Pizza 101: grilled pizza

In today's lesson we will learn how to use the grill to cook our pizza instead of the oven.  You will use the basic dough recipe for grilling pizza.  Cut the dough into 6-8 equal sized pieces. Each grilled pizza will be between 6-10 inches in diameter.  This is an awesome dinner to serve guests, everyone can decorate their own personal pizza!

I know you are thinking, it's late fall and it's too cold to grill, especially if you live in the northeast like I do.  I think it is the perfect time to grill pizza.   Grilling pizza in the heat of summer, makes you sweat your face off!! 

The trick to grilled pizza is precooking your dough on a well oiled grill.  You will put the dough sprinkled with some olive oil, on the grill for 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second side.  The side that is cooked more is the side you decorate.  You can even grill some toppings to put on your pizza, the grill is already on!!

 

Once your pizza is decorated it goes back on the grill.  I cook 3-4 pizzas at a time and if the bottom is getting too dark, I turn the outer burners off and move the pizzas over until the cheese has melted.

My favorite thing about grilled pizza is how crispy the crust is.  

It reminds me of the pizza we had in Italy that was cooked in a wood burning oven.  Delicious!

printable instructions

Grilled Pizza- step by step instructions

1. Make basic dough recipe.
2. Split the dough into 6-8 balls.
3.  Preheat grill on high 
4. Roll out dough to desired thickness.  
5. Place dough on parchment and stack the dough on a cookie sheet.  
6. Put oil on a paper towel and using tongs oil the grates of the grill.
7. Turn grill down to medium heat.
8. Sprinkle some olive oil on the dough and start cooking them on the grill.
9. Sprinkle olive oil on the side facing up.
10. Cook for 3 minutes and then flip.
11. Cook the dough for 2 minutes and then take off the grill and decorate as you wish.
12. Put pizzas back on the grill, on medium heat and close the lid.
13. I am not going to give you a cooking time, keep a close watch on your pizzas!!!!
14. If the crust is getting done too quickly, turn one or two burners off and move the pizza, or even move them to the top rack, if you have one. 
15. Top with fresh herbs if you wish and enjoy!