the best pizza (I’ve) ever made

Holy. Delicious.

Hey Lele, where did you get that freaking PERFECT charred, flavorful, crispy-chewy pizza crust?!

Why, I used my favorite implement in the land: the grill!

Yes, the wise people of the food world have been recommending grilled pizza for ages- a regular kitchen oven only goes to 500, a mere fraction of the blistering heat achievable in a proper pizza oven.

The grill, however, has HOT COALS!

I love that picture. I think the pizza dough looks like a flying saucer.

So here’s what I did:

First of all, pizza crust. There was a 100% whole wheat one (score) that made individual pizzas (double score!) in what’s turning into one of my favorite cookbooks, Healthy Cooking for Two (or Just You), so I used that. It’s copyrighted and wasn’t excessively easy, so I don’t feel the need to share it. Just use your favorite pizza crust recipe (or even a store bought one, I hear Trader Joe’s is great!)

Then get your assembly station ready… or your plastic deck table. Whatever.

The dough, Trader Joe’s Arrabiatta tomato sauce (whatever, I’m making freaking homemade pizza, I’m allowed to take a tiny shortcut), peaches and jalapeno for a side project to be revealed at a later date, and pizza toppers:

On the left, tomato (large red and cherry-sized yellow, both local) and basil (picked off the deck mere seconds before!).

Center, caramelized shallots (also local! cooked with olive oil, salt and pepper and a wee sprinkling of sugar on medium-low for twenty minutes or so).

On the right, cheese, duh. Tonight I just used preshredded mozzarella (which FYI keeps fine in the freezer) but this recipe is so good that next time I’m gonna spring for real, classy, sliceable mozzarella.

I consulted a recent Cooking Light recipe just for basic methodology for grilling pizza. Basically, you yank out your dough into a pizza-ish shape (obviously we’re calling mine “rustic”) and then plop it right on a hot grill!  

And Cooking Light said to cook it for four minutes “or until blistered”, but since my dough was individual-sized and thin, it took more like two. At which point I gave it a flipsie.

 

I live for grill marks.

You cook it for a few minutes on the second side, and then before it’s done, take it off the heat, put on your toppings, and let it finish cooking on the second side.

The directions were a bit ambiguous about covering, so I did it uncovered until I put my toppings on, at which point I covered it for like a minute, which was enough to melt the cheese and let the dough finish cooking.

So here are my beautiful finished pies!

The first, with sauce, cheese, caramelized shallots, and anchovies.

This pizza makes me glad I am single. I ate its breath-smellifying ingredients with gusto.

I am obviously not a “hold the anchovies” person. (Do people find that really odd, that people in movies and books and stuff are always saying “hold the anchovies?” I mean, what typical pizza joint in America puts anchovies on a pizza?)

And the second:

A brilliantly colored Caprese. So so so lovely.

Seriously, guys. Grill your pizza. It is the best homemade pizza I’ve ever had.

The reason we had anchovies sitting around is because my mom opened a jar to make the lentil-olive dip we so enjoyed at Easter. 

I have to say, anchovies are fun!

For example, a fun Sunday brunch.

Whole wheat bagel toasted with a thin shmear of cream cheese, tomato, and anchovies. Like a New York breakfast (except less delicious, obviously).

Rounded out with carrots and the aforementioned dip. And coffee. And the Post.