One of the best things about summer is grilling pizza. Crispy, crunchy crust is achieved, something that is hard to do in an oven or with store-bought pizza.
Though virtually anything would taste good on a grilled pizza, I was going for a Greek vibe with this one and wanted to keep things vegetarian, so I tossed up some feta, olives, and fresh oregano.
Potatoes felt like an excellent addition since there is nothing I like more than carbohydrates upon carbs. Prior to adding the topping, I grilled the potatoes. Wow! What a Revelation! The next time I fire up the grill, I will be sure to do this again. They have the ideal balance of crisp outside and tender inside.
When it comes to pizza, I like a mix of raw and cooked toppings. In an effort to increase the vegetable content, I found that zucchini, when peeled into thin ribbons, is the perfect addition since it takes literally no time to cook at all. After heating the pizza, I topped each slice with half a fresh cherry tomato and some herb leaves.
To Make the Perfect Pizza on the Grill
You may use store-bought pizza dough if you want, but if you want to create your own, try this Easy No-Knead Dough recipe instead. Try this No-Knead Whole Wheat Pizza Dough instead, if you’d rather work with a whole-grain dough.
Since there is no kneading involved, the dough is incredibly moist and soft, and sticky. Knead in an extra 2–3 tablespoons of flour so the meat better keeps its form and is less sticky during grilling.
You may store the excess no-knead dough in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months; the recipe yields more than enough for two pizzas.
Use a zip-top bag or similar freezer-safe container to store oiled leftover pizza dough in the freezer. Or, for even more convenience, you can roll it out and freeze it on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then store it in a big freezer bag until you’re ready to make a pizza.
Advice on How to Top a Grilled Pizza
The rule of thumb is that less is more when it comes to pizza toppings.
- Overloading pizza with sauces and toppings, particularly when grilling, is not a good idea.
- Use sparingly so that the crust doesn’t get soggy.
Before you start cooking the pizza, have all the toppings ready and spread out on a baking sheet. - You should precook tough ingredients like potatoes, eggplant, or peppers since the pizza only cooks for a few minutes.
- Alternate Ingredients for a Greek Pizza
- Olives: Choose your favorite kind, but make sure they’re pitted. For this pizza, I like little Nicoise olives. The Kalamata olives here are fantastic as well.
- For the Cheese, I went with feta, but you could also use Parmesan shards, shredded cheddar, sliced Fontina, or even fresh mozzarella.
- I loved the pizza because of the herbs. The fresh oregano was outstanding. It’s sharp, astringent, and earthy with a hint of grass. While basil and rosemary are good alternatives, I really appreciated the opportunity to utilize oregano leaves instead.
Tips for Grilling Pizza
In the past, I’ve used charcoal, and right now I have a gas grill. Both are fine in their own ways. Because grill temperatures are so variable, you’ll have to rely on sight alone.
- Moving the Money Around
- C’mon, let’s face facts. Getting the dough onto the grill is the trickiest aspect of grilling pizza. At least two choices exist. Make two pizzas by cutting the dough in half. Splitting a large pizza into two manageable pieces is considerably more convenient.
- One option is to use a cornmeal-dusted peel to transfer the pizza directly from the oven to the grill. When using a peel, oil just the top of the dough so that the bottom may slip easily off the cornmeal coating.
- Oiling the grill and both sides of the dough is the second way. Put your hands, palms down, beneath the dough to make it more stable. You should be able to lay the edge of the dough that is farthest from you onto the rear of the grill grates if you rest the dough on your knuckles. Dough needs this to stay put. Quickly extend your hands toward yourself and bring them together again so the pizza may fall level and in one piece. If you don’t have a pizza peel, this is an excellent substitute. Take care to avoid touching the grill’s grates.
Ingredients
- a pound of pizza dough, either handmade or purchased
- 2–3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, to taste
- An additional tablespoon or two of olive oil may be used if necessary.
- Yukon Gold potatoes, 3 (1 1/4 ounces) in rounds 1/2 an inch thick
- Grill grates seasoned with oil or vegetable oil
- To taste, add extra kosher salt if desired. 1 teaspoon
- One-half cup of pitted Kalamata or Nicoise olives
- FETA, crumbled (3 ounces)
- 1 medium zucchini (8 ounces), peeled and cut into ribbons
- Black pepper, freshly ground, 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 ounce of ripe, cherry tomatoes
- The leaves of two fresh herbs, such as oregano, basil, or rosemary
Method
1. Heat the grill:
Start a charcoal fire or turn up the gas grill to 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Get the dough ready:
To make two balls, divide the dough in half (each should be 8 ounces). To prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, work in an additional 2–3 tablespoons of flour. Roll the dough into balls, flatten them with your hands, then cover and let aside for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
3. The grilling of potatoes:
Meanwhile, grease a small baking sheet with approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Press the potatoes into the oil and flip them over on a baking sheet to make a single layer. The potato slices should be oiled on both sides before cooking.
Oil the grill grates immediately with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil and a pair of tongs.
Roll the potatoes into thin slices and throw them on the grill. Toast the bottoms for 2–4 minutes. Toss with tongs, and return to the oven for another two to three minutes. Take out of the oven and season with salt.
4. Round out the pizza dough:
Roll out one of the dough balls into a circle, oval, or rectangle that is 10 to 12 inches in diameter using a rolling pin. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet that has been oiled with roughly 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Oil the dough’s surface with roughly a tablespoon’s worth of olive oil. Place the second ball of dough on an oiled baking sheet and proceed as before. Just grease one side of the dough if you’re using a pizza peel.
5. Put on the condiments:
Spread half the olives, feta, sliced zucchini, and sliced potatoes on top. Salt & pepper to taste.
Place the pizza back on the grill and cook for another 5 minutes with the lid closed, or until the zucchini is wilted and the pie is heated throughout.
With the second pizza, use the same procedure. To save time, you may cook two pizzas at once if your grill is big enough.
6. Prepare and dish out the pizzas.
Spread a quarter of the cherry tomatoes and a quarter of the herbs over each pizza. Toss with olive oil and serve. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice into individual servings.
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