Farm Fresh Pizza

A view of the R's farm!

Pizza Dough
''Grilled pizza is a sublime dish. Some people would happily forsake all other food for it. And why not?

To grill pizza successfully , you will need patience to master the technique. It may take a few practice runs before you get a pizza you want to serve, but you should persevere. Do not be timid about the preparation of this pizza. From start to finish experience the bold act will reward you with a first-rate pizza.
there obstacles are several obstacles that you will overcome with experience. To begin with, be sure you start with a hot wood or charcoal fire. Gas grills, even fueled with by wood chips, will not do. They simply do not get hot enough, and the success of the dish depends on the unique flavor of smoke absorbed by the dough.

Build your charcoal fire on one side of the grill. During the cooking process you will want a cool area in order to add the toppings without burning the bottom of the crust. If you have a hibachi, build the fire on one side. For kettle-type grills, place a brick in the center of the bowl and bank charcoal on one half. If you have a small grill and cannot accommodate a 12-inch round of dough, divide it and make 2 or 3 small pizzas.

Be careful not to stretch the dough so thinly so thinly holes appear. Don't despair, however if small holes do appear. Though you cannot repair them, you can work around them. To avoid flare-ups, do not drizzle any of the oil or filling into these holes.

When you are lifting the dough off the cookie sheet, it will invariably stretch; do not try to compensate for this my moving you hands apart. Work as close to the grill as possible so the the dough is without support for a minimum amount of time. If after 8 minutes the cheese has not melted and the toppings is not bubbling, either you have been too cautious in you approach to the coals or you have used too much cheese and topping. More time on the grill will only dry out and toughen the pizza. The ideal crust should be both chewy and crisp.

The following recipe will make enough dough for for four 12-inch pizzas. Each pizza will serve 4 as an appetizer or 1 as a main course.
They are so irresistible, however, that you may want to have extra dough on hand in case your guests demand an encore. Any leftover dough can be wrapped and refrigerated overnight, but remember to bring it to room temperature before grilling. We don't suggest freezing the dough, It toughens and does not spread easily to achieve the thin crust characteristic of grilled pizza. Before you become expert with the technique, make sure you have extra dough on hand for mishaps. After you are experienced, you'll be able to judge just how much dough to make. This recipe may be halved or doubled.

You can also use this dough to make grilled bread. Follow steps 1-4... In step 4, flip the dough over, drizzle it with olive oil, and sprinkle it with kosher salt, and fresh herbs if you like. Allow the underside to brown without charring. Transfer to a cutting board, cut into wedges, and serve immediately. The bread should be crisp with a chewy interior, a cross between a pita and tandoori bread.''

Cucina Simpatica-Robust Trattoria Cooking

Grilled Pizza Dough
1 cup warm water
pinch sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup johnnycake meal or fine-ground white cornmeal
3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. After 5 minutes, stir in salt, johnnycake meal, whole-wheat flour and oil. Gradually add white flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until a stiff dough has formed.
Place dough on a floured board and knead for several minutes, adding only enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking.
When dough is smooth and shiny, transfer to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. To prevent a skin from forming, brush the top of dough with additional olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until double in bulk, 11/2 to 2 hours.

Grilled Pizza Margarita

6 oz Pizza Dough

1/4 cup olive oil for brushing and drizzling

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 cup loosely packed shredded fontina

2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano

6 tablespoons chopped caned tomatoes in heavy puree

8 basil leaves

The way we did it:

6 oz Pizza Dough

2 - 2 1/2 cups fresh corn, taken off the cob

1/4 cup olive oil for brushing and drizzling

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 cup loosely packed shredded fontina

2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano

6 tablespoons Garden Tomato Sauce

8 basil leaves, sliced

a drizzling of Hot Pepper -Infused Olive Oil, you can serve it on the side as well

To form the crust:

1. Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.

2. On a large, oiled inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10-12-inch free-form circle, 1/8 inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.

3. When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the 2 corners closest to you, and drape it onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and guide the remaining dough into the into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough with puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.

4. Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over, onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough, spoon dollops of the tomato sauce and corn over the cheese Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 1/2 tablespoons of hot chili oil,

5. Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them.

Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.

Garden Tomato Sauce
Taken from Cucina Simpatica

3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
12 to 15 Italian plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the olive oil in a heavy saute pan. Add the garlic, and saute until golden. Add the tomatoes and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the salt. Set aside until ready to use. The sauce may be cooled to room temperature, covered, and refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen up to 2 weeks.
Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

Hot Pepper -Infused Olive Oil

Taken from Cucina Simpatica

3 cups olive oil
1/4 cup hot Hungarian paprika
1/4 cup crushed red-pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed

Combine all ingredients in a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to very low, and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes so the flavors continue to infuse the oil as it cools.

Strain the oil into a clean jar. When it has cooled to room temperature, cover and refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.