Grilled Mexican Pizza Food

GRILLED CHICKEN PIZZA MEXICANA

Steps:

• Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.
• Sprinkle cheese evenly over pizza crust. Top with remaining ingredients.
• Cover and grill pizza 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese is melted. (If crust browns too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil between crust and grill.)

CHORIZO AND REFRIED BEAN GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat a grill over high heat.
• Cook the chorizo slices in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until some of the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crisped, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Mix the refried beans and chili powder in a small bowl until combined and set aside.
• Stretch and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a thin round about 1/4-inch thick and 12 inches in diameter; it's ok if it's not perfectly round. Place on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil about 18 inches long. Lift the whole piece of foil and place on the grill. Check the bottom of the dough after 2 minutes as it begins to char, puff and bubble. Rotate one-quarter turn or halfway to evenly cook the bottom. Grill until the bottom of the dough is charred and the pizza is almost cooked through and there is no more raw-looking dough in the center, 4 to 7 minutes.
• Using the foil, remove the pizza from the grill, brush the top with the oil and flip. Spread the refried bean mixture on what is now the top of the crust, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge. Sprinkle with the chorizo, cheese, jalapenos and red onions. Using the foil, lift the pizza back onto the grill. Grill until the bottom of the crust is charred and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill and top with the cilantro and avocados. Slice and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the pizza.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Two to three hours before grilling, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, divide the dough into three even pieces. Drizzle a teaspoon of neutral cooking oil into three soup bowls. (Each bowl should be able to hold at least twice the volume of the dough pieces.)
• Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape each into a ball by stretching it and pinching it into a point at the bottom, forming a sort of "skin" that wraps the whole ball. Lightly dust your hands with flour as necessary to prevent excessive sticking. Transfer the ball to one of the oiled bowls and turn it a few times to completely coat the surface in oil, then let it rest seam side down. Repeat Step 2 with remaining dough pieces, then drape a damp kitchen towel over all three bowls. Let the dough balls rest until roughly doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Transfer the tomatoes to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and shake the strainer, allowing the tomatoes to drain thoroughly. Still working in the strainer above the bowl, season well with salt, and, using clean hands, squeeze them through your fingers until a rough purée is formed. (The pieces of tomato should end up ranging from 1/4 inch to roughly 1 inch in size.) Allow any excess liquid to drain (you can save the strainer tomato juice for another use), then transfer the crushed tomatoes to a bowl and set aside.
• Turn out one ball of dough onto a floured work surface and dust thoroughly with more flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch-by-12-to-14-inch oblong. Dust both sides thoroughly with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining two dough balls, stacking them on top of the first with a layer of parchment paper between each.
• To cook, ignite a full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are mostly covered in gray ash, spread evenly under half of the grill. (If using a gas grill, set half the burners to high, leaving the remaining burners off. Cover, and allow to heat for 10 minutes.)
• Using your fingers, carefully lift one piece of rolled-out dough from the stack and drape it quickly on the grill grates directly above the fire. Let it cook without moving until the top starts to bubble and the bottom is lightly browned, about 20 to 30 seconds. Continue cooking, using metal tongs and a large spatula or thin metal pizza peel to move and rotate the crust as it cooks, until the bottom is evenly browned all over with a few charred spots, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Flip the crust, and brush the cooked side with a thin layer of olive oil. Continue cooking until the second side is browned, charred and crisp. Flip again (so that the bubblier side faces up), transfer to a clean baking sheet, and brush the second side with olive oil. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 with remaining two pizza skins, stacking the crusts as they finish cooking. (If using coal, the heat may start to dip. Extend cooking time to compensate, or add 15 to 20 fresh coals to the top of the embers and allow them to ignite before continuing.)
• Working one pizza at a time, transfer the crust to the pizza peel. (A cutting board or the back of a baking sheet will also work.) Spread a thin layer of shredded cheese across the surface of the crust (about 1 cup should do it). Using a spoon, add tablespoon-size dollops of crushed tomatoes, spaced an inch or two apart, across the whole surface of the pizza. Add toppings as desired (see Tips). Slide the pizza onto the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp, 1 to 5 minutes total, rotating the pizza occasionally to encourage even melting and crisping. Transfer to a cutting board, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil or scallions, cut into squares, and serve immediately. Repeat Step 8 with remaining pizza crusts.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• to make the seasoning: In a small ssaucepan combine all the seasoning ingredients. Whisk over low heat just until warm and oil becomes fragrant. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
• The Pizza bread: Lightly flour the back of a 15 x 10 inch baking sheet and one of the pizza dough balls. Stretch out the dough to the size of the baking sheet. Place the stretched dough on the back of the baking sheet.
• Stir the seasoned oil and liberally brush the surface of the dough. Turn the baking sheet (like a big spatula) with the dough directly onto cooking grate. Remove the baking sheet and liberally brush the top side of the dough with the seasoned oil.
• Grill over direct medium heat until the underside of the dough is marked, 1 to 3 minutes. Don't worry if the crust bubbles, it will deflate when turned over.
• Slide the dough onto the baking sheet and flip the ungrilled side onto the grill. Brush the top with more oil and continue to grill for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from grill and cool slightly on a cooling rack. Add toppings, return to grill, close lid and grill to desired doneness (cheese melts etc.) Repeat grilling procedure for 2 remaining balls of dough.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Divide dough into 4 balls.
• Roll dough and brush with olive oil on each side, place on cookie sheet to carry outside.
• Heat grill to medium high and brush grill with oil.
• Place dough directly on grill, flip when bubbled on top and bottom is browned.
• Once flipped, grill the second side until the dough stiffens but doesn't brown.
• Top well browned side with toppings and place back on a low grill until cheese is melted.
• I vary my toppings depending on what my crowd likes. I try not to use watery toppings and I saute my veggies first as they won't have time to cook on the grill.
• Another variation is to rub the grilled dough with a fresh garlic clove, brush with oil and add parm and fresh herbs - this is a great flatbread and it tastes great with bruschetta topping!