Backyard grill can be perfect place to toss pizza

Or, you could use your gas or charcoal barbecue grill. As Memorial Day kicks off the traditional start of the summer grilling season Monday, consider branching out from the ol’ standby hamburgers and hot dogs and trying grilled pizza.

Las Vegan Terence Thornton has been grilling pizza at home for five or six years. A designer for Green Planet landscaping, he had been at the home of a friend who had a pizza oven when the friend indicated that he’d also made pizza on a grill.

“He kind of gave me some pointers, and I felt comfortable enough to do it,” Thornton said.

Not that there wasn’t a little bit of experimenting involved; the first time he tried it, Thornton said, he had his grill turned up too high and burned the crust. That’s the reason Elizabeth Karmel, a chef and co-author with Bob Blumer of “Pizza on the Grill” (The Taunton Press, 2008), recommends having plenty of dough on hand for your inaugural experience.

Karmel said she was moved to write the book “because it is absolutely the best pizza I have ever eaten. Once you go grilled, you’ll never want it any other way.” She and Blumer, she said, “sort of bonded over grilled pizza, and that started a long and adventuresome friendship.”

In answer to what seems to be the No. 1 question: Yes, you do use regular raw pizza dough. Thornton said he usually uses prepared dough from Trader Joe’s (though he has used a Boboli crust in a pinch); Karmel said your local pizzeria might be another source for dough. And no, it doesn’t drip down into the fire.

“People are afraid the dough is going to fall and go through the cooking grate,” Karmel said. “But as long as you put it on a preheated grill and oil the dough and quickly put the hood down on the grill, the yeast in the dough will rise and become this beautiful, fabulous pizza crust.”

The secret is to put the oiled crust on the grill, then flip it over before adding any toppings. Karmel also suggests using grits or polenta on the bottom of the crust for crunchy, rustic texture.

Joe Romano, corporate executive chef for Golden Gaming, cooks at home as well, and said he makes grilled pizza probably twice a week during the summer — in large part because he has children.

“They love pizza,” he said. “It’s actually really quick and it’s a little healthier than regular pizza” because he uses some whole-wheat flour in the dough and ingredients such as fresh mozzarella and fresh sliced tomatoes. Much of the time, he said, he cooks the pizza directly on the grate of his gas grill, but if he’s putting sauce on the pizza he’ll put a pizza stone on the grill. A favorite, he said, is “salad toppings.”

“What’s really great is you take poached chicken and some cherry tomatoes and some arugula and a nice Italian vinaigrette,” he said. “Put that right over the crust and just let it wilt for a few seconds. It’s a nice cross, kind of a flatbread pizza — summery and maybe a little bit heart-healthy.”

Thornton said he finds it’s wise to prep toppings ahead, and to keep them small so that they’ll heat in the brief time the topped pizza spends on the grill; for the same reason, Karmel said to always use toppings that are already cooked or can be eaten raw, such as fresh tomatoes or olives.

“If you try to put big huge chunks of sausage on it they don’t get hot in the center,” Thornton said. He generally doesn’t use a lot of meat, but will use prosciutto because it’s thin and heats quickly.

Thornton also suggested experimenting with dessert pizzas.

“It’s as simple as putting butter on one side and powdered sugar and a little brown sugar,” he said. “I’ve drizzled Hershey’s sauce on there and put bananas on there. I’ve done Nutella. I just tell people to have fun and play around.”

CHICKEN CAESAR PIZZA

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 12 ounces) or 11/2 cups shredded leftover chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough

1 ball pizza dough (about 8 ounces), at room temperature

1/2 cup roasted garlic paste (recipe follows)

11/4 cups grated fontina cheese

1 heart of romaine, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons

2 tablespoons Caesar salad dressing, homemade or purchased

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

If you’re not using leftover chicken, preheat the grill per the Grilling Technique instructions for gas or charcoal in the box on Page 1E. Brush the chicken breast with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill until no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside and, when almost ready to use, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips.

Sprinkle a work surface with the grits or polenta. Roll out and shape the dough, brush with olive oil and then grill the first side of the crust per the Grilling Technique. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.

Spread the entire surface with the garlic paste, then top with the chicken and sprinkle with the fontina.

Finish grilling the pizza per the Grilling Technique.

