PIZZA ON THE GRILL WITH CHERRY TOMATOES,
MOZZARELLA, AND ARUGULA
Serves 3–6
INGREDIENTS
3 10-inch pizza crusts
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
1 1/2 to 2 boxes cherry tomatoes
5 oz. mozzarella—shredded if fresh, sliced if low-moisture
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 generous handfuls baby arugula
DIRECTIONS
Heat grill. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and place in a bowl near the grill, along with the olive oil, salt and pepper, mozzarella, and arugula. Brush the hot grill rack with olive oil. Place a round of dough on a lightly dusted baker’s peel or rimless baking sheet.
Slide the pizza dough from the peel or baking sheet onto the grill rack. If the dough has just come from the freezer and is easy to handle, you can place it directly on the grill without the peel. Close the lid of the grill (with the vents closed) and wait 2 minutes. Lift the grill lid. The surface of the dough should display some big air bubbles. Using tongs, lift the dough slightly to see if it is evenly browning on the bottom.
Rotate dough to ensure even browning. Keep it on the grill, moving it around as necessary, until it is nicely browned, with grill marks. When the bottom is nicely browned, use tongs or a spatula to slide the dough onto the baking sheet or peel, and remove from the grill. Close the grill again. Next, make sure that there is still some flour on the peel or baking sheet and flip the dough over so that the uncooked side is now on the bottom.
Brush the surface lightly with oil, topping with cherry tomatoes and shreds or slices of mozzarella. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Slide the pizza back onto the grill. (If using a gas grill, reduce the heat to medium-high.) Close the lid and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the bottom begins to brown. Open the grill and check the pizza; if the cheese hasn’t melted, leave for a few more minutes. If the bottom is getting too dark, move the pizza to a cooler part of the grill and close the top. Use a spatula or tongs to remove the pizza to a cutting board. Scatter the arugula on top, cut into wedges, and serve. Repeat with the other two pizza crusts.
Find this article in the summer issue of Cambria Style
