Summer Dinner: Grilled Pizza

It's safe to say that pizza is in regular rotation in my life. I love how simple it can be to throw together and rarely takes much planning (or thinking!). Growing up I can remember my little brother and I always make homemade pizzas with my parents. We loved getting to roll out the dough, pour on the pizza sauce and load it with fresh cheese. It was a perfect Friday night when we were little.

Now that I'm older I still love making my own pizza at home, this time just involves a few glasses of wine and Van Morrison or Frank Sinatra on the ipod :) When the weather starts heating up, grilling pizza is one of my favorite ways to spend time outside and wind down the day. 

Here are the easy steps I follow...

ingredients:

fresh pizza dough 

( I usually use Trader Joe's whole wheat dough )

1 jar of marinara sauce

fresh mozzarella 

olive oil

possible toppings:

fresh basil

tomatoes

pepperoni (turkey pepperoni as a healthier alternative)

sun dried tomatoes

mushrooms

etc...

directions:

Start off by heating up the grill to a medium temperature. Before the grill is turned on spray it with a non-stick spray. Next, roll out the dough on a floured surface. (tip: let the dough sit out room temperature for 30-45 mins before starting) Brush one side with olive oil. Place the side you just brushed with olive oil face-down on the grill.  

Let cook 5-6 mins or until the dough starts to brown. Take the dough back into the kitchen and load the just grilled side with the pizza sauce and any toppings that you'd like. 

Before adding the pizza sauce I brush the cooked side with olive oil and sprinkle on dried oregano, dried italian seasoning and dried basil.

Place the pizza back on the grill, this time with the doughy part directly on the grill. Let cook for a few more minutes until the dough is cooked and cheese is melted. 

Let cool and enjoy!