As you might imagine, lunchtime at a food shoot is an event. We have a stash of take-out menus for every imaginable cuisine, and where to place the lunch order is always a lively debate. But, since we all love home-cooked food, we often enjoy our own creations. At the carriage house studio, we are fortunate to have access to a gas grill, so we’ve become quite expert at grilling pizzas for lunch. Try this, and you’ll never make a pizza by pre-heating your oven to 500° again!
Here’s the Recipe:
Makes 4 servings
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon sugar
olive oil
1 package (16 ounces) prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
½ cup marinara sauce
3 small plum tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
– In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onions in butter, stirring often. When onions have softened, stir in sugar. Cook and stir until golden. Set aside.
– Preheat gas grill to medium high.
– Lightly brush baking sheet with olive oil. On lightly floured board, divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Using your hands, stretch each piece into rounds, approximately 7 inches in diameter. Transfer to baking sheet, and brush with olive oil.
– Place rounds directly on grill; close lid. Cook for 2 minutes, then, using tongs, flip. Immediately spread each pizza with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce. Top with tomatoes and the caramelized onions. Sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning. Close lid. Cook 2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
– Sprinkle with sliced fresh basil.
Tips
– If you can’t find fresh pizza dough, try your local pizza place. They may sell you a ball of dough.
– An alternative to fresh pizza dough is 1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated classic pizza crust. Remove crust from can; cut crosswise into 4 pieces. Continue with directions above for stretching each piece into 7-inch rounds.
– Use different cheeses, such as shredded provolone, cheddar, or Monterey Jack.
– Top with your favorite grilled veggies.
– For a Mexican version, substitute salsa for marinara sauce; pepper jack cheese for the mozzarella; cilantro for basil.
Heather, Joe, Cathy
