Al Fornos Grilled Pizza Margherita Food

GRILLED PIZZA MARGARITA

Steps:

• Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
• On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10 to 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.
• 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 in onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
• 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, and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• 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 it 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 the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.
• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface creating a high walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold it's shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again and form dough into 4 balls.

GRILLED PIZZA MARGHERITA

Steps:

• Whisk the yeast and sugar into warm water and allow to stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer running, pour in the yeast mixture. Add the olive oil then allow to knead for a few minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and only slightly tacky. If the dough is very sticky, add a little bit of flour and knead in.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and allow to rise for at least 1 hour. I usually make the dough a few hours before cooking.
• Once risen, divide the dough into 4 and form into balls. Place on a floured board and cover with a dish cloth and allow to rise for another 30 minutes while you prepare the toppings.
• To make the sauce, drain off any excess liquid from the tomatoes then crush the tomatoes into a bowl. Season with salt (and your chosen additions if using). Grate/tear the mozzarella and finely slice the basil.
• Preheat the grill (braai/barbecue) to its hottest setting. I like to have a cooler zone to move the pizza to should it be needed. Brush the grill grid with a little oil.
• Form the dough into pizza bases with your hands, pressing from the middle, forming the pizza as you go. Take care not to thin it out too much.
• Transfer the dough to the grid then allow to cook for a few minutes until the dough has started to bubble up. Remove from the grill and place grill side-up on a wooden board or pizza peel.
• Top the grilled side with sauce, cheese and basil then carefully transfer the pizza back to the grill. Close the grill if possible and allow to cook for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and there is some color on top.
• Remove from the grill, slice, top with more basil and serve.

AL FORNO'S GRILLED PIZZA MARGHERITA RECIPE

Steps:

• To make the Basic Pizza Dough: Stir the yeast and sugar into the water and let the mixture stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Place the flour and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Turn on the processor; slowly pour the yeast mixture through the feed tube and let the dough mass together. Next, add the oil through the feed tube and process the dough until it cleans the sides of the bowl but is still moist. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour; if too dry, add more water. When the dough is the right consistency -- moist but not so wet that it sticks to your fingers or the sides of the bowl -- process until kneaded, about 40 seconds. The dough should be supple and elastic when you stretch it with your hands. Transfer the dough to a large plastic food bag, squeeze out the air and seal the top, leaving enough room inside for the dough to expand. Place the bag in a bowl and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down. The dough can be used now or refrigerated up to five days. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Roll each piece on a floured board to make about an 8-inch circle. Stack the rounds between oiled sheets of wax paper. The dough can be rolled in advance and refrigerated several hours or frozen. For Assembly: Prepare a hot fire one side of the grill; the grill rack should be 3 to 4 inches above the heat. Set up the cool side of the rack with the pizza dough and toppings. Alternatively, set up a small table nearby for your cool side. Gently stretch 1 dough round into about a 9-inch circle; be careful not to stretch so that holes appear. If small holes appear, work around them and do not drizzle any oil or filling into these holes. Place the dough on a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet. Gently stretch the dough more if needed (it's easier right on the sheet). When the grill is hot, use your fingertips to lift the dough by the two closest edges and carefully drape it onto the grill. Make sure the dough doesn't droop into the flame. The dough will puff slightly and grill marks will appear, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use tongs to flip the crust immediately over onto the cool part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Scatter 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, 1/2 cup of Fontina and 3 tablespoons of pecorino over the dough. Spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese; do not cover the surface, leave spots of cheese. Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of oil; lightly sprinkle with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Slide the pizza back over the heat; use tongs to rotate it so the heat is even, cooking the pizza uniformly. Check the underside to be sure it's not burning. When the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes, remove the pizza from the grill. To serve, sprinkle it with basil and thyme. Cut into easy-to-handle finger food servings. Serve warm. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings. This recipe yields 8 servings. Each serving: 474 calories; 751 mg sodium; 31 mg cholesterol; 28 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 2.04 grams fiber.