Grilled Pizza With Italian Cheeses And Bitter Greens Recipes

CRISPY GRILLED PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pizza dough in a bowl to rise 2 to 3 times the original size, about 1 hour. Flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Divide dough in half; roll each half to a 10- to 12-inch diameter circle.
• Place pizza dough rounds on the preheated grill using a wooden paddle (pizza peel) and close lid; cook until grill marks appear on the bottom of each round, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from grill and flip over on a work surface. Lower grill heat to medium.
• Brush each round with olive oil. Spread half the Asiago cheese on each crust; add tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer pizzas to grill with wooden paddle and close lid. Cook until bottom of rounds is cooked with grill marks and cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

MEATY GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium heat.
• Grill the sausage, turning, until cooked through. Cut into slices. (Alternatively, remove the sausage from its casings, cook on a griddle on the grill and crumble.)
• Meanwhile, put the Canadian bacon, onion slices and mushroom cap on the grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and grill until the onion and mushroom are slightly charred and tender, another 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop.
• To set up the pizza stone on the grill, stack 2 bricks on top of each other on one side of the grill and 2 more bricks on top of each other on the other side of the grill, about 12 inches apart to create a platform for the pizza stone. Put the pizza stone on top of the bricks to elevate it over the grates. The stone should be 5 to 6 inches above the grates. Raise the heat to medium high, cover and preheat for 30 minutes to allow the pizza stone to get nice and hot.
• On a floured work surface, press the pizza dough into a round 12 to 14 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick. Dust a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet with the cornmeal. Transfer the dough to the pizza peel or baking sheet.
• Top the dough with the sauce and spread it out with a spoon into a thin layer. Top with the pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, onions, mushroom and mozzarella. Carefully slide the pizza onto the pizza stone. Cover the grill and cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 12 to 14 minutes. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and the basil. Slice and serve hot.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Dough
• Stir yeast, sugar, and 1¼ cups warm (not hot) water in the bowl of a stand mixer until yeast dissolves. Let sit until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add whole wheat flour, salt, and 2 Tbsp. oil to yeast mixture and mix to combine. Fit mixer with dough hook and, with mixer on low speed, gradually add 3 cups (375 g) bread flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms, about 4 minutes from when you start adding the flour. Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl to incorporate any dry bits into dough. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to bring together. Shape into a ball, place in a large lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover bowl and let dough sit in warm draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1-1½ hours. Make your toppings while your dough is rising.
• Burst Cherry Tomatoes
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until skins start to blister and split, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and toss to coat. Cook, lightly pressing on tomatoes with spoon to release juices without smashing completely, until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Mix oregano into sauce; taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
• Do ahead: Sauce can be made 4 days ahead. Let cool, then cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and stir to combine before using.
• Lemony Swiss Chard
• Cut Swiss chard leaves away from ribs and stems, then cut crosswise into 3"-wide strips. Trim away woody part from stems; discard. Finely chop ribs and stems.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add ribs and stems and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they release some liquid, look slightly shriveled, and are a shade or two darker, about 5 minutes. Add leaves and red pepper flakes and toss to coat. Season with more salt and black pepper and reduce heat to medium. Cook, tossing occasionally, until leaves are bright green, wilted, and tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer chard mixture to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
• Finely grate garlic into bowl with chard mixture, then finely grate in zest from lemon; mix well. Add Parmesan and mix again to combine. Taste and season with more salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if needed.
• Do ahead: Chard mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool, then cover and chill. Bring to room temperature and stir to combine before using.
• Tomato Passata
• Purée tomatoes in a blender on low speed (or use an immersion blender if you have one) until smooth (try not to aerate it too much). Transfer sauce to a medium bowl and stir in oil and salt.
• Do ahead: Passata can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill, or freeze up to 6 months.
• Assembly
• Prepare a 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). Clean grate. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. Working one at a time, gently shape into balls. Transfer to a lightly floured small rimmed baking sheet and cover. Let sit 20-30 minutes.
• Place a ball of dough on a lightly floured surface (keep remaining balls covered) and, using your fingers, press out to an 8" round. Drape dough over the backs of your hands and gently pull and stretch, rotating dough as you go, until about 12" in diameter (it's okay if it's not a perfect circle).
• Brush dough with oil. Place, oiled side down, on grill over direct heat and cook until large bubbles appear across surface, dough stiffens, and underside is dark brown, about 2 minutes. Brush top with oil, turn over, and cook just to lightly dry out second side, about 30 seconds.
• Using tongs and a metal spatula, move dough over to cooler side of grill. Top with a spoonful of passata or burst cherry tomatoes and one quarter of cheese (either alone or in combination). Add pepperoni or salami (if using), then some of the lemony Swiss chard, and/or Rosemary Agrodolce as desired. Carefully slide pizza back over direct heat. Cook until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through, about 2 minutes. If dough is in danger of burning on underside but toppings need more time, return pizza to cooler side, cover grill, and cook another 1-2 minutes.
• Transfer pizza to a cutting board and drizzle with more oil. Top with basil and red pepper flakes if desired.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 3 more pizzas.

TUSCAN GRILLED PIZZA WITH ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Prepare a hot fire (475° to 500°F) in a wood-fired grill.
• Combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Combine the mozzarella and fontina in a bowl.
• Heat a large skillet on the grill, add the pine nuts, and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the escarole and cook, stirring occasionally until it wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside
• Divide the dough into 2 round pieces and form each into a ball. Do not work the dough too much. Roll one ball into a 10- to 11-inch round. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush the top of the dough with olive oil. Repeat with the second ball of dough.
• Take the dough and all of the toppings to the grill. Place one pizza round, oiled side down, on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the pizza over and brush the marked side to within 1/2 inch of the edge with the garlic-infused oil. Move the pizza off direct heat. Sprinkle half of the combined cheeses on top of the oil. Top with half of the escarole, pine nuts, and olives, spreading evenly. Close the lid and bake until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a second pizza.
• In a bowl, combine the yeast, 1/4 cup of the warm water, and 1/4 cup of the flour in a small bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water, the olive oil, and salt. Mix the dough thoroughly. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, elastic and a bit tacky to the touch, 7 to 8 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to cover with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Or, let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, bring the dough to room temperature.

GRILLED PIZZA WITH ITALIAN CHEESES AND BITTER GREENS

Steps:

• Prepare a hot charcoal fire with the coals mounded in the center. Punch the dough down. Oil a baking sheet, and stretch the dough out on it to form a 10- to 12-inch circle 1/8-inch thick.
• Gently lift the dough, using both hands, and drape it onto the grill over the hottest part of the fire. Within a minute, the dough will puff slightly, and the bottom will stiffen. As soon as grill marks appear on the underside, turn the dough over with tongs, and move it to the edge of the grill, away from the heat.
• Quickly brush the dough with 1 tablespoon oil. Scatter the minced garlic over the dough. Sprinkle on the cheeses, followed by the chopped tomato. Arrange the arugula leaves on top. Drizzle with the remaining oil.
• Slide the pizza back over the coals. Cook the pizza, rotating frequently, for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the bottom is slightly charred and the cheeses bubble. Serve at once.