Toss One On

The Grill

Special to the Jewish News

T

oss away your predictable
notions of pizza. If you've
never had pizza cooked on a
barbecue grill, you've got a
treat coming. There's something about
pizza dough when it's grilled that gives a
new "breadth" to the flavor of the crust.
And once you start experimenting with
novel ways of toppirig pizza, such as
adding grilled vegetables, fish or unusual
cheeses, you might not want your pizza
any other way.
Great pizza starts at the bottom: The
dough's the thing. If you have good
dough, you'll have good pizza. Like with
most pizza, this basic dough recipe is
made with yeast. Don't be apprehensive
of yeast, as long as it's fresh and "active."
And because this dough is made using a
food processor, it's especially quick and
easy. You'll find it almost impossible to
make a mistake.
Just be sure the water is warm and not
too hot. High heat will kill the yeast; with
water too cold, the yeast won't rise.
If you're still apprehensive about the
whole dough-making process, you have

To make the dough:

In a large bowl, stir together 1/3 cup
warm water, yeast and sugar and let stand
until foamy, about 10 minutes. In the
bowl of a food processor fitted with a
metal blade, process the yeast mixture
with 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal and salt
until mixture forms a ball. Add more
water, one teaspoonful at a time, if the
dough seems too dry, or add more flour,
a tablespoonful at a time, if the dough
seems too wet. Knead dough by process-
ing 15 seconds more.
Place dough in a deep bowl that's been
spread with oil and turn the dough to
coat it well with the oil. Let the dough
rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm
place about 1 hour, or until the dough
has doubled in bulk. If the day is hot,
place the bowl near a sunny window
(cover the bowl with a dishtowel first, to
zrlic, red
keep it out of direct sunlight). Remove
pepper, asiago and
the plastic wrap and use your fist to
oregano pizza
punch down the dough. Cut the dough
into 4 pieces and form the pieces into
balls.
Preheat grill to medium-high. On a
lightly floured surface, spread one piece of
dough with your hands into a thin, flat,
slightly rounded disc shape (it need not
permission to use store-bought dough (if
be perfectly round). Don't worry about
you can find it). Or, visit your favorite
small holes. Repeat with each of the balls.
pizza seller and ask in your nicest voice if
Lightly brush the dough discs with oil.
they'll sell you some dough. Or, do as my
Carefully transfer the "discs," oiled side
mother does and purchase crescent or
biscuit dough, the kind that comes refrig- down, with your hands to rack of the
grill. Lightly brush the top of the "discs"
erated in a tube.
with a little oil.
These days, when everything seems to
Grill the crusts until their undersides
be prefab perfect looking, the homier
are golden brown on the bottom, about
your pizza turns out the better. So when
1-3 minutes, depending on the hotness
you form your pies, make them irregular
(pretty easy to do). The not-exactly round of your grill. Flip the crusts over with a
metal spatula or tongs.
shape gives homemade pizza its rustic
Top the grilled side with sauce and top-
appeal, so it looks created by an artisan
pings
of choice (see recipes below for pos-
rather than a mega-chain.
sibilities). Lightly brush or drizzle the piz-
The following recipes include one
zas with some more oil and grill them,
for pizza dough. There are thousands
covered, a couple minutes more.
of others, of course. In this version,
Alternatively, preheat oven to 350F.
cornmeal gives the pizza a rustic tex-
Sprinkle toppings on the grilled pizza
ture that's both tender and slightly
crusts and place them on a cookie sheet
chewy. The sauce recipe below is also
to cook for about 10 minutes, until the
just one possibility. In fact, sauce on
cheese is melted and the toppings are hot.
pizza should be considered a topping,
Makes 4 individual pizzas.
much like mushrooms, onions and
cheese for that matter. Just top your
PIZZA SAUCE
pizza with one of the topping sugges-
1 can (about 28-ounces) crushed toma-
tions below, or make up your own.
toes
Any way you slice it, pizza made at
1 cup chopped onions
home, on the grill, is the best. Enjoy.
1 t. minced garlic
PIZZA DOUGH

10 easy-as-pie pizza variations
have a rustic appeal.

ANNABEL COHEN

2/3 cup lukewarm water (105F-115F)
1 1/4-ounce package (2 1/2 t.) active
dry yeast
1/2 t. sugar
1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose unbleached
flour
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
2 t. kosher salt
2 T. olive oil

2 1 olive oil
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
In a large saucepan over medium-high
heat, combine all ingredients and bring
to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook
the sauce, stirring frequently, until thick-
ened, about one hour.
Use sauce hot or cool to room temper-
ature. It may be chilled for up to one
week.
Makes about 3 cups of sauce (enough
for 12 individual pizzas).

SPINACH, GARLIC, ORANGE,
ALMONDS AND GOAT CHEESE
PIZZA
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup drained (canned) mandarin
orange segments
1 cup crumbled Chevre or other soft
goat cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella or Brick
cheese

GARLIC, RED PEPPER, ASIAGO
AND OREGANO PIZZA
2 1 minced garlic
2 T. fresh minced oregano or 2 t. dried
oregano
2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

SMOKED SALMON, DILL AND
CHIVE PIZZA
8 thin slices smoked salmon or lox,
chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped dill
1/2 cup minced chives
1/2 cup fresh Ricotta cheese
1 cup seeded chopped tomato
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

TOASTED CORN, CILANTRO AND
SALSA PIZZA
1 cup frozen corn, thawed and toasted
lightly in a lightly oiled skillet
1 cup good-quality salsa
1/2 cup fresh minced cilantro
1 cup chopped scallions, white and
green parts
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Ground cayenne pepper, to taste

EGGPLANT, ROASTED RED PEP-
PER AND CARAMELIZED ONION
PIZZA
2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced very
thin
1 t. sugar
1 eggplant, sliced into very thin rounds
1-2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled
and sliced thin
1/2 cup fresh minced basil, any variety

FOOD

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