Cooking pizza on the barbecue is both an art and a science. You will need to learn a few techniques, but with a little practice preparing the grill, rolling out the dough and baking the pizza will become a breeze. The result will be delicious and will repay you for all the efforts made. You can serve your pizza cooked on the barbecue as the only protagonist or together with other ingredients cooked on the grill.
Ingrediants
- 450 g of pizza dough
- 120-240 ml of tomato sauce
- Cheese (such as mozzarella, grated parmesan, gorgonzola)
- Tomato puree
- Additional ingredients of your choice, thinly sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Barbecue
Step 1. Make sure the barbecue at your disposal has a lid and a working thermostat
If it doesn't have a thermostat, you can go to a specialty store and buy a barbecue thermometer. It must be able to reach and maintain a temperature around 220 ° C, so that the radiated heat can also cook the ingredients placed on top of the pizza. If the temperature is not high enough, only the dough will be cooked with the heat coming from below.
- If the barbecue doesn't have a lid, you can cover the pizza with a large, upside-down baking sheet.
- You should use a barbecue that has a steel plate to get the best possible result. You can also cook pizza on a grill, but it is much more complicated.
- If you use a wood-burning barbecue or brazier, you will need to have a fixed brick or stone structure and a pan full of embers.
Step 2. Cover the barbecue with an upside-down pan if it doesn't have a lid
Use bricks to create two side walls and a back wall. Each partition must consist of two stacked bricks. Leave the front and top open. The distance between the two side walls must allow you to place the tray on top of them stably.
- The pizza will be positioned in the space created between the three brick walls, while the pan placed on top will act as a lid and will radiate the heat towards the upper side of the pizza.
- Be extra careful to avoid getting burned.
- Remove the pan when the pizza is cooked to be able to take it more easily. If you notice that the top is darkening too quickly, remove the pan early.
Step 3. Place bricks around the barbecue to ensure more even heat
If you wish, you can place clean bricks around the barbecue before preheating it to simulate a wood oven. It will take longer to properly heat it using bricks, but the heat will be more even and appropriate for baking pizza.
To operate in maximum safety, the bricks must be free of any impurities that could burn and must be wrapped in aluminum foil
Step 4. Preheat the barbecue and bring it to a temperature between 290 and 320 ° C
Wash the soleplate with dish soap before and after use; let it heat for at least 10-15 minutes so that any residues burn. If the barbecue is not clean, it will make a lot of smoke and the taste of the smoke will overpower that of the pizza ingredients.
If the barbecue doesn't have a griddle and you are forced to use a grill, place the pizza in a thick cast iron skillet, a refractory stone or another thick, flame-proof base
Part 2 of 3: Roll out the dough
Step 1. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface
Sprinkle a little flour on a surface suitable for spreading the pizza, for example on a shovel, baking sheet or cutting board.
You can buy ready-made pizza dough at the supermarket or, if you prefer, you can make it at home. If you decide to make it yourself, using wholemeal or corn flour will be able to make it more protein and elastic, however it will cook more slowly than a normal dough
Step 2. Roll out the dough outwards to obtain a disc with a diameter of about 30 cm
Move the rolling pin back and forth over the dough, then rotate it and repeat in all directions possible to give it an even thickness. The dough disc must be about 3-6 mm thick.
- Try to make the dough thin. In the barbecue, the heat comes from below, so it is advisable to roll out the dough thinly and use only a few raw ingredients for the filling.
- The barbecues that guarantee good heat control allow you to vary the thickness and structure of the dough. You will need to experiment to determine which are the most appropriate choices for your specific model.
- You can pre-bake or grill the pizza base in advance and then freeze it. So, you could make several at once without worrying about them spoiling in the freezer.
Step 3. Cut the filling ingredients evenly
Use a maximum of three, for example tomatoes, onions, mushrooms or peppers. If you like to vary, you can use artichokes, spinach, or other less common options. As for the meat, you can use sausage, pepperoni and even chicken if you wish.
For a simple option, briefly cook the dough on both sides as if it were a pancake, then brush it with garlic oil and add a sprinkling of herbs. You will get a delicious and crunchy focaccia that you can eat alone or stuffed like a flatbread
Step 4. Cook the meat or fish before placing them on the pizza
This is an important precaution, especially for chicken and all those ingredients that are dangerous to eat raw. In any case, it is best to place the meats close to the edge of the pizza so that they cook faster.
