Grill Your Pizza

Yes, we are grilling again. It’s (still) summer! So when the pizza cravings hit, but you want something far better than delivery, crank up the grill and roll out some dough.

Part of the brilliance of this pizza-methodology is the ease of prep. The dough is ready to be rolled out, the pesto is pre-made, the sausage is already cooked, and the rest of the ingredients are fresh and ready to go. The only real “cooking” required is the caramelization of onions—and even that can be skipped if time constrains—but trust us, they are well worth it.

Ingredients
pizza dough, pre-made, but still raw (we like Trader Joe’s version)
pesto, 6.7 oz (190g)
andouille sausage, precooked, 2 or 3 links, sliced thin
smoked gouda, shredded, 4 oz (114 g)
fresh mozzarella, shredded, 6 oz (170 g)
blackberries, fresh, halved, ½ lbs
yellow onions, 2 large
butter, 2 Tbsp
olive oil, 2 Tbs
salt, 1 tsp
semolina flour

Directions

If caramelizing onions, begin this process first. While this may try your patience, it is worth the exercise of character. It will take approximately an hour over low heat. But don’t let that scare you. Good things come to those who wait.

Use thick slices of onion, a teaspoon of salt, the butter and oil, and don’t hesitate to add a tablespoon of water, or two, if the onions begin to stick to the pan. But most of all, be patient, and keep that burner on low.

While the onions caramelize, place your pizza stone on the cold grill. (You can buy pizza stones at your local home improvement store for as little at twenty dollars.) With the stone on your grill, crank up the temperature to high, and let it rocket to 500+F.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to roughly the dimensions of your stone. The key to easy dough-rolling is to let it come to room temperature, at which point it’s less elastic, and more willing to be stretched. Transfer the dough to a floured, wooden cutting board (or baking peel, if you are so lucky to own one).

Pre-bake the dough: Using the board or peel, slide the raw dough onto the generously floured, hot stone. The semolina flour will prevent sticking and minimize charing. Within two minutes on a thoroughly hot stone (e.g., 500F+), the dough will begin to bubble up. Carefully slide the puffed dough back onto the board or peel before it begins to brown.

After removing the par-baked pizza crust, drop the grill temp down to medium—you’ll be looking for a surface temperature closer to 400F for pizza baking.

Now let your inner pizza-artist take control. Spread the pesto; top with caramelized onions, sausage, cheeses and berries; and slide the assembled pie onto the stone that has been re-dusted with semolina.

Side note: for a gourmet touch, paint the crust’s perimeter with olive oil, and sprinkling with sea-salt.

Keep an eye on the pie. Under a covered grill, it will take mere minutes (depending upon your grill) to achieve a perfect doneness of melted cheese and golden crust.

Enjoy with a bottle crisp and tangy, Belgium lambic, such as Frank and Jos Boon’s Oude Geuze Boon Black Label.

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