Crispy Grilled Pizza Margherita Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
• On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10 to 12-inch free-form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.
• When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the 2 corners closest to you, and drape in onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
• Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over, onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough, and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that it is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.
• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface creating a high walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold it's shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again and form dough into 4 balls.

Steps:

• Mix the water, yeast and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let this stand for 12 minutes to activate the yeast (the water will foam slightly).
• Add the salt and oil to the bowl and mix well.
• With the mixer on low speed add the all-purpose flour and the whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix until all the flour is absorbed and the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and cut the dough into 6 (5 1/2-ounce) portions. Roll the portioned dough into balls and place on an oiled baking pan. Brush the ball lightly with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap.
• If you are going to use the dough right away let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. You can store the dough after portioning for 1 day in the refrigerator, but you must let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
• Mix the tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil and set aside.;
• Prepare your fire - preferably a charcoal fire but a gas grill does very nicely also. Make sure the grill is set at least four inches from the fire.
• On an oiled surface, roll the dough out, using the palms of your hands. If the dough is sticking to the surface, lift the dough and drizzle a little more oil on. Make about a 12-inch circle with an even thickness.
• Carefully lift the dough being careful not to tear it. Drape the dough onto the hot spot of the grill. The dough will start to rise immediately. Carefully lift the edge of the dough and see the color of the bottom - it should be evenly golden brown - this should take about 2 minutes.
• Flip the dough over and place it on the side of the grill. Brush the cooked side of the dough with olive oil, spread some cheese and a tablespoon dollop of pizza sauce on the pizza, then drizzle the pizza with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.
• Continue to cook, until the bottom of the pizza is evenly golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of pizza dough with oil; grill, oiled side down, until underside is golden brown and top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush top with oil; flip crust. Top with thin layers of sauce and cheese. Grill until cheese is just melted, sauce is hot, and crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slide pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange basil on top. Repeat to make more pizzas.

Steps:

• Make sauce and prepare cheese:
• If using fresh tomatoes, cut an X (just through skin) in each, at end opposite stem, and immerse in boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer to cold water with a slotted spoon, then peel.
• Seed and chop tomatoes (fresh or canned).
• Simmer tomatoes, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick and reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Toss together mozzarella and remaining tablespoon oil.
• Form pizza rounds:
• Do not punch down dough. Gently dredge 1 ball of dough in a bowl of flour to coat, then transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Holding 1 edge of floured dough in the air with both hands and letting bottom touch work surface, carefully move hands around edge of dough (like turning a steering wheel), allowing weight of dough to stretch round to roughly 7 inches in diameter. Lay dough round flat on floured surface and continue to stretch by pressing dough with your fingertips, working from center outward to edge, stretching it into a 9-inch round. Transfer to a large floured tray and make another round in same manner, then place it next to other round. Lightly rub a long sheet of plastic wrap with flour, then invert loosely over pizza rounds and let them stand to puff slightly while preparing grill, 10 to 20 minutes.
• To prepare charcoal grill:
• Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a heaping chimneyful of charcoal and pour it evenly over 2 opposite sides of bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of charcoal), leaving clear a 9-inch-wide strip in middle (for grilling over indirect heat).
• Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds.
• To prepare gas grill:
• Preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
• To grill pizzas by either method:
• Remove plastic wrap from both rounds of dough and lightly brush dough with some oil. Carefully flip dough rounds, oiled sides down, with your hands onto middle of lightly oiled grill rack and brush top of each with oil. Grill crusts, uncovered, until undersides are golden brown (rotate them if 1 side of grill is hotter than the other), 2 to 3 minutes on gas grill or 4 to 6 minutes on charcoal grill.
• Flip crusts over with tongs and a spatula and top each crust with half of tomato sauce, spreading evenly over dough and leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over sauce and grill pizzas, covered with grill lid, until undersides are golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes on gas grill or 5 minutes on charcoal grill.
• Scatter basil over pizzas.