Yum. Yum. Yum. I have to start with Yum. With summer coming, or here depending on where you live, it's time to get that grill going for all sorts of food. Why only use it for the occasional BBQ? I once spent a year without a formal kitchen during a remodel and I learned how to cook pretty much anything on the grill or in a rice cooker.
This week I've cooked Latin coconut chicken, arugula lasagna, and now pizza on my grill. When it's hot outside that means its hot inside my no AC house....ugh. So I cook outside a lot.
I make this dough only about an hour before making pizza so I consider it a quick dough. Also, I double the recipe so I have plenty of dough for the week or to freeze.
Pizza Dough aka $30 Pizza
1tsp. Active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 sprig oregano or 1 tsp dried
2-3 sprigs thyme or 1tsp dried
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp for bowl
Add yeast and warm water to large bowl and let sit 5 minutes. In the meantime mix the remaining ingredients, except olive oil, in a bowl. After 5 minutes add flour and olive oil to yeast mixture and stir until combined. Not sure if it matters but I stir with a wooden spoon. I feel weird stirring this with metal and deep down I remember something about stirring yeasty things with metal might make them not rise. I think I remember that from my sourdough days... Anyway, once it is mixed add the remaining olive oil to bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover and let sit in warm location for 1 hour.
When you're ready just punch the dough down and either use the whole thing or break off the amount you want.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll out or stretch to desired thickness. The cooked dough will be about 1 1/2 times the original thickness.
Grilling: super duper easy. Heat up your grill to 400 degrees, grease the rack and place your dough right on the rack. You have two choices here.
1. Cook one side about 4 minutes checking so you don't burn it. Then flip over and quickly add toppings and cook another 4-6 minutes.
2. Cook one side 4 minutes, flip and cook 2 minutes. Remove dough from grill and top the most cooked side at your leisure then place it back on the grill when ready for 4-5 minutes.
I like option 2 because we make several small pizzas so everyone can customize their own.
Your grill might be different than mine so make sure to check the dough every now and then so it doesn't get burned. Also if you see it poofing up just poke it with a fork.
I am currently in love with arugula so tonight I made an arugula sweet potato Gorgonzola pizza and it was delicious.
Topped it with bottled pizza sauce, quick sautéed arugula and spinach, dollops of mashed sweet potato from the fridge sweet orange peppers, basil, cheddar cheese, and Gorgonzola.
