Grilled Pizza - Everyday Annie

Not too long ago I did a tutorial on my favorite homemade pizza dough. Baked on a pizza stone, I honestly didn’t think homemade pizza could get better. I was wrong. It turns out that cooking pizza on the grill takes it to a whole new level. I’m sorry I didn’t try it sooner, but I don’t think anyone could blame me after hearing all the horror stories that often accompany grilled pizza attempts. Cracked pizza stones, dough and toppings sinking through the grates and onto the coals, or having a completely cooked pizza that gets dropped on the ground or falls apart during transfer. It’s understandable to be intimidated but I’m here to tell you, it’s time to get over those fears because this meal is too good to miss.

My issue of Summer Entertaining from Cook’s Illustrated arrived last month and as soon as I saw that they had a recipe for grilled pizza, I was pumped. Problem solved, no more fears, Cook’s Illustrated never fails me. When I got into the kitchen after a long work day and was ready to make dinner, I realized that they called for an entirely different dough recipe than my standard – the one I had thawed in the fridge ready and waiting. It irked me a little because I don’t want to have to make a different dough just for grilling. I want to use the staple dough that I keep in the freezer at all times. So, I decided to wing it. Essentially all I took from the magazine was a general method, but that is really all I needed to make this meal a success. You can read the recipe for all the guidelines but the main strategies I took away from this was:
1. Oil the grill grates well,
2. Make individual pizzas. They transfer more easily and are sturdier in general.
3. Cook the dough rounds alone prior to flipping and adding the toppings. This provides the structural integrity to allow the pizzas to finish cooking with the toppings in place.

There is really not much to it besides that. I have written the recipe with the toppings that I used, but feel free to use whatever toppings you prefer. If you decide to go the route of lots of veggies as I did, I recommend salting them to extract some of the excess liquid. I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary if you are crunched for time, but I think it helps prevent a soggy end result as some veggies (especially the ones I used) can hold a lot of water. Happy summer everyone!

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

Thinly sliced zucchini and yellow squash
Thinly sliced cherry tomatoes
Kosher salt
½ batch homemade pizza dough, at room temperature*
Olive oil
Thinly sliced red onion
Fresh basil, minced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Crumbled feta cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

01
Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Place the slices zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes in a colander set over the sink or a large bowl. Toss with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit 20-30 minutes to drain excess liquid.
02
Meanwhile, transfer the pizza dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, shape each piece of dough into a flattened round, about 6-7 inches in diameter. When the coals are heated, generously oil the grates (I use a wad of paper towels dipped in olive oil, and hold it with tongs). Carefully place the shaped dough rounds onto the grill and cover. Let cook until nicely browned on the bottom surface, and large bubbles appear on the top surface, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove the partly cooked dough rounds from the grill for topping.
03
Transfer the dough rounds to a work surface so that the cooked side is facing up (this is the side that will hold your toppings). Top evenly with sliced zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and red onion. Sprinkle with minced basil, freshly grated Parmesan and crumbled feta. Season with pepper, to taste. Carefully return the topped pizzas to the grill, cover, and let cook until the bottom surface is nicely browned and the cheeses are melted, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from the grill. Serve warm.
04
*This is a recipe where sturdy pizza dough is a must, so I don’t think the store-bought kind from a can would suffice. I do think something like Trader Joe’s would work, though I have not tried it myself.

Source

inspired by Cook’s Illustrated and everyone who raves about grilled pizza