Grilled Pizza

1. Philly Cheesesteak pizza with peppercini's

2. Tomato, Kalamata olive and feta pizza

3. Beef and Brie Pizza with caramelized onions and mushrooms


This is something that Matt and I have been doing for quite a while. I should warn you that once you make pizza this way, you won't want it any other way ever again. The outside of the dough gets crusty and the inside is chewy...a perfect combination. :) When we made this the other night, the only thing we had to buy was the pizza dough...for the toppings, we used leftovers! I love when you can use what you already have and this was a fun way to use up leftovers. I'm sure you've all made homemade pizzas before, so the only thing you really need to know here is about the grilling technique. And just a tip...it's a lot easier if you have all of your toppings chopped and ready to go beforehand, so that you're not scrambling to get them on the pizza before the crust burns. Here's what we did...

-pizza dough (I get it at Trader Joe's. The directions say to let it sit at room temp for about 20 minutes, but through trial and error, I've found it needs more like 40 minutes before it's easy to handle.)
-pizza sauce
-desired toppings
-outdoor grill or indoor grill pan

Roll out the dough on a floured surface, then split it into 4 sections. I find that the smaller pieces of dough are easier to handle on the grill. Plus, if you're having a party, everyone can add whatever toppings they want to their own personal dough. If you're grilling the dough inside on a grill pan, I let the grill pan warm up at one notch above medium (6; if you have numbers on your stove dials). For an outdoor grill, keep it on medium-low (you may need to adjust this as the heat on outdoor grills vary). Using a basting brush or a spoon, spread a thin even coat of olive oil on one side of the dough. Place the dough oil side down on the grill. Apply a thin coat of olive oil to the side of the dough facing up. Let the dough cook 5-6 minutes or until desired level of doneness. Carefully, flip the dough over and cook on the second side. While the second side is cooking, begin adding your toppings. I like to add the toppings before adding the cheese because the cheese will help hold them down. Once you've added the cheese and the crust is done to your liking, remove the pizza from the grill pan and onto a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until cheese is melted. For the outdoor grill, once the cheese is on and the crust done, turn off one side of the grill, slide the pizza over to that side and close the lid. The cheese will then melt without burning the crust. You may find that you at this point you need to turn up the heat on the grill slightly to help the cheese melt faster. Once the pizza is out of the oven or off of the grill, allow to cool 5-10 minutes before slicing.

This is one of my favorite things to cook with Matt. We always have a great time having our own little pizza parties! :) I hope you try this out and I'd love to hear what you think! Enjoy!