Summary: [[How to Grill a Pizza]] moved to [[Grill a Pizza]]
[[Image:Pizza11.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
The idea may seem crazy at first -- tossing a sheet of dough on the grill. But grilling produces a killer rustic pizza with a crispy, flavorful crust.
Learning to grill a pizza lets you keep the backyard grill in action even as we move into the colder months. Besides, didn't you already grill more than enough burgers this summer? -- ''Originally submitted by Matt Bushlow.''
''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add about grillin' a killer pie, log in and contribute.''
==Proof your dough==
Dough is the soul of any pizza. You can use a recipe, like [http://www.food.com/recipe/peter-reinharts-napoletana-pizza-dough-recipe-371543 this well-known one from baking authority Peter Reinhart]. Or swing by your favorite pizzeria and ask if they sell dough. Many smaller places do, and it's often a quick and easy solution. If not, dough from a well-stocked local market or organic food store will do.
Cut your dough into 6 or 8-ounce portions, which will produce roughly 10-12" rounds. Then proof it. Proofing dough warms it up and makes it easier to work with.
Ideally, you'd leave it on the counter covered loosely with plastic wrap for about 90 minutes. That will make it pleasantly warm and pliable. If you have less time, boil a few cups of water, pour the boiling water into a baking dish, and put the dish on the bottom rack of your oven. Don't turn the oven on. Then place your dough on a baking sheet above the dish. Let the dough rest there for 20 minutes, then remove it.
==Prep your toppings==
[[Image:Pizza6.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Grilling is particularly well-suited to simplicity, so try to keep it under three or four toppings. Sliced tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella, chopped fresh basil and a little sauce creates a classic pizza. Just let the sliced tomatoes and mozzarella sit on paper towels for a while before you put them on the pizza. They both hold quite a bit of moisture.
==Roll your dough==
Your need a uniformly flat, thin canvas to work with. Don't worry about whether it's round. It will taste great and have a rustic, organic look.
There are several schools of thought on how do this. Here's our instructions for a thin, grill-ready crust:
1. Flour a clean surface, such as your countertop, and place the dough on it. Dust the dough with just enough flour so it isn't sticky or moist. Coat your hands lightly with flour, too.
2. Press the dough down with the flat of your hands until any air bubbles have collapsed.
3. Now, this part is trickier, but go for it and trust the fates: Pick up the thick disk of dough with both hands so the tips of your thumbs are just touching. Stretch the edge of the dough with your thumbs and forefingers, while also pulling it with your left hand, passing it counterclockwise.
[[Image:Pizza1.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Finish it off with a rolling pin. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Once the blob has doubled in diameter, drape the dough over the back of both of your hands and slowly pull your hands apart, gently stretching the dough outward.
4. Once the dough is roughly 1/4" thick, return it to the counter and use a floured rolling pin to even it out. You'll probably need to focus on the edges, which will still be a little thicker than the rest.
Whatever you do, remember you want a uniform thickness. Your dough should be roughly 12-14" across for 8 ounces of dough.
<br clear="all">
==Prepare==
If you're using a gas grill, start it up on high. Give it five minutes, then brush it clean. Your will need to use a ''very clean'' grill. If you're using charcoal, make your fire on one side of the grill. You'll want to have to have both direct and indirect heat to grill your pizza. When the coals are covered in grey ash, they're ready.
Get all your toppings on a table directly next to your grill. You want to be able to top the dough quickly when the crust is ready.
[[Image:Pizza2.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Spread the oil. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Lightly flour the top of a pizza peel. Carefully transfer your dough to the peel. An easy way is to lift up one side and have a friend slide the peel under it. If you don't have a friend, you can slide your hands under the dough, palms down, and lift it gently, but quickly, with the back of your hands onto the peel.
Drizzle olive oil on the top of the dough. Use a brush to evenly spread the oil. (A tablespoon or so should do.) Sprinkle a little bit of salt on it.
Proceed to your hot grill -- This is the moment of truth.
<br clear="all">
==Grill the dough==
[[Image:Pizza3.jpg|thumb|630px|left|From this position, flip it over onto the grill, oiled side down, quickly and cleanly. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Align your pizza peel with the edge of the grill, then flip it over so the oiled side of the dough lands nicely on the top of the grill. It shouldn't fall through the spaces in the grill or bunch up: dough is pretty resilient. If you've made a mess of it, fix it quickly.
