Sverre’s Norwegian Pizza Championships Story:

With over 250,000 visitors during its four days duration, the annual Gladmat-festival is Norway’s largest food festival and has been a decade long tradition. One of the biggest events, with over 400 spectators this year, was the Norwegian Pizza Championship.

Sverre Bech-Sjøthun’s pizza, judged by, among others, the director of Norwegian Institute of Culinary Arts, came in 3^rd, only one point from 2^nd place, so this is a real treat:

The objective of this recipe was to come up with a pizza that is not overly complicated to cook, yet offer a real gastronomic experience. The result is a pizza with exceptionally crisp, slightly “chewy” and tasty crust, and where the cheese and toppings enhance rather than compete with each other. The toasted hazelnuts add a nice flavor and texture in the finish, while parsley brings freshness to it all.

Note that I am being very particular in my description, but don’t get scared by the level of detail – I just want to make sure that you don’t miss anything. The dough, for example, is made in under 10 minutes, and the total time is approximately 40 minutes including prepping and watching the sauce reduce, so you’ll have plenty time to enjoy a glass of wine – or crack open a cold one while you cook.

Pizza with Fennel, Gorgonzola and Porcini Recipe

Dough (enough for 3 two-man pizza)
Note: Made the day before

The key to getting the perfect crust is long fermentation time, as it gives you optimal development of flavor: enzymes will break down the complex carbohydrates in the flour to simpler carbohydrates.

In other words, we’re trying to release sugars trapped in the complex starch in the flour. Some of this becomes “yeast food”, while most become available to the palate as flavor and to the crust as color (caramelization). This caramelization of the crust is what gives you the ultimate crunch as well as a flavor and texture of the crust one simply cannot achieve with short fermentation.

The reason that everything is measured in weight is that the flour has different density depending on handling, transport etc. Weight is thus the most accurate measurement.

 Ingredients:

• 12.5g (o.4oz) fresh yeast, crumble in:
• 400g (14oz) cold water (fridge cold)
• Dash of good olive oil is added
• 600g (21 oz) unbleached all-purpose wheat flour added
• Dash of Maldon added

Directions:

Salt should not be in direct contact with yeast. Salt kills yeast (which is why it makes such a good preservative).

Knead the dough until you get smooth dough that clear the sides of the bowl, but not the bottom. You will notice that the dough will change consistency after 5-7 minutes, from really sticky to “silky smooth”. I prefer to use a hand mixer and dough hooks rather than my hands as they will transfer heat to the dough, and this is not desirable.

Sprinkle some flour on the dough and use a dough scraper to loosen it from the bowl, then add a little bit of olive oil and rotate the dough until it is all covered. Cover with plastic wrap, then set to rise in the refrigerator for at least a day, but up to 3 days.

Alternative 1:

Divide into 3 equal pieces (using a scale), put the dough in a food-grade 5 liter plastic bag or zip lock covered with a little oil (the bag needs to be big to allow the dough to rise). Put one in the fridge, while the other two are put in the freezer and stored for later use for up to 3 months. The frozen dough is set to rise in the refrigerator the morning before serving.

Alternative 2:

This dough also makes the most amazing rustic bread. Spread with either cheese or dip in some good olive oil (or The Cannery’s Lobster Oil!) with balsamic vinegar…

2 hours before making the pizza: take the dough out at room temperature, and place on a sheet pan dusted with a bit of flour – preferably Italian durum wheat (semolina) as it doesn’t burn as quickly as all-purpose.

Gently press the dough into a disc, as circular as possible, then lift the disc and form it gently to a roughly ½” thick disc. Make sure the sheet pan is still evenly coated with flour, then put the dough back on the sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap (I tend to split the plastic bags that already have oil on them)

Minimal processing and pressure (don’t you dare use a rolling pin, as this will completely de-gas the dough) throughout the process ensures a very light, airy and crispy crust. Gluten is the protein that gives the dough the elastic springiness that often forces you to squeeze out all the gas with your rolling pin – allowing the dough to rest and not work it too much relaxes the gluten, thus making the dough incredibly easy to handle.

