Grilled Pizza Margherita
Makes 12 pizzas
1 quart lukewarm water
1 teaspoon fresh yeast
1 tablespoon molasses
2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup plus 12 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups high-gluten flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup pecorino romano cheese
1 cup grated bel paese cheese
1 cup tomato sauce
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil
FOR THE DOUGH:
In a mixing bowl, combine the water, yeast, and molasses. Mix together gently until all the yeast dissolves. Set the mixture aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the yeast makes a raft and bubbles. Stir in the sale and 1 cup of the olive oil.
With the mixer on a low speed, add the three kinds of flour. Mix until all the flour is absorbed and the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Roll the dough into one large ball and let it stand for 5 minutes.
Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place them on an oiled baking sheet. Brush the balls lightly with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. If you are going to use the dough right away, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. If you don’t need the dough immediately, you can store it for one day in the refrigerator, but you must let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
FOR THE TOPPING:
In a bowl, combine the cheeses. Have at hand the tomato sauce, parsley, and basil.
TO ASSEMBLE EACH PIZZA:
When dough is ready, prepare the fire–preferably a charcoal fire, but a gas grill works nicely too. Make sure the grill is set at least 4 inches from the fire.
On an oiled surface, flatten out a piece of dough using the palms of your hands. If the dough is sticking, lift it and drizzle a little more oil on the surface. Dough should be paper-thin and a 12-inch circle. The shape of the pizza is not as important as the thickness of the dough.
Gently lift the dough, and, being careful not to tear it, drape it onto the hot spot of the grill. The dough will start to rise immediately. After about 2 minutes, carefully lift the edge of the dough to see the color of the underside. When the underside is an even golden brown, flip pizza over and place it on the side of the grill or a cooler spot of the grill.
Brush cooked side with olive oil. Spread 2 ½ tablespoons of the cheese mixture evenly to the edge of the pizza. Next, with a tablespoon, drop tomato sauce on the pizza (8 to 10 dollops)--but don’t spread over the whole surface of the pizza. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with ½ tablespoon of chopped parsley.
Carefully slide the pizza back to the edge of the hot section of the grill, and rotate the pizza until the bottom is evenly golden brown. This should take 3 to 4 minutes. Do not put the pizza directly over the fire, because the bottom will burn before the cheese melts.
Garnish with the chopped basil and serve immediately.
