Mention summer and one can’t help but to think about grilling out. Get togethers, familes on the go, extra warm temperatures which make you wish you could skip a trip to the kitchen. They all make for a good reason to fire up the grill, as if you actually need one!
When it comes to grilling thouh, pizza seldom comes to mind. The usual burgers and hot dogs, yes, for sure! Thick juicy steaks and BBQ Chicken. Some of you more adventurous souls may even fire up the smoker and make a stab at a big, old beef brisket or BBQ spare ribs. No, pizza is usually far from most of our minds when it comes to grill time.
Which is precisely why I am throwing this quick and easy, little grilled flatbread pizza number. I am a firm believer when it comes to mixing things up a little to keep them interesting. So, why not do the same during grilling season. It’s fast, easy and sure to be a hit…
Fresh Pesto Flatbread Pizza
2 cups warm water
2 packets Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sorghum syrup
5-6 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread flour
Bears Mill Corn Meal for dusting
Fresh Pesto
4 cups fresh basil
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 pinches of salt
In a food processor, add basil and 1 cup olive oil then pulse 2-3 minutes until rough chopped. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts and a pinch of salt. Pulse again for 1-2 minutes until nuts are well chopped and pesto is blended
Crust procedure:
Dissolve yeast in 115° warm water. Add 1 teaspoon unbleached sugar. Let bloom for 5 minutes until foam forms on the surface.
Add 2 cups unbleached bread flour, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon honey and 1tablespoon sorghum syrup. When yeast blooms, add warm water mixture and mix with a dough hook on low speed until combined. Add 2 additional cups of unbleached bread flour and mix until incorporated. Add final 1cup of flour and continue to blend until dough is smooth and elastic- about 3 minutes.
Turn out on to lightly floured surface. Knead in 1 cup of additional flour, working in 1/4 Cup increments. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic- about 10 minutes.
Divid dough into three equally sized balls. Dust a baking sheet with corn meal then place the dough on sheet and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
Roll dough on corn meal dusted surface. Place on a lightly oiled grill pan or pizza stone. Add a smear of fresh basil pesto, sliced mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato slices. Preheat grill on high to 400°. Place pizza directly over flame for about 3-4 minutes with a closed lid. When bottom crust reaches a deep golden brown, turn off grill flame and allow the pizza to bake an additional 3-5 or until mozzarella is melted.
Eaterie 