40 minutes before making the pizza: Preheat the oven as hot as possible. Most home ovens go to 230C to 250C (450 to 550F). If you have convection oven, use convection, but only turn the fan on after you’ve put the pizza in the oven, or you’ll end up blowing out all the hot air when you put the pizza in it.
Just before baking: If you think the dough need more shaping, gently lift and pull the edges to the desired shape – again NO rolling pin, as this will “deflate” the dough and make the crust dense. Spread the sauce, cheese & toppings.

Into the hot oven, bottom shelf for 4-10 minutes. It’s done when the cheese has a nice, golden color and the crust golden with darker caramelization. Slide the pizza onto a grill or wood chopping board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. The grill or wooden chopping board ensures that no condensation forms under the crust while resting, and the crust will stay crisp.

Tomato Sauce:

Sauce (enough for at least 3 pizza)

Ingredients:

• 800 grams (30oz) tomatoes on the vine
• Olive oil for sauté
• 4 Shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced / pressed
• 1 tablespoon Marjoram
• 2 tablespoons Oregano
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper (taste)
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoon salt (taste)

In a large sauté pan (about 24cm), sauté the minced or pressed garlic and chopped onion in a bit of good olive oil until they are shiny, but not brown – the garlic will be bitter if it turns brown.

Meanwhile, give the tomatoes a criss-cross cut on top and blanch in 1 liter of water for about 20 seconds, but stay alert – if blanched for too long they’ll get soggy and difficult to handle – remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon or a spider immediately when you see the skin just start to peel off in the water. Put into ice water to stop cooking process immediately. Remove skin.

Cut tomatoes in half; remove stem, wet core and seeds. The seeds have a bitter taste, so we want to discard the seeds, but the core of the tomato contains by far the most umami, so we want to keep that. Pass the core through a sieve over the sauté pan with the onion.

Chop the outer flesh of the tomato and add to the sauté pan. Add the herbs and spices and let it reduce for 15-30 minutes, until you get a slightly thick consistency, like a slightly chunky ketchup. If a smoother consistency is desired, you can use a blender, since the tomato seeds are removed, and you don’t have to worry about the bitter aftertaste the seeds would give otherwise. Blending the sauce makes it easier to spread on the dough.

The flavor will develop further if you let it sit in the fridge for a day. Leftovers can be put in a freezer for up to a month.

Cheese

• 100g Jarlsberg
• 100g mozzarella (ideally buffalo)
• 50g Gorgonzola

Topping

• 1 Small fennel, finely sliced length-wise (julienned), sautéed in oil until just soft
• Porcini in small chunks, lightly browned in butter
• 100g Entrecote (rib eye), raw, in thin strips on top of the cheese

 Before serving, sprinkle on top of the pizza (in this order):

• 50g Hazelnut, chopped and toasted
• Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Put the hazelnuts in a plastic bag and use your knife-butt to crush them – make sure most have an even size. Toast in a dry pan, continuously tossing the nuts so they won’t burn. Pass to a small bowl and shake it gently. The smallest bits will sink to the bottom of the bowl, and the larger bits will come to the top. Use the larger bits and discard the dust and the smallest ones.

I hope you will enjoy this incredible recipe – let me know if you tried it and send me your comments, suggestions and pictures if you can!

Homemade Pizza on the Grill is gaining popularity, and for a good reason. It’s quick & easy, and it’s the best pizza you’ve ever eaten! It sounds frightening and intimidating at first – what happens if the dough slips through the grate?- but once you’ve done it a few times, it’s a piece of cake…or rather – a great slice of pizza!

Here’s what you are going to need and a quick how-to for making homemade grilled pizza.

First you need a grill! Gas grill is great, but you can certainly use charcoal or a wood-fired grill too.

No need for the pizza stone! The only pan you’ll need is the one to carry your pizza dough to the grill on, but you could just as well do double-duty by using a cutting board instead eliminating the need for any pans.

Tools – Stainless tongs, metal spatula, large knife, aluminum foil, spoons for toppings, Ziploc bags and containers for toppings, wine, beer, cocktails!

Pizza Dough – Spend the time to make your own, or you can buy really good pizza dough from your local bakery or supermarket. You can use regular white dough or try this with whole wheat dough!