Now that the dough is on the grill, stay close. You want to keep the heat on high or medium-high.
[[Image:Pizza5.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Browning and a little charring, perfect. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
After a minute or two, use tongs to lift up one edge just a little. If you see spots of browning or charring, that's good.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Drizzle and brush olive oil on the top, then use the brush to evenly coat the dough. Check the bottom again after a minute or so more. When it has an even mix of browning, dark brown charring, and light brown charring, use your tongs to flip it over.
Immediately turn the grill to low, or, if you're using charcoal, move the dough over to the cool side of the grill.
Spoon your sauce onto the top of your dough and spread it out with the bottom of a large spoon. Then sprinkle your cheese and distribute your toppings.
Once you're finished, turn the heat back to medium-high?or move your dough to the hot side of the grill. Put the top of the grill on/down and let the pizza bake.
<gallery>
Image:Pizza3.jpg
Image:Pizza4.jpg
Image:Pizza5.jpg
Image:Pizza7.jpg
Image:Pizza8.jpg
Image:Pizza9.jpg
Image:Pizza11.jpg
</gallery>
==Bake the dough==
[[Image:Pizza10.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Do a quick check to see if it's ready for the next step. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Give the dough about two minutes on high, and then do a quick visual check on the bottom.
Again, you want a nice mix of light, medium, and dark browns, along with a little charring. Once you have it, turn the grill off (or move the dough over to the cool side of the grill) and put the top on. Let it sit for several minutes, then take a look. Your cheese should be melted -- but not browned, as you have no source of heat above the pizza -- and your toppings should be warmed through.
Slide your peel under the pizza. Transfer the pie to a cutting board. Cut it up, and get busy.
==Taste, adjust, re-test==
[[Image:Pizza12.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
As you eat, assess your work. Is the crust nice and thin? Nicely crisped? Fragrant? That's the way we like it.
Experimentation is key. Change up how long you let it sit on the heat, which ingredients you use. Have friends chip in. Ask for their feedback. And remember, this is a great year-round grilling dish, so you can practice whenever the mood strikes.
[[Category:Food and Drink]]
The idea may seem crazy at first -- tossing a sheet of dough on the grill. But grilling produces a killer rustic pizza with a crispy, flavorful crust.
Learning to grill a pizza lets you keep the backyard grill in action even as we move into the colder months. Besides, didn't you already grill more than enough burgers this summer? -- ''Originally submitted by Matt Bushlow.''
''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add about grillin' a killer pie, log in and contribute.''
==Proof your dough==
Dough is the soul of any pizza. You can use a recipe, like [http://www.food.com/recipe/peter-reinharts-napoletana-pizza-dough-recipe-371543 this well-known one from baking authority Peter Reinhart]. Or swing by your favorite pizzeria and ask if they sell dough. Many smaller places do, and it's often a quick and easy solution. If not, dough from a well-stocked local market or organic food store will do.
Cut your dough into 6 or 8-ounce portions, which will produce roughly 10-12" rounds. Then proof it. Proofing dough warms it up and makes it easier to work with.
Ideally, you'd leave it on the counter covered loosely with plastic wrap for about 90 minutes. That will make it pleasantly warm and pliable. If you have less time, boil a few cups of water, pour the boiling water into a baking dish, and put the dish on the bottom rack of your oven. Don't turn the oven on. Then place your dough on a baking sheet above the dish. Let the dough rest there for 20 minutes, then remove it.
==Prep your toppings==
[[Image:Pizza6.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Grilling is particularly well-suited to simplicity, so try to keep it under three or four toppings. Sliced tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella, chopped fresh basil and a little sauce creates a classic pizza. Just let the sliced tomatoes and mozzarella sit on paper towels for a while before you put them on the pizza. They both hold quite a bit of moisture.
==Roll your dough==
Your need a uniformly flat, thin canvas to work with. Don't worry about whether it's round. It will taste great and have a rustic, organic look.
There are several schools of thought on how do this. Here's our instructions for a thin, grill-ready crust:
1. Flour a clean surface, such as your countertop, and place the dough on it. Dust the dough with just enough flour so it isn't sticky or moist. Coat your hands lightly with flour, too.
