Fire Up The Grill

Like just about everyone else, LCJM staffers love pizza. Imagine the thrill when we learned that pizza tastes best when cooked at high temperatures under dry heat, which makes it the perfect food to grill.

Prepare the grill.
You can use gas or charcoal. You get the best flavor when grilling directly over the heat, but some people prefer using a pizza or baking stone to avoid burning the crust. Heat the stone on the grill before using.

Prepare the crust.
Make your own or use a mix. You can also buy frozen, ready-made pizza dough at most grocery stores. Note: grilling works best with thin- to medium-crust pizzas.

Prepare the toppings.
If using a lot of toppings or heavy toppings like thick-cut vegetables and meat, partially cook or grill them beforehand. And don’t pile it on too high or your pizza will cook unevenly. Have all your pizza toppings cut, chopped, partially cooked (if necessary), and ready to go.

Start grilling the crust.
Brush both sides with olive oil. Place the crust directly on the grill or baking stone. Grill until nice, large bubbles appear, then flip and begin cooking the other side. Watch carefully, it will only take a few minutes over medium heat.

Add the toppings.
Your goal is to heat the toppings and melt the cheese without burning the crust! If you’re nervous about this, you can use a stone and eventually graduate to the direct-grill method. You may also want to remove the crust from the grill while adding the toppings.

Cover and cook.
Cook the pizza for three to five minutes or closer to eight minutes if using a baking stone. Again, watch closely so the crust doesn’t burn. Move it to a cooler place on the grill if the crust is browning too quickly. If you used a baking stone, move the cooked pizza off the stone for serving or it will continue to bake.

LCJM web editor pick:
Head to one of Lake Country’s farmers’ markets (click here for a list) for some fresh tomatoes and basil then grill up the recipe below from Rachael Ray’s website http://www.rachaelraymag.com/

Grilled Tomato-Basil Pizza
Makes 4 Single-Serving Pizzas

One can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 pound pizza dough from your favorite pizza shop or supermarket's refrigerator or freezer section, divided into 4 equal pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella
Bunch of basil

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of water, olive oil and the salt. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
2. Preheat a grill to medium-high. On a lightly oiled, inverted baking sheet, pat out 1 piece of pizza dough with your fingers into a free-form shape about 1/4 inch thick. Lift and transfer the dough onto the grill and cook with the grill cover down until the crust holds its shape and grill marks appear, about 3 minutes.
3. Using a spatula, flip the crust over onto the coolest part of the grill. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the tomato sauce over the dough and scatter with about a 1/4 of the mozzarella. Cook with the grill cover down until the cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill and top with basil leaves. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

LCJM staff picks:
Grilled Mushroom and Pepper Pizza Recipe
http://www.recipezaar.com/121506

Grilled Pizza with Spicy Italian Sausage Recipe
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/103234