You really don’t need any formal recipes, you’re the pizza chef, and whatever you have a craving for should go on your next pizza! Most people just wing it, choosing seasonal ingredients and toppings, or as their tastes dictate.

Pizza Sauce - Traditional red pizza sauce, pesto, Alfredo sauce, maple chipotle sauce, refried beans, and salsa – anything goes here. Use your imagination when building your pizza. Consider theme pizzas, like Mexican, Italian, Greek, All-Meat, Veggie, etc. The sauce should match your toppings.

Toppings - Again, be creative. Use what you like, but consider the sauce you’re topping. The different seasons will often dictate what you use on your pizza. Spring asparagus is great on a pizza topped with pesto! Summer offers an abundance of fresh veggies from the Farmers’ Market.

How to Grill your Pizza

Bring ALL your things to the grill now. Once you start, the process goes rather quickly, so you need to be organized before you even turn on the grill! You don’t want to be running back and forth for tools and/or ingredients.

Your secret to good looking grilled pizza – Aluminum Foil

This is the secret to good looking grilled pizzas. You have to be able to transfer the flimsy dough from your workspace to the grill. If you are grilling 2 pizzas, cut off 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. “Roll” one pizza at a time on a cornmeal dusted piece of foil. Once they’re flat, you can stack them one on top of each other with foil between each pizza. This method makes it so much easier to transfer and flip the dough on the hot grill in one piece. After all, it’s not just about good taste; it’s also about the awesome presentation!

How Hot Does the Grill Need to Be?

Hot – Hot – Hot! Crank up that grill! Assuming you’re using a gas grill, light it and preheat on high for about 10-15 minutes. If you’re using charcoal, no problem! Just make sure to give it enough time to get those coals white hot. This is important – your grill has to be hotter than hell before you throw your pizza on it – Don’t be scared! The dough won’t fall through the grates as long as it’s searingly HOT!

How to Grill Your Pizza

Leaving the pizza dough on the foil, open the grill and in one swift motion, flip the dough upside down on the grill, foil and all, trying to keep it all in one piece. Then quickly peel off the foil, adjust the dough if you have to and close the top. Leave it in there for about 3 minutes. The experts say not to peek, but every grill is different, and we peek each time just in case one edge is browning faster than the other. Those nice grill marks on the bottom are great, but make sure it doesn’t burn! Use the tongs to move the dough around. Just be sure to leave it on the grill for at least 2 minutes before moving otherwise it will tear.

When you’re happy with the way it looks, remove the dough from the grill and transfer to cutting board, grilled side up. This is the side you’ll be “decorating”.

Add sauce, toppings, cheese and sprinkle with seasonings.

Turn one of the two grill burners off. Place pizza back on the grill, cover and grill for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and bottom is browned and cooked through. If the bottom starts to cook faster than you expected, turn the pizza around or move it to another spot.

Remove to cutting board, slice and serve with ice cold beer or a nice glass of Chianti!

Hope you have enjoyed this information and will enjoy your grilled pizza! Please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is welcomed and much appreciated

Spinach and Fontina Pizza:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. of pizza dough
• 1 tablespoon of cornmeal
• 2 tablespoon of olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced or mashed
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1-1/2 cups of cooked spinach or 1 pkg. of thawed chopped frozen spinach
• 1-1/2 cups of shredded Fontina cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 3 oz. of thin slices prosciutto or cooked ham
• 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms

Directions:

• Shape pizza dough into balls by putting sides downward and folding into bottom centre.
• Let rest for 20 minutes
• On lightly floured surface, shape dough into 14-inch round or 16 x 12 inch rectangle to fit pizza pan or baking sheet by pressing down with fingertips and stretching dough by pulling at edges – or use a rolling pin to do this.
• Sprinkle with cornmeal and lay dough into your pan.
• Spread oil and garlic over surface and sprinkle with salt, cover with spinach and top with cheese
• Sprinkle with pepper and top with prosciutto and mushrooms
• Bake on lower rack at 425F until bottom of crust is browned – about 17 -20 minutes

