to get the dough onto the grill.
-Make your own sauce out of just grilled tomatoes, salt and pepper!
-This grilled pizza is a meal that can be made for about ten bucks!
Grilled Pizza with Grilled Tomato Sauce
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 ball pizza dough, store bought or homemade
Flour, for rolling and forming pizza
4-5 tomatoes on the vine, cut in half and seeds removed
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
Olive oil, drizzle
1 ball burrata or mozzarella cheese
1 bunch basil, leaves removed
Procedure:
Preheat the grill to medium high (500°). Clean the grates.
Once the grill is up to heat, oil the grates with vegetable oil.
Begin by grilling the tomatoes, cut side down, for 5-7 minutes or until charred and softened. Flip them and grill on the skin side for 2-3 more minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
Being very careful because the tomatoes are hot, gently mash them with a potato masher. You want them to still be chunky but release some of their juice. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
Using your fingertips, on a floured surface gently push the dough ball into a flat round. Lift the dough up and gently pull the disk wider and wider, making sure to keep it an even thickness. Do this until you have a round or rectangle shaped pizza pie that is ½ - ¼ inch thick through out.
Slide the pizza dough onto a floured pizza peel or on an upside down cookie sheet (lipped edge facing down). Gently slide the dough onto the heated grill, trying to keep its shape the best you can and grill on one side for 4-5 minutes or until puffed and lightly charred. Remove from grill.
Back on the countertop or work surface, flip the pizza over so the grilled side is facing up. Taking large spoonfuls of the mashed tomatoes, cover the pizza leaving some areas un-sauced. Next gently tear or cut the burrata and add the to the pizza. Finish with large torn pieces of basil, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil.
Carefully slide the pizza back on to the pizza peel or cookie sheet and return to the grill. Grill for 5-6 minutes until the under side of the pizza is charred and the cheese has softened.
Remove and serve immediately with more fresh basil if desired.
