This looks like a lot of steps, and quite difficult, but it's really not! If you don't feel like making pizza dough from scratch, Trader Joe's has a great pre-made dough!Ingredients and Directions for PIZZA DOUGH ONLY:
The dough needs a lot of resting time to develop the gluten which makes it pretty easy to handle on the grill, so be patient! It also keeps in the refrigerator for a few days!
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. yeast (about 1/2 of a package)
2 1/2 tsp. olive oil
7 oz. water (110-115 degrees, or warm to the touch) DO NOT BOIL WATER!
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer with the dough hook, add in this order: water, yeast, sugar, flour, and olive oil.
2. Mix on low until a coarse ball is formed, then increase the speed to medium for about 2-4 minutes until a smooth ball is formed.
3. Turn out onto a work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes until smooth.
4. Divide into 2 balls.
5. Spray the inside of 2 Ziploc bags with cooking spray, slip a ball of dough into each bag, then let rest at room temp for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
6. Before using the dough, let it come to room temp for 2 hours.
7. Storage: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temp.
IF YOU ARE SKIPPING THE DOUGH STEP, HERE IS RECIPE FOR PIZZA:
*Don't pile on toppings! Too much will blacken the dough before even getting to melting the cheese.
Ingredients:
1 batch pizza dough
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced thin, or torn by hand
1 c. baby arugula
1/2 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 c. crumbled gorgonzola
Directions:
1. Do not punch down dough. Gently dredge 1 ball of dough in a little flour to lightly coat. Holding 1 edge of the floured dough in the air with both hands (and letting the bottom touch the work surface), carefully move hands around the edge of the dough (like turning a steering wheel), allowing the weight of the dough to stretch round to roughly 7" in diameter. Mine was more of a deformed square.
2. Lay the dough round (or square) flat on a floured surface and continue to stretch by pressing dough with your fingertips, working from the center outward to edge, getting the dough as THIN as possible without tearing, stretching it to about 9" in diameter.
3. Transfer to a large floured tray and repeat the process with the other piece of dough. Cover both loosely with plastic wrap and let stand to puff slightly while preparing grill, 10-20 minutes.
4. Preheat the grill: Lightly oil grill racks. Turn burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate. Remove plastic wrap from the dough and lightly brush with some oil. Carefully FLIP dough rounds, oiled sides down, with your hands onto the middle of lightly oiled grill rack.
5. Grill crusts, uncovered, until undersides are golden brown (rotate them if 1 side of the grill is hotter than the other), 2-3 minutes on grill.
6. Slide the crust off the grill onto a sheet pan, brush the uncooked top with oil, then flip crusts over with tongs and place grilled side up on a sheet pan.
7. Top grilled side of the pizza with a little bit of EVOO, fresh mozzarella, then the arugula. Place the slice of the prosciutto on the pizza in loose bunches, creating an alternating pattern. Finally top with crumbled gorgonzola, and slide back on the grill to cook the bottom of the pizza until cheese is bubbling and the edges are golden brown. Serve hot.
*The Wooden Spoon, Chicago