Mushroom and Gorgonzola Cheese Pizza:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. of pizza dough
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon of minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon of dried
• 1/3 cup of dry white wine or vermouth
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of cornmeal
• 6 oz. of Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

• Shape dough into a ball by pulling sides downward and folding into bottom centre.
• Let rest for 20 minutes
• Meanwhile, in skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat, saute shallots and garlic until light golden – about 1 minute
• Add mushrooms and rosemary, saute until mushroom are soft – about 1 minute
• Add wine ad salt, cook until liquid is evaporated – that will take about 4 minutes
• Set aside
• on lightly floured surface, shape dough into 14 inch round or 16 x 12 inch rectangle to fit pizza pan or baking sheet by pressing down with fingertips and stretching dough by pulling at edges – or use a rolling pin.
• Sprinkle pan with cornmeal and lay dough into the pan
• Spread mushroom mixture over dough, top with pieces of gorgonzola cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan and pepper
• Bake on lower rack at 425F until bottom of crust is browned – about 17 – 20 minutes.

Zucchini and Smoked Provolone  Cheese Pizza:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. of pizza dough
• 1 lb. of small yellow or green zucchini
• 1 tablespoon of cornmeal
• 1 cup of tomato pizza sauce
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1-1/2 cups of shredded smoked provolone
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Shape dough into ball by pulling sides downward and folding into bottom centre.
• Let rest for 20 minutes
• Meanwhile, boil whole zucchini in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Drain, chill under cold water and drain again
• Thinly slice at an angle
• On lightly floured surface, shape dough into 14 inch round or 16 x 12 inch rectangle to fit pizza pan or baking sheet by pressing down with fingertips and stretching dough by pulling at edges – or use a rolling pin
• Sprinkle pan with cornmeal, lay dough in pan
• Spread tomato pizza sauce over dough, sprinkle with oregano, top with cheese
• Lay zucchini slices over cheese decoratively
• Sprinkle with oil and season with salt and pepper
• Bake on lower rack at 425F until bottom crust is nicely browned – about 17-20 minutes

Arugula Pizza:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. of pizza dough
• 1/3 cup of pitted black olives
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon of cornmeal
• Hot pepper flakes
• 1 can of tuna, drained
• 1-1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• Handful of arugula leaves

Directions:

• Shape pizza dough into ball by pulling sides downward and folding into bottom centre
• Let rest for 20 minutes
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl of food processor, puree olives, oil, anchovies and garlic
• On lightly floured surface, shape dough into 14 inch round, or 16 x 12 rectangle to fit pizza pan or baking sheet by pressing down with fingertips and stretching dough by pulling at edges – or use a rolling pin.
• Sprinkle with cornmeal, lay dough in pan
• Spread olive mixture  over dough and sprinkle with hot pepper
• Break up tuna into small pieces, arrange on pizza and sprinkle with cheese and red pepper
• Bake on lower rack at 425F until bottom crust is nicely browned – about 17 – 20 minutes
• Top with arugula leaves

Sausage and Roasted Pepper Pizza:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. of pizza dough
• 1 jar of roasted sweet peppers, drained
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 Italian sausages = about 1/2 lb.
• 1 tablespoon of cornmeal
• 1 hot green pepper, thinly sliced – or half green sweet pepper, chopped
• 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Shape pizza dough into ball by pulling sides downward and folding into bottom centre
• Let rest for about 20 minutes
• Meanwhile, in food processor, puree roasted peppers, garlic, oil and salt
• Remove sausage meat from skins and crumble
• On lightly floured surface, shape dough into 14 inch round or 16 x 12 inch rectangle to fit pizza pan or baking sheet by pressing down with fingertips and stretching dough by pulling at edges – or use a rolling pin
• Sprinkle pan with cornmeal and lay dough into the pan
• Spread pepper sauce over dough, top with sausages and hot pepper
• Sprinkle with cheese
• Bake on lower rack at 425F until bottom is nicely browned – about 17  -20 minutes

Note: You can use store-bough pizza dough and canned pizza sauce – or make your own – here is how to:

Making your own pizza

Tips to Making Your Own Pizza

Authentic Homemade Italian Pizza Tips

Hope you enjoy these recipe and remember that your comments, suggestions and experiences adn always very welcomed and appreciated!

