A Family That Eats Together: Grilled Pizza

Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike.

If you have tried grilled pizza then you know how good it can be. It is most similar to a wood-fired pizza. If not, I bet you worry about things like the dough slipping through the grates or think it is too complicated. We love pizza year around in our house and I hate to cook at super high temperatures in the kitchen on hot days, which is why I took to grilling our pizza outside. Follow the below essential tips, which will make grilling pizza so much easier.

Tips:

1. Make sure that the dough you buy is room temperature if not a little warm. The warmer it is the more pliable it will be to shape into a round.
2. Have a pizza peel and tongs at the ready.
3. Use semolina flour to flour the pizza peel. It makes the dough slip right off.
4. Have all your ingredients ready and at the side of your grill.
5. Oil the grill grates with a soaked paper towel. Use the tongs to hold the paper towel when oiling the grates.
6. Make sure your grill is very hot. Ideally hotter than 450ºF. But make sure it is not flaming as it will quickly burn the dough.
7. Make sure your grill grates are clean and free of debris.

Servings: 1 pizza (can be increased for more pizzas if needed)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15–20 minutes
Essential tools and ingredients: Pizza peel. semolina flour, tongs, paper towels, room-temperature pizza dough

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pizza dough (lots of stores sell pizza dough or ask your favorite pizza parlor for one)
• ½ cup of your favorite tomato sauce
• ¾ cup fresh mozzarella, drained of water and torn into small pieces
• your favorite toppings
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat your grill to high heat. Ideally 450ºF or more.
2. Using your hands and fists, gently form the pizza dough to your desired thickness. We prefer thin crust, but this works just as well with thicker crusts.
3. Place the pizza round on a semolina floured pizza peel.
4. Bring all your pizza ingredients and tools to the grill. Make sure that the grill is hot. Clean the grates with a grill brush. Make sure the grill is not flaming in any area. Dip the paper towel in the oil. Using the tongs, hold onto the oil soaked paper towel and brush it along the grill grates where you plan to place the pizza dough. It might flame a bit while you are doing this but it should quickly die down. Quickly slip the dough off of the peel and onto the grill grates. Close the lid and let it cook until it is lightly browned on the bottom side. Keep checking so that it doesn’t burn on one side or the other. If you need to, use your tongs to turn the dough so the bottom completely cooks. Using the pizza peel, pick up the pizza dough off of the grill. Oil the grates again. Flip the dough over so the uncooked part of the dough is face down. Spoon the sauce over the crust. Top with cheese and your favorite toppings. Be careful to not over fill the pizza as the crust will get soggy. This is a great time to think “less is more”! Close the grill and cook until the toppings are melted and the bottom is lightly brown. Remove from the grill and let the pizza rest for 5–7 minutes to let the toppings settle. It will be easier to cut that way.
5. Repeat as necessary.