2. Press the dough down with the flat of your hands until any air bubbles have collapsed.
3. Now, this part is trickier, but go for it and trust the fates: Pick up the thick disk of dough with both hands so the tips of your thumbs are just touching. Stretch the edge of the dough with your thumbs and forefingers, while also pulling it with your left hand, passing it counterclockwise.
[[Image:Pizza1.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Finish it off with a rolling pin. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Once the blob has doubled in diameter, drape the dough over the back of both of your hands and slowly pull your hands apart, gently stretching the dough outward.
4. Once the dough is roughly 1/4" thick, return it to the counter and use a floured rolling pin to even it out. You'll probably need to focus on the edges, which will still be a little thicker than the rest.
Whatever you do, remember you want a uniform thickness. Your dough should be roughly 12-14" across for 8 ounces of dough.
<br clear="all">
==Prepare==
If you're using a gas grill, start it up on high. Give it five minutes, then brush it clean. Your will need to use a ''very clean'' grill. If you're using charcoal, make your fire on one side of the grill. You'll want to have to have both direct and indirect heat to grill your pizza. When the coals are covered in grey ash, they're ready.
Get all your toppings on a table directly next to your grill. You want to be able to top the dough quickly when the crust is ready.
[[Image:Pizza2.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Spread the oil. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Lightly flour the top of a pizza peel. Carefully transfer your dough to the peel. An easy way is to lift up one side and have a friend slide the peel under it. If you don't have a friend, you can slide your hands under the dough, palms down, and lift it gently, but quickly, with the back of your hands onto the peel.
Drizzle olive oil on the top of the dough. Use a brush to evenly spread the oil. (A tablespoon or so should do.) Sprinkle a little bit of salt on it.
Proceed to your hot grill -- This is the moment of truth.
<br clear="all">
==Grill the dough==
[[Image:Pizza3.jpg|thumb|630px|left|From this position, flip it over onto the grill, oiled side down, quickly and cleanly. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Align your pizza peel with the edge of the grill, then flip it over so the oiled side of the dough lands nicely on the top of the grill. It shouldn't fall through the spaces in the grill or bunch up: dough is pretty resilient. If you've made a mess of it, fix it quickly.
Now that the dough is on the grill, stay close. You want to keep the heat on high or medium-high.
[[Image:Pizza5.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Browning and a little charring, perfect. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
After a minute or two, use tongs to lift up one edge just a little. If you see spots of browning or charring, that's good.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Drizzle and brush olive oil on the top, then use the brush to evenly coat the dough. Check the bottom again after a minute or so more. When it has an even mix of browning, dark brown charring, and light brown charring, use your tongs to flip it over.
Immediately turn the grill to low, or, if you're using charcoal, move the dough over to the cool side of the grill.
Spoon your sauce onto the top of your dough and spread it out with the bottom of a large spoon. Then sprinkle your cheese and distribute your toppings.
Once you're finished, turn the heat back to medium-high?or move your dough to the hot side of the grill. Put the top of the grill on/down and let the pizza bake.
<gallery>
Image:Pizza3.jpg
Image:Pizza4.jpg
Image:Pizza5.jpg
Image:Pizza7.jpg
Image:Pizza8.jpg
Image:Pizza9.jpg
Image:Pizza11.jpg
</gallery>
==Bake the dough==
[[Image:Pizza10.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Do a quick check to see if it's ready for the next step. Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
Give the dough about two minutes on high, and then do a quick visual check on the bottom.
Again, you want a nice mix of light, medium, and dark browns, along with a little charring. Once you have it, turn the grill off (or move the dough over to the cool side of the grill) and put the top on. Let it sit for several minutes, then take a look. Your cheese should be melted -- but not browned, as you have no source of heat above the pizza -- and your toppings should be warmed through.
Slide your peel under the pizza. Transfer the pie to a cutting board. Cut it up, and get busy.
==Taste, adjust, re-test==
[[Image:Pizza12.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Anna Post/Wired]]
As you eat, assess your work. Is the crust nice and thin? Nicely crisped? Fragrant? That's the way we like it.
Experimentation is key. Change up how long you let it sit on the heat, which ingredients you use. Have friends chip in. Ask for their feedback. And remember, this is a great year-round grilling dish, so you can practice whenever the mood strikes.
[[Category:Food and Drink]]
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