]]> http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/five-easy-pizza-recipes.html/feed 0 http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/best-pizza-recipes.html http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/best-pizza-recipes.html#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:37:00 +0000 Hanna Trafford http://www.mama-knows.com/uncategorized/best-pizza-recipes.html Your Super Bowl Sunday party will not be complete without pizza! I know that it is easier to pick up the phone and order varieties that will come to you hot in cardboard boxes, but believe me – making your own pizza is easy and it really is so much better!

You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time and keep them in ziplock bags or plastic containers ,all ready to put on the crust you either purchase from your local bakery or make it yourself.

My absolute favourite is Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza – ever since I made it the first time, it has been very hard to order a pizza – you will keep on comparing and changes are that you will decide you will always make your own!

Here is how to go about making your own pizza and few of my favourite recipes:

How to Make Your Own Pizza

And please do try making the Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza – you will not be sorry!

Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

If you want the Authentic Italian Pizza – check out these recipes! You will also find directions to make you own pizza sauce:

Authentic Italian Pizza Recipes

There are more recipes available on this site :

Homemade Pizza on the Grill

Homemade Summer Pizza Recipes

Enjoy making your own pizza and enjoy your Super Bowl party!

Make-Ahead Pizza Casserole:

1/2 lb. of shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/4 lb. of chopped prosciutto

2 medium tomatoes, cored and diced

6 cups of cubed Italian or French bread (about 1 medium loaf)

5 eggs

1-1/4 cup of skim milk

1/2 cup of reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

Grated Parmesan cheese

• Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray
• In a large bowl, toss together the mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, tomatoes and bread.
• Arrange the bread mixture evenly in the baking pan.
• Using the same bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk.
• Add the milk, sour cream, oregano, basil and garlic powder. Beat well.
• Pour the egg mixture over the bread, tilting the baking pan from side to side to soak all the bread cubes evenly.
• Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350F, uncover the casserole and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on top.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving if desired.
• If you like really cheesy pizza, add more shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top right after baking.

Hope you enjoy this recipe – please send in your comments of suggestions – your input is always welcomed!

First – to get recipe for homemade crust:

http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/making-your-own-pizza.html

To get tips for making the perfect pizza:

http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/top-five-tips-for-making-the-perfect-homemade-pizza.html

To make homemade pizza sauce:

http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/authentic-homemade-italian-pizza.html

Homemade Summer Pizza Recipes:

1. Calabrese Potato Provolone Pizza:

Calabrese Potato Provolone Pizza

Pizza Dough

1 cup of Pizza Sauce

1 Yukon Gold Potato

4 oz. of Calabrese Sausage or Italian Salami, thinly sliced

7 Fresh Sage leaves, chopped

1-1/2 cup of Shredded Provolone Cheese

• Peel the potato and slice into paper thin slices – set aside
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough into a 14 inch round and centre on a greased pizza pan
• Spread with tomato sauce, layer with potato. sausage and sage on top, sprinkle with cheese
• Bake in the bottom third of 425F oven, until cheese is bubbly and crust golden and puffed – about 20 minutes.

2. Three Cheese Spinach Pizza

Three Cheese Spinach Pizza

Pizza Dough

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1 bunch of spinach (about 8 oz.) trimmed, cooked and squeezed ry

1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

4 oz. of Gorgonzola cheese

• On lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into 14 inch round and centre on a greased pizza pan.
• Brush with oil, sprinkle with garlic, pepper and spinach
• Top with Mozzarella, Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses
• Bake in bottom third of 425F oven until cheese is bubbly and crust golden and puffed – about 20 minutes.

3. Grilled Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Pizza:

Grilled Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Pizza

Homemade Pizza Dough

1 cup of Homemade Pizza Sauce

8 oz. of fresh Mozzarella Cheese

1 small Eggplant, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon of fresh Basil leaves

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

• Drain and pat Mozzarella dry, cut into small rounds and let stand on paper towel-lined tray for 30 minutes.
• Brush eggplant with oil. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat or under broiler; cook, turning once until tender – about 10 minutes.
• On lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to 14 inch round and centre on greased pizza pan.
• Spread with sauce, sprinkle with basil and top with eggplant, onion and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in bottom third of 425F oven until cheese is bubbly and crust golden and puffed – about 20 minutes.

