By Yasmin Fahr
TheDailyMeal.com
Pizza can be made in more ways than one -- it's not just meant to be baked.
"I think pizza is one of those great things that really benefits from being cooked on the grates outside," says The Cooking Guy Sam Zien.
Why? Because it develops a nice char on the bottom, great flavor, and is super easy. If you haven't thought of making pizza on a grill this barbecue season, check out Zien's simple tips below and give it a shot!
1. Make dough from scratch or, to cut back on time, either pick some up from your local pizza shop or buy it raw from a supermarket (Zien recommends the pizza dough from Whole Foods). He says, "It's cheap, it's all done, and you don't have to mess with all the flour and dough."
2. Take it out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before you use it to allow the glutens to relax.
3. Heat up the grill.
4. On a lightly floured surface, stretch out the dough until it's about ¼-inch thick. Lightly brush it with oil, and place the pizza on a medium-hot grill.
5. About five minutes later, once the bottom has nice grill marks on it and has firmed up, oil the top part and flip it over so that the grill marks are facing up. Now, you can add whatever sauce, cheese, or toppings that you want. Close the lid, and cook for another five to seven minutes.
Toppings?
Zien recommends getting creative with pizza toppings since you can really put almost anything on a pizza, but he really likes roasted or grilled vegetables (even leftovers), fresh basil, and a little feta. Or, you can forgo the toppings and instead rub the dough with garlic and oil, keeping the dough thick and chewy to serve with salads.
What to do when it's not grilling weather? Try this same method indoors on a grill pan.
More From The Daily Meal:
-- 8 Things You Didn't Know You Could Grill
-- 5 Grilling Mistakes You Should Never Make
-- 15 of the Most Expensive Grills—And Are They Worth It?
-- 101 Best Pizzas in America