Once cooked, use the meat as soon as possible. If they are leftovers, put them in a perfectly clean airtight container and store them in the lower part of the refrigerator at a temperature that does not exceed 5 ° C. Keep cooked meats separate from raw meats and pre-cooked foods
Step 5. Put the ingredients on a tray next to the necessary utensils
Choose a tray that can hold everything you need for the filling (sliced, chopped or chopped ingredients), tomato puree, oil, a pastry brush, a spoon and a large spatula.
Kitchen tongs can also be useful, but they are not essential
Part 3 of 3: Bake the Pizza
Step 1. Put the pizza on a shovel
If necessary, you can improvise one using a cutting board, baking sheet or other flat object that allows you to slide the pizza gently onto the grill plate.
If you made the dough at home and you are not using a pre-cooked base, try not to let it rise too much, otherwise it will become too soft and break easily
Step 2. Brush the top of the pizza with extra virgin olive oil
Dip the bristles of the brush in the oil and distribute it on the top side of the pizza. Continue until it is evenly covered in a thin layer of oil.
Step 3. Bake the pizza with the greased side down for 1-2 minutes, keeping the lid closed
Open the barbecue and gently place the dough on the plate. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes with the lid closed or for 3 minutes holding it up.
Lift the dough with the tongs every 30 seconds. The black lines typical of grilling must form, without however becoming crunchy
Step 4. Turn the pizza base using the spatula
Insert the spatula under the dough trying to push it as deep as possible, then place your free hand on the "cold" side of the pizza, then turn it upside down and lay it back on the plate.
- The pizza should come off the plate easily without breaking. If it is delicate and breaks, or if you feel it might break, let it cook for another 30 seconds and then check again.
- If the pizza base is only darkening on one side, turn it 90 ° with the spatula or tongs and let it cook for an extra minute.
Step 5. Brush the top of the pizza with the extra virgin olive oil and add the tomato puree
Pour a little oil on the brush and spread it gently on the grilled side of the pizza. Add the tomato puree (about a ladle) and distribute it evenly over the dough using the back of the utensil.
You can use more than a ladle of puree if you like the pizza well seasoned, but you run the risk of the dough getting too moist
Step 6. Add the filling ingredients and mozzarella
Spread the mozzarella and other ingredients on the pizza. The meat and cold cuts are placed on top of the cheese. Be careful not to season the pizza too much, in particular try not to add too much mozzarella and too many liquid ingredients, such as tomato sauce, gravies or sauces.
- The mozzarella melts quickly, so don't add too much to prevent it from dripping onto the plate.
- If the mozzarella were to leak, it could catch fire and the smoke could ruin the taste of the pizza.
Step 7. Cook the pizza for 3 to 5 minutes if you are using a gas barbecue
After you have stuffed it, close the lid of the barbecue and let it cook. Use your sense of smell and sight to decide how long to cook the pizza. If you smell burning, immediately remove the lid from the barbecue and, if necessary, move the pizza to a place where the temperature is lower.
If the pizza continues to burn even after moving it or opening the lid, reduce the temperature of the barbecue to around 260-290 ° C
Step 8. Close the vent valves for 2-3 minutes if you are using a charcoal barbecue
Check that the valves on the lid are almost completely closed. After 2-3 minutes or when the mozzarella begins to boil and the underside of the pizza darkens, remove it from the plate with the spatula and place it on a cutting board to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Remove the pizza from the barbecue when the mozzarella seems sufficiently melted
Step 9. Cut the pizza into 4 wedges
Hold it gently on one side and cut it first vertically and then horizontally to get 4 equal slices.
- If you want to cut the pizza into smaller wedges, you can also make one or two cuts diagonally, but given the size, dividing it into 4 slices should be the ideal choice.
- If you have guests, ask someone to help you cook and supervise the pizzas. This way, when yours is ready, you can eat it with peace of mind.
Advice
- Respect your neighbors and make sure the wind doesn't blow smoke in their direction, especially if they've been hanging laundry outside. If the conditions and spaces are not optimal for using a barbecue, it is better to go and eat pizza in a pizzeria rather than make enemies.
- Cooking pizza on the barbecue is not as simple as baking it in the oven. You will need to practice and experiment in order to get good results. It takes commitment, but you will see that it will be worth it.