Hope you enjoy these recipes – please send in your comments anytime!

]]> http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/homemade-summer-pizza-recipes.html/feed 1 http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-with-marinated-onions-pizza-on-the-grill.html http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-with-marinated-onions-pizza-on-the-grill.html#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 12:18:12 +0000 Hanna Trafford http://www.mama-knows.com/?p=1668

This is a great flat bread pizza – perfect for brunch or dinner. Or cut your grilled pizza into squares and serve as an appetizer.You can also use trout instead of salmon.

For detailed directions on making Homemade Grilled Pizza, check out:

http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/homemade-pizza-on-the-grill.html

Smoked Salmon with Marinated Onions Pizza on the Grill:

1/2 cup of sour cream

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 lb. of pizza dough (white or whole wheat)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 packages (100 gms each) of thinly sliced smoked salmon

1/2 cup of drained Marinated Onion (recipe below)

You can also use capers instead of marinated onions – it adds yet another flavour!

In a small bowl. mix together sour cream, half the dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper and set aside.

On lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough into 16 x 12 inch rectangle, transfer to inverted baking sheet or use aluminum foil method described in the Pizza on the Grill instructions (link above)

Brush with oil. Place, oiled side down directly on the grill at high heat – grilled for couple minutes only, watching carefully not to burn edges, turn heat down to medium. Grill uncovered until and watching carefully until bubbles form on top and grill marks underneath – about 3-6 minutes.

Flip pizza, close lid and grill for about another 3 minutes.Transfer to cutting board or tray.

Put sour cream mixture over top and spread with back of a spoon. Overlap salmon on cream and top with marinated onions – sprinkle with remaining dill.

Marinated Onions:

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/3 cup of white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. of granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Place onion in heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar,1/2 cup of water, sugar and salt to boil over medium-high heat,stirring until dissolved. Pour over onion and let stand for at least 30 minutes,stirring occasionally.

Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours minimum. Drain before using.

Please share your experiences and let me know how this recipe worked out for you!

Homemade Pizza on the Grill is gaining popularity, and for a good reason. It’s quick & easy, and it’s the best pizza you’ve ever eaten! It sounds frightening and intimidating at first – what happens if the dough slips through the grate?- but once you’ve done it a few times, it’s a piece of cake…or rather – a great slice of pizza!

Here’s what you are going to need and a quick how-to for making homemade grilled pizza.

First you need a grill! Gas grill is great, but you can certainly use charcoal or a wood-fired grill too.

No need for the pizza stone! The only pan you’ll need is the one to carry your pizza dough to the grill on, but you could just as well do double-duty by using a cutting board instead eliminating the need for any pans.

Tools – Stainless tongs, metal spatula, large knife, aluminum foil, spoons for toppings, ziploc bags and containers for toppings, wine, beer, cocktails!

Pizza Dough – Spend the time to make your own, or you can buy really good pizza dough from your local bakery or supermarket. You can use regular white dough or try this with a whole wheat dough!

You really don’t need any formal recipes, you’re the pizza chef, whatever you have a craving for should go on your next pizza! Most people just wing it, choosing seasonal ingredients and toppings, or as their tastes dictate.

Pizza Sauce - Traditional red pizza sauce, pesto, alfredo sauce, maple chipotle sauce, refried beans, salsa – anything goes here. Use your imagination when building your pizza. Consider theme pizzas, like Mexican, Italian, Greek, All-Meat, Veggie, etc. The sauce should match your toppings.

Toppings - Again, be creative. Use what you like, but consider the sauce you’re topping. The different seasons will often dictate what you use on your pizza. Spring asparagus is great on a pizza topped with pesto! Summer offers an abundance of fresh veggies from the Farmers’ Market.

How to Grill your Pizza

Bring ALL your things to the grill now. Once you start, the process goes rather quickly, so you need to be organized before you even turn on the grill! You don’t want to be running back and forth for tools and/or ingredients.

