Happy Father's Day

Hi everybody!

Mmm...kale chips

First off, Happy Father's Day, you dear old dads out there.  Secondly, how is it already mid-June?  What is going on here?  Suddenly it is really and truly summer time in our sleepy little town.  I tend to greet the heat with enthusiasm at the beginning (swimming! long days! the coconutty smell of sunscreen!), followed by a waning interest in mid-July (gah, why are there mosquitoes and flies everywhere?  But I love peaches, so carry on!), and by the end of August, I'm totally over it (I just want to go outside without sweating to death, please.  Also, this swimming pool feels like a bathtub).  This summer is starting out on a less friendly note, since I am currently enormously pregnant and not at all amused by the heat.  Which leads to a current rule in my house:  do NOT turn on the oven.  At all.  Except for Kale Chips and Granola, because I can't find a way to make them on the grill.  Grill everything else! So, here you will get my Grilled Pizza 101.  But first, the news...

Tami's back!  I'm taking my maternity leave for the summer, so my mom is here to help you lovely people with all your olive oil and balsamic vinegar needs.  We are currently waiting on our distributors to release the olive oils from the Southern Hemisphere harvest, which should be wrapping up right about now.  Soon enough we'll phase out our Northern Hemispheres (CA, Italy, Spain, Greece) for the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, South Africa, Chile, Peru) oils.  If there is an olive oil you are particularly attached to, come by and claim it!  Also, we just reordered the Champagne Vinegar that has been out of stock for a while.  And we're going to be carrying olives!  Makes sense, right?  These olives will make your summer antipasto plates and martinis absolutely divine.  They should be here next week!  Okay, that is all.

Grilled Pizza.  I may enjoy grilled pizza more than oven baked pizza, especially since there is no indoor cooking involved.  I don't turn on a single burner to make the sauce, nor do I crank my oven to 500 degrees to preheat a pizza stone.  The instructions seem daunting, but they are really simple.  There are just a lot of them. I will stress to you only two things:  1. Have everything you need perfectly in place, because the process goes really, really fast once you start. 2.  Less is more.  Do not (NOT!) pile on toppings.  You will have a burned bottom crust and uncooked toppings.

So, start with your dough.  You can absolutely use store bought dough and I won't judge you one bit.  However, this recipe makes an exceptional grilling dough and I can't vouch for Pillsbury or anyone else.  Be sure to plan ahead a bit to give it time to rise, but that's pretty much the only work involved (waiting) after you dump all the ingredients together.  This recipe makes 4-5 small pizzas, which are the only kind of pizzas you can grill.  Don't make the mistake of making a large pie.  It won't work.  The dough flops over onto itself, breaks in half when it's time to turn it, etc.  Learn from my mistakes, people.  Don't make a large pizza.

Next, make this sauce.   It consists of 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, a shake of salt, oregano and basil, and a drizzle of oil.  The end.  Again, you can 100% use store bought sauce.  Do what you will, but give this one a try once and see if the jarred kind doesn't taste like ketchup the next time you use it.  And there's no cooking involved.  No! Cooking!  You can also use our Delizia brand pesto for an absolutely amazing Margherita pizza.  It is by far the best jarred pesto I have ever had.

Get your toppings all in order.  Be sure any meats you use are cooked. Shred or thinly slice your cheese (mozzarella, goat cheese, Fontina, etc.) and have everything within reach of your grill when you start.  My favorite combos are:  pepperoni, jalapeno, pineapple; crumbled Italian sausage, onion, red bell pepper; arugula, olive, sliced tomato; and (most favorite) pesto, sliced tomato, mozzarella.  But remember to keep it light.  Don't do extra cheese, no matter how tempting it may seem.  You will have soup in the middle of your pizza.

So, preheat your grill.  If you have a small pizza stone or cast iron griddle, use those.  They can be beneficial to cooking your pizza, but they aren't necessary. I have a gas grill, so if you have charcoal, give yourself enough time to get it really hot.  We're talking 475 ish.  Roll out your pizza dough into 10-inch or smaller rounds/oblongs/shapes.  Have several baking sheets or a table on stand by.  Drizzle your dough rounds (sort of round?) with olive oil.

Drop your dough, oiled side down, onto the hot grill/pizza stone, wait for small bubbles to form (2 minutes, maybe), Use tongs to move pizza to the set aside baking sheet or table, flipping it so the charred side is face-up.  Create your pizza: sauce, toppings, light cheese.  Slide it back on the grill, lower the heat, close the lid and let it go for 5 minutes or so, until cheese is melted.  Remove from the grill and enjoy while hot!  I can usually make 2 pizzas at a time comfortably.  If I get ambitious, someone usually ends up getting burned.  Isn't that just life for ya?   You can watch this video for a walk through if my directions don't make sense.  But don't spray your dough with Pam.  I will hunt you down.  Use olive oil, it tastes good.


Grilling Pizza Dough
Adapted slightly from David Lebovitz

2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
Generous squeeze of honey
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 c. warm water

1. Make the starter by mixing together the yeast, 1/2 c. warm water, honey, 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, and 1/4 c. whole wheat flour in the bowl of a stand mixer (or just a large bowl, if mixing by hand, or a large food processor bowl). Let stand 10 minutes, undisturbed, until foamy.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and knead, using the dough hook attachment (or by hand or food processor blade), for 5 minutes, or until a smooth, yet slightly sticky ball forms. Add a bit more flour, if necessary.

3.  Lightly grease a large bowl and put the ball of dough into the bowl, then flip the dough over, so that the greased side is facing up.  Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 hours.

No-Cook Pizza Sauce

28 oz. can Whole Peeled Tomatoes

1 clove fresh garlic, peeled
Drizzle of Olive Oil (Extra Virgin, Garlic, or Tuscan Herb are all good)
Shake of Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. Basil

1.  Drain your can of tomatoes; try to get all the juice out.  I usually put them in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and let them sit for 20 minutes or so.

2.  Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Anyway!  I hope you give this a try, but if it is too fussy, make some simple kabobs instead.  I like Lamb with our Harissa Olive Oil and fresh mint, Chicken with Wild Fernleaf Dill Olive Oil and lemon juice, Shrimp with Persian Lime Olive Oil and fresh cilantro, or Steak with Garlic or Tuscan Herb Olive Oil.  Ease enough.  Just don't turn on your oven!  Unless you are making kale chips or granola for me...

I hope everyone has a fantastic Father's Day weekend.  Enjoy your Grilled Pizza!

Cheers,
Andrea