Fabulicious!: On the Grill (8 page)

2.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the basil. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.

“The Quickie” Tomato Sauce with Garlic:
Heat garlic cloves, minced, with the oil in the saucepan over medium heat until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Proceed as directed.

“The Quickie” Tomato Sauce with Onion:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, finely chopped, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Proceed as directed.

 

Makes one 12-inch pizza

This amazing vegetarian pizza proves that you don't have to put meat on a pizza for it to be good. People have been grilling zucchini for years, so don't be afraid that it will fall through the grate. Just be sure to place the strips perpendicular to the cooking grate.

1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips

½ small red onion, cut into thin half-moons

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ball Pronto Presto Pizza Dough (
page 55
)

Flour, for rolling out the dough

½ cup “The Quickie” Tomato Sauce with Garlic (facing page)

¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

2.
Toss the zucchini, onion, olive oil, and vinegar in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the zucchini strips on the cooking grate and close the grill lid. Cook until the undersides are seared with grill marks, about 2 minutes. Flip the zucchini and cook, with the lid closed, until the other sides are seared, about 2 minutes more. Remove the zucchini strips from the grill and cut into 2-inch pieces.

3.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll, pull, and stretch the dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a lightly floured baker's peel (or rimless baking sheet) and reshape as needed.

4.
Lightly oil the cooking grate. Slide the dough from the peel onto the grate and close the grill lid. Cook until the underside is browned with grill marks, 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil. Flip the dough over and brush off any flour. Spread the tomato sauce on the dough, leaving a ¾-inch border. Top with the zucchini and onion and sprinkle with the Romano cheese. Close the lid and continue cooking until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill, and let it stand 1 to 2 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

 

Makes one 12-inch pizza

True white pizza has extra cheese and uses basil as its main seasoning. “Untrue” white pizza uses American-invented, artery-clogging Alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce. Do your heart, stomach, and taste buds a favor and go with the former. Here's a light, delicious version.

¼ cup ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 garlic clove, minced

1 ball Pronto Presto Pizza Dough (
page 55
)

Flour, for rolling out the dough

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh basil

1.
Mix the ricotta, oil, and garlic together in a small bowl. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

2.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

3.
Roll, pull, and stretch the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a lightly floured baker's peel (or a rimless baking sheet) and reshape as needed.

4.
Lightly oil the cooking grate. Slide the dough from the peel onto the grate and close the grill lid. Cook until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil. Flip the dough over and brush off any flour. Spread the ricotta mixture on the dough, leaving a ¾-inch border. Top with the mozzarella. Close the lid and continue cooking until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill, and let it stand 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the pizza with the basil, cut into wedges, and serve.

 

 

Makes one 12-inch pizza

I'm a huge fig fan, especially when paired with salty prosciutto and crumbled Gorgonzola. You can serve this incredible pizza an as appetizer, a main course, or even as a savory dessert.

1 ball of Pronto Presto Pizza Dough (
page 55
)

Flour, for rolling out the dough

8 very thin slices of prosciutto

8 ripe figs, stemmed and quartered

1 cup (5 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil

1.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

2.
Roll, pull, and stretch the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a lightly floured baker's peel (or a rimless baking sheet) and reshape as needed.

3.
Lightly oil the cooking grate. Slide the dough from the peel onto the grate and close the grill lid. Cook until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil. Flip the dough over and brush off any flour. Arrange the prosciutto and figs evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the Gorgonzola. Close the lid and continue cooking until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill, and let it stand 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, cut into wedges, and serve.

The way we say “take it or leave it” in Italy—usually with a shrug—is

a mangiar questa minestra o saltar questa fincestra
,

which means “either eat this soup or jump out this window.”

I
know there are people who say you can grill anything, even watermelon, but I think that's a little insane. (I've actually tasted grilled watermelon, but it's too watery to do anything but get hot. You know what's not so refreshing on a hot day? Hot watermelon.) Not all food is meant for the grill, and if you plan on grilling all of your courses you'll end up spending all day cooking and not interacting with your guests.

For first courses and lighter entrées, I prefer quickly grilling key ingredients and then adding them to the rest of the nongrilled dish to make something more like magic. For instance, arugula salad with figs is delicious. Grill the figs first, though, and it becomes divine. Macaroni salad is yummy, until you add grill-roasted red peppers, and then it becomes art.

I'm also going to give you some soups and cold salads that don't need to go anywhere near your grill so you can enjoy your own party. And you can easily make any of these recipes ahead of time, so when people start arriving, you can just pull them out of the refrigerator and dig in.

Of course, all my recipes celebrate the fruits of the summer season. There is nothing like fresh strawberries, just-picked basil, or locally grown tomatoes. In fact, those three favorites are some of the easiest plants to grow at home, yourself. If you've never done it, it's well worth the time and will save you lots of money! I have fresh basil year round: in my garden in the summer and in pots inside in the winter. My girls love to grow strawberries (although most only manage to make it from the vine directly into their mouths!). And tomatoes . . . the taste difference alone between those grown at home or on a small farm and those that are commercially grown should be enough to convince anyone to start staking out a small garden plot.