Years ago my parents gifted us a pizza oven from Williams Sonoma and it has turned out to be one of my most treasured kitchen appliances. Mostly because it brings us all into the kitchen to roll out dough while creating culinary masterpieces & yelling over each other to see who's music Alexa will play next. It's loud, it's smoky, it's messy and it's marvelous!
We have had so much fun making pizza at home that we hardly ever go out for pizza anymore. Since we began this tradition we have taken it from the kitchen to the BBQ, and on those warm nights as we all gather around the BBQ with glasses of wine and Frisbee's, I sit back and relax, because Sean ends up doing most of the work!
There are so many things you can do with pizza on the grill, this is our favorite "go to" recipe.
First you need a baking stone. We have a rectangular stone for the grill. Measure the inside of your grill before purchasing one so that you know it fits.
I chop and prep everything about 1 hour before so that when the grill is hot we can just create and eat.
I also pull the dough from the refrigerator, cut it, roll it into balls that fit in the palm of my hand, place on a floured cutting board and cover with a kitchen towel. This allows the dough to rise a bit and warm up before manipulating it into a circle.
Preheat the stone inside the grill as it heats up. You want it fairly hot.
Pesto & Kalamata Pizza
Pre-made dough works great (I prefer Trader Joes but our local market makes it also)
Small bowl of olive oil (with a brush)
Small bowl of minced or chopped garlic (with a brush)
Small bowl of Pesto (store bought or homemade)
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Chopped mushrooms
Chopped Kalamata olives
Sliced carmelized onion ( I do this on the stove in olive oil over low heat)
Roll out your dough so that it fits on your stone. Gently place on the stone inside the BBQ. NOTE: It's hard to move it once the toppings are on so top it while it is on the BBQ.
Brush olive oil and garlic on first, then the pesto. Sprinkle your desired amount of cheese and toppings. Close the lid and let cook for a few minutes.
Check it and decide if you need to adjust your temperature.
Cooking time will vary depending on how thick your crust is and how well done you prefer it.
This is so much fun to do with friends on a summer evening. Tell them to bring their favorite toppings and a bottle of wine, you won't be disappointed!