Just before the pizza is done, toss the romaine with the dressing and 1 tablespoon of the Parmigiano in a medium bowl. Remove the pizza from the grill and immediately top with the dressed romaine. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmigiano and season with salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4.

For roasted garlic paste: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the first layer of papery skin from 3 heads of garlic. Slice off 1/4 inch from the pointy top. Place each head on a sheet of aluminum foil, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Wrap each head in the foil and roast until the cloves are golden brown and soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool. (You also can do this on the grill, cooking over indirect heat.) Remove the roasted garlic cloves from their skins. (The most efficient way to do this is to squeeze the whole head from the bottom.) Using a fork, vigorously mix the garlic and 3 tablespoons olive oil together. Add a pinch of kosher salt. This will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for as long as 2 days. Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 pizza.

— Recipe from “Pizza on the Grill” by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer

FIRE-ROASTED VEGGIE PIZZA

1 small red onion, cut into 4 slices

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt, to taste

2 very large portabella mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

3 Japanese eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough

1 ball pizza dough, at room temperature

1 cup basil or sun-dried tomato pesto, homemade or purchased

20 fire-roasted cherry tomatoes (recipe follows)

6 ounces aged goat cheese (chevre) or brie, rind removed if preferred, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

B&E Sprinkle-icious Spice Blend (recipe follows) or favorite spice blend

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the grill per the Grilling Technique instructions for gas or charcoal in the box on Page 1E.

Soak 4 bamboo skewers in warm water for 10 minutes. Thread each skewer through the center of one onion slice so it resembles a lollipop. Brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt. Brush the mushrooms, eggplant slices and bell pepper on both sides with 3 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt.

Place the onions, mushrooms, eggplants and bell pepper on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill until well-marked and tender, about 4 minutes per side. Let cool, then slice the bell pepper into thin strips, pull the skewers out of the onions and separate into rings. Reserve for topping.

Sprinkle a work surface with grits or polenta. Roll out and shape the dough, brush with olive oil and then grill the first side of the crust per the Grilling Technique. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.

Spread the surface with the pesto and artfully arrange the grilled veggies and tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Finish grilling the pizza per the Grilling Technique.

Remove from the grill and season with the spice blend, salt and pepper. Slice and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4.

For fire-roasted cherry tomatoes: Preheat a gas grill, build a charcoal fire or preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lightly coat 40 cherry tomatoes (those sold on the vine preferred) with 1 teaspoon olive oil, or as needed. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with 1 cup kosher salt to form a salt bed. Place the tomatoes closely together, bottom side down, on the salt bed. Place sheet on the grill on the cooking grate over low indirect heat or in the oven. Slowly roast until the tomatoes are shriveled and soft, about 2 hours. Remove from the grill and oven and let cool. They will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for as long as 2 days.

For B&E Sprinkle-icious Spice Blend: Thoroughly mix 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion, 1 tablespoon roasted dehydrated garlic, 2 teaspoons dried lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 tablespoons kosher salt and 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper. Store in an airtight container for as long as 3 months.

— Recipe from “Pizza on the Grill” by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer

GRILLED THAI TURKEY PIZZA

3 pounds turkey cutlets, gently pounded to an even thickness

Olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

11/2 cups fresh lime juice

3/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

3/4 cup minced green onions

1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon lime zest

11/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

6 cloves garlic, minced

30 ounces pizza dough

11/2 cups sliced green onions

3 medium carrots, cut into fine matchsticks

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Lightly brush turkey cutlets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Over direct heat, grill turkey until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Cool slightly and shred.

Combine lime juice, soy sauce, minced green onions, minced cilantro, peanut butter, 1/3 cup olive oil, brown sugar, ginger, lime zest, red pepper flakes and garlic in a stockpot. Heat until steaming. Stir in shredded turkey. Briefly heat over low; drain.

Roll out pizza dough into 3 rectangles approximately 10 by 13 inches. Brush grill with olive oil. Place pizza crusts on grill and cook until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes, or until dough is puffy and lightly browned. Turn crusts over.

Top browned side of each pizza crust with one-third of the drained heated turkey mixture, sliced green onions, carrot sticks and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle each pizza with 1 cup cheese.

Cover grill and heat pizzas 5 to 7 minutes, or until crust is cooked on bottom, cheese melts and pizzas are hot. Cut each pizza into 4 pieces.

Serves 12.

— Recipe from the National Turkey Federation

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.