Your secret to good looking grilled pizza – Aluminum Foil

This is the secret to good looking grilled pizzas. You have to be able to transfer the flimsy dough from your workspace to the grill. If you are grilling 2 pizzas, cut off 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. “Roll” one pizza at a time on a cornmeal dusted piece of foil. Once they’re flat, you can stack them one on top of each other with foil between each pizza. This method makes it so much easier to transfer and flip the dough on the hot grill in one piece. After all, it’s not just about good taste, it’s also about the awesome presentation!

How Hot Does the Grill Need to Be?

Hot – Hot – Hot! Crank up that grill! Assuming you’re using a gas grill, light it and preheat on high for about 10-15 minutes. If you’re using charcoal, no problem! Just make sure to give it enough time to get those coals white hot. This is important – your grill has to be hotter than hell before you throw your pizza on it - Don’t be scared! The dough won’t fall through the grates as long as it’s searingly HOT!

How to Grill Your Pizza

• Leaving the pizza dough on the foil, open the grill and in one swift motion, flip the dough upside down on the grill, foil and all, trying to keep it all in one piece. Then quickly peel off the foil, adjust the dough if you have to and close the top. Leave it in there for about 3 minutes. The experts say not to peek, but every grill is different, and we peek each time just in case one edge is browning faster than the other. Those nice grill marks on the bottom are great, but make sure it doesn’t burn! Use the tongs to move the dough around. Just be sure to leave it on the grill for at least 2 minutes before moving otherwise it will tear.
• When you’re happy with the way it looks, remove the dough from the grill and transfer to cutting board, grilled side up. This is the side you’ll be “decorating”.
• Add sauce, toppings, cheese and sprinkle with seasonings.
• Turn one of the two grill burners off. Place pizza back on the grill, cover and grill for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and bottom is browned and cooked through. If the bottom starts to cook faster than you expected, turn the pizza around or move it to another spot.
• Remove to cutting board, slice and serve with ice cold beer or a nice glass of Chianti!

Congratulations! And believe me – once you have tastes grilled pizza, you may not want to go back to your oven!

First – the following are the three very, very important things -tips on achieving your goal of the perfect pizza, making  homemade pizza dough and equally homemade pizza sauce -

Please click on the links below:

Homemade Pizza Dough:

http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/making-your-own-pizza.html

Top Five Tips for making the Perfect Homemade Pizza:

http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/top-five-tips-for-making-the-perfect-homemade-pizza.html

And of course – you will want to make your own pizza sauce. Little more work, but believe me – well worth it. I was going to add a written recipe here, but then I saw a great video on YouTube and I find it very easy to follow it. besides – he makes it just the way I do! So thanks for that and watch the video here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now that you have the homemade pizza dough and the great aromatic homemade pizza sauce – here are the Authentic Italian Pizza recipes:

Pizza Marinara:

You will want to use 2-4 cloves of very thinly sliced garlic (depending on how adventurous you are!) and 1/2 cup of chopped canned tomatoes. Spread little (or a lot of your sauce – depending on your preference) over your pizza dough, sprinkle the garlic, drizzle with a few drops of Olive oil and bake.

Pizza Prosciutto e Funghi – Prosciutto and Mushroom:

Take about a cup of finely chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup of your tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of chopped canned tomatoes or finely sliced fresh tomatoes, 1/2 cup of finely chopped ham and about 1.4 lb. of shredded mozzarella cheese. Spread the tomato sauce over your pizza dough, sprinkle the other toppings over it, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil and bake.

Pizza La Napoletana :

This one is for all those who love anchovies! You will need 1/2 cup of your tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of finely sliced fresh tomatoes, 1/4 lb. of shredded mozzarella cheese, 3-4 anchovy fillets (or more if you really like them!) 1 tablespoon of capers and a little oregano. Spread your sauce over your pizza dough, dot it with remaining ingredients, drizzle with few drops of olive oil and bake.

