PURE FLAVOR GRILLED PIZZAS
Summer is the best time of year for cooking because it means outdoor activities like BBQs and rooftop gatherings! Grilled pizzas are such a delicious way to use fresh ingredients and get creative on the grill. The vibrant Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes used on these pizzas are so juicy and sweet, which make them so versatile. They worked perfectly sliced on top, and roasted in foil to make a sauce. What I love specifically about a sweeter tomato is that they compliment a salty cheese and elevate other ingredients in a unique way. Below are 3 pies for inspiration, but you really can mix and match ingredients based on personal preference, and that of your guests. These grape tomatoes complement pretty much anything, so definitely get creative with herbs, spices and other meats and cheeses. And the best part? They are greenhouse grown in a protected climate which means they can give you a taste of summer year-round.
Pies to get you inspired:
Grilled pizza with a grape tomato sauce, red onion, feta cheese and grape tomatoes
Pesto ricotta grilled pizza with seasonal veggies
Goat cheese, grape tomato and summer squash grilled pizza with shredded gruyere
Ingredients:
1 pint Pure Flavor® Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes
2 lb Pizza dough yields 2 pies (store bought or homemade)
Additional pizza toppings of your choice
(Onions, asparagus, mushrooms etc)
Pesto (store bought or homemade)
Cheeses of your choice
(Mozzarella, goat cheese, gruyere, feta, ricotta)
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Basil for topping
Salt/pepper/red pepper flakes
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
Two notes:
Note: This recipe uses a pizza stone to cook the dough. If you don’t have one, you could use an oven rack, baking sheet or cast iron skillet. Just monitor the bottom of your crust to keep from burning as this could impact how fast everything cooks.
Note: I experimented with flatbreads and cauliflower crusts and they were also so good! Again, just monitor the bottom of your crust to keep from burning as this could impact how fast everything cooks.
Step 1:
Separate your pizza dough into 2 parts. Starting with one, place on a lightly floured surface. Press down on the center with the heel of your hand, gradually spreading it out while rotating it. Continue until you have about a 7 inch circle. If dough gets sticky, keep lightly dusting your hands and the surface with flour. Your dough should be flat, with no raised crust to ensure it cooks evenly on the grill.
Step 2:
Prepare your Pure Flavor® Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomato “sauce”. Make a boat out of tinfoil and toss a few handfuls of tomatoes in. Add the 2 cloves of chopped garlic, a few leaves of basil, and about 1 tbsp olive oil. Toss with a little salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if you want some heat. Fold foil so tomatoes are covered. While cooking pizza crusts, have this on the side of the grill. After about 10 min they should roast and make a delish sauce for any red pies you want to make!
Step 3:
Meanwhile prepare your toppings. Heat grill and add your pizza stone. Grill should be between 400-500 degrees. When grill is almost ready, brush olive oil on both sides of your dough and add it to the pizza stone. After about 5 min check your crust. Dough should be firm but not done.
Step 4:
Remove crust from grill and add whatever toppings you desire. Add back to the grill and cook for about 4-5 min monitoring bottom. If sides need a little browning, lightly brush with some olive oil. Remove and top with basil, cracked red pepper and salt. Slice and serve!