Grilled Pizza
Broccoli Rabe, Italian Sausage and Fresh Mozzarella Grilled Pizza
I fell in love with grilled pizza two decades ago when I lived in Rhode Island. Al Forno, in Providence has been credited with creating the grilled pizza, synonymous with summer. The grill is the ideal place to cook pizza, at a high temperature, creating that crispy crust. Since the pizzas cook so quickly, it’s also a great time to try out a variety of toppings.
Tips:
Avoid putting a lot of sauce on the pizza. It should barely seem like there is enough otherwise the bottom will be soggy.
Make sure you cook any meat you are adding and slice any vegetables thin, since the pizzas cook so quickly there won’t be time to cook the toppings much.
Experiment with different flavors and textures- honey on a prosciutto and goat cheese pizza, a runny egg on white pizza with spinach…
This is a great time to use the pizza stone if you have one. If you don’t, don’t worry. You can grill the pizza directly on the grill. Read on.
On a Gas Grill with Pizza Stone
We like using a gas grill for this (I know, right? We never say that!) The even heat eliminates a huge variable. Place a pizza stone on the grates and set the burners beneath to medium-high. Allow the grill to heat, covered, with the stone inside. When the grill is super hot—a thermometer should register around 500°, about 10 minutes—remove the lid, place an 8-oz. ball of dough stretched to a 12"–14" oval on the stone, add your toppings, and brush the crust with a little olive oil. Replace the cover with vents open and cook until underside of crust is browned and cheese is bubbling, 7–9 minutes. Using a couple of large metal spatulas, transfer the pizza to a platter or board. Let cool for a few minutes, slice, and watch everyone freak out.
On a Charcoal Grill with Pizza Stone
The setup is a little different, but the method is the same. Once you get one chimney’s worth of charcoal hot, spread the coals in a ring around the perimeter of the grill and set the grate on top. When the coals are glowing but no longer flaming, place the stone on the grate, cover, and preheat—20 minutes should get you to around 500°. Then proceed as described at left. One chimney should be enough for two or three pies.
Directly on the Grill
Prepare grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off).
Place an 8-oz. ball of pizza dough that’s been stretched to a 12"–14" oval over direct heat just long enough to create grill marks and stiffen the dough (so it releases cleanly), about 45 seconds.
Flip the dough over direct heat and cook 45 seconds. Slide to cooler part of grill and top. Cover the grill and cook, rotating pizza once, until crust is browned and cheese is melted, 7–9 minutes.