Pizza Quattro Stagioni – The Four Seasons:

This one will please anyone – as you can pick the variety of preference from one pizza pie! You will need 12 cup of your pizza sauce, 1/2 cup of chopped canned tomatoes or 1;/2 cup of thinly sliced fresh tomatoes, 3-4 canned artichoke hearts, quartered, 5-6 black sweet olives (packed in brine), 1/2 cup of finely chopped mushrooms, 2 oz. of finely chopped ham and 1/4 lb of shredded mozzarella cheese. Spread your tomato sauce and the mozzarella cheese over your pizza dough and arrange the other four toppings each in a quarter of the pizza, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil and bake.

Pizza Capricciosa – Everything but the kitchen sink:

Well – not really everything – but the more items you can put on, based on your preferences, the richest pizza you will end up with. Here is a little guide to what you can put on: 1/2 cup of your tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of chopped canned tomatoes or 1/2 cup of thinly sliced fresh tomatoes, 1/4 lb. of mozzarella cheese, 1 finely sliced wiener, 1 skinned and shredded sweet Italian sausage, 8 think slices of pepperoni, 2 oz. of thinly sliced ham, 2 canned artichoke hearts, quartered. Spread your tomato sauce over your pizza dough, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and spread all remaining ingredients over the pie, drizzle with few drops of olive oil and bake.

Pizza al Quattro Formaggi – Four cheese Pizza:

Use 1/2 cup of your homemade pizza sauce, 1/2 cup of finely sliced fresh tomatoes, 1/4 lb. of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup of each gorgonzola, swiss, fontina or asiago cheeses and 2-4 sweet black olives. Spread your sauce over the pizza dough, spread tomatoes evenly, add all cheese, spreading evenly over the pie. The pizza will look almost white – dot it with few drops of olive oil and bake.

Pizza Vegetariana :

This one pretty much totally up to you – whatever vegetables you like that is what you use! Here is a short guide on what I use: Stewed peppers, stewed eggplant, artichoke hearts, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, sweet onions….. Let you imagination go!

You will start with the usual 1/2 cup of your pizza sauce, spread over your own pizza dough and cover with 1;/4 lb. of shredded mozzarella cheese. Then spread your choice of vegetables over the pie, sprinkle with a few drops of olive oil and bake.

]]> http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/authentic-homemade-italian-pizza.html/feed 0 http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/top-five-tips-for-making-the-perfect-homemade-pizza.html http://www.mama-knows.com/recipes/top-five-tips-for-making-the-perfect-homemade-pizza.html#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:45:29 +0000 Hanna Trafford http://www.mama-knows.com/?p=1270

Top Five Tips for making the Perfect Homemade Pizza:

1. Assemble your pizza pie on order:

Sauce, Cheese, Toppings, More cheese if you desire or

Oil, Cheese, Toppings, Cheese, Oil

Remember that you don’t need to drown your pizza in sauce – I recommend maximum of 1/ cup of sauce. Spread it using a large spoon or if you are using oil insteaad of pizza, apply that with a pastry brush and drizzle little more over the pizza after you have put all your toppings on.

2.Spread sauce, oil and toppings only within the rim of the crust:

Never cover your pizza dough all the way to the edge

3. All ingredients you are using need to finish cooking at the same time:

If you need to, pre-cook toppings that take longer to cook – like peppers. Also – pre-cook ingredients that tend to be watery – like eggplant or mushrooms. And make sure that whatever ingredients you pre-cook, you also let cool down before putting them on your pizza – hot or warm ingredinets will ruin your pizza dough!

4.Less in more:

Avoid putting absolutely everything you can think of on your pizza. It will actually taste better if you use 3-4 well chosen toppings. There is always an exception as there is to just about to every rule. Personally – there are times I really enjoy totally loaded pizza – just be careful to pre-cook and use ingredients that actually taste good together!

5.Bake you pizza in a very hot oven:

A 500F oven is perfect! Lower temperature is kind of OK if you oven doesn’t go that high – just cook your pizza a little longer. The kind of pizza you may have enjoyed in a restaurant or a specialty pizza place is  cooked on a pizza stone – and thaqt is the only way I would recommend that you cook your pizza as well!

For Authentic Italian pizza recipes, click on the link below: