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Twice Grilled Margherita Pizza
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5 from 1 vote

Twice Grilled Margherita Pizza

This grilled Margherita pizza is made even more summery with a marinara sauce made from grilled heirloom tomatoes.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: grilled pizza, margherita pizza
Makes: 1 (12- to 14-inch) pizza
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • Outdoor grill
  • Food processor
  • Heavy duty oven/grill mitt
  • Long-handled tongs
  • wide, long-handled spatula or pizza peel
  • Large cutting board

Ingredients

  • 4 large heirloom tomatoes (ripe but still firm), cored and halved horizontally
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing/drizzling
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced or finely chopped
  • 1 (14- to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough (I prefer Neapolitan, Sourdough, or Overnight Dough for grilling, but any regular pizza dough will work great)
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced or cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

Instructions

  • Prepare an outdoor grill for high direct heat. Assemble the following tools and keep them within arm’s reach from the grill: an oven mitt, long-handled tongs, a large spatula or pizza peel, and a large cutting board for the finished pizza.

To make the sauce

  • Brush both sides of each tomato slice with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Place the tomatoes on the hot grill and cook for about 6 minutes or until you see grill marks. Flip the tomatoes and cook for another 6 to 8minutes.
  • Transfer the grilled tomatoes to a plate and let them cool for 10 minutes. Drain off any accumulated liquid. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor and add1 tablespoon of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the minced garlic. Pulse just until it looks like a chunky sauce. Pour ½ to ⅔ cup of the sauce into a bowl; save the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for pasta later in the week.

To make the pizza

  • Place the dough on a floured cutting board and, using your hands, gently stretch it into a 12- to 14-inch square or disk, making sure that it retains the same thickness throughout (more or less). (Alternatively, you can roll it out to a 12-inchsquare or circle.)
  • Brush the top of the dough with olive oil, making sure to get all the way to the edges. Carefully transfer the dough to the grill, oiled-side down, and grill for 3 minutes or until it puffs a bit and the bottom shows grill marks.
  • Using long-handled tongs or a pizza peel, transfer the dough to a clean large cutting board, grill marks facing up. Brush the grilled dough lightly with olive oil. Working quickly, spread about ½ cup of sauce on the dough and top with the cheese.
  • Using your large spatula or pizza peel, return the topped crust to the grill. Close the grill lid, turn down the heat to medium or medium-high, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  • Remove the pizza from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with the basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Slice and serve.