Grilled Margherita Pizzas
Recipe information
Yield
makes six 9-inch pizzas
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
Pizza Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
Heat a grill until medium-hot. Generously brush one side of the pizza dough with oil; grill, oiled side down, until the underside is golden brown and the top begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly brush the top with oil; flip the crust. Top with thin layers of sauce and cheese. Grill until the cheese is just melted, the sauce is hot, and the crust is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
Step 2
Slide the pizza with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange basil on top. Repeat to make more pizzas.
Pizza Dough
Step 3
Stir the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl until the yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with oil, and set aside.
Step 4
Stir together 6 cups flour and the salt in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and the oil; stir mixture until all of the flour is incorporated. Continue to stir until a stiff dough forms. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead with floured hands, dusting with as little flour as possible if dough seems sticky, just until the ball becomes smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Reshape the dough into a ball. (Alternatively, put 6 cups flour, the salt, yeast mixture, and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, add up to 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing after each addition. Knead 4 or 5 turns to form a ball.)
Step 5
Place the dough in the oiled bowl, smooth side up. Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the plastic wrap; punch down the dough. Fold the dough back onto itself 4 or 5 times; leave the smooth side up. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise again until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 7
Punch down the dough, and transfer it to a clean work surface. Cut the dough with a bench scraper or knife into sixths. Knead each piece 4 or 5 turns to form a ball. Cover all but one with plastic wrap.
Step 8
On a lightly floured work surface, flatten the dough ball into a disk. Loosely cover with plastic wrap; let rest 5 minutes. Using a rolling pin or your fingertips, flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center to form a 9-inch circle (or a 7 × 11-inch rectangle or rough oval).
Step 9
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle with flour. Place the dough on top. Cover with another sheet of parchment, and sprinkle with flour. Roll out and stack the remaining dough balls.
Step 10
Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap; refrigerate the pizza dough until ready to use, up to 1 day, or freeze up to 1 month (thaw in the refrigerator before using).
Pizza Sauce
Step 11
Crush the tomatoes with your hands in a large bowl. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 50 minutes.
Step 12
Pass the sauce through a food mill into a bowl; discard the solids. (Alternatively, process sauce in a food processor until smooth.) If not using immediately, refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.
