Cathy's Garden Fresh Cooking Blog

Grilled Fresh Tomato Pizza with Basil

We love to make grilled pizza in the summer with fresh produce from the garden. I simply had to make our grilled tomato pizza one more time, the last one until next summer. It’s simple to make, use your favorite pizza dough (whether you make it or purchase it); I make dough in the bread machine. I make 2 medium size pizzas; one tomato pizza and other pizza is a creation of the day, using the leftovers in the fridge. That bit of chicken or a link of sausage, some veggies, herbs and cheeses will make leftovers new again. This recipe is mostly pictures and the ingredients are totally up to you, but this basic recipe will get your creative juices flowing. It’s fun to make with the kids, give them a smaller piece of dough and let them do whatever they please.

Grilled Fresh Tomato Pizza

Cornmeal

Pizza dough

Extra virgin olive oil

Garlic, minced

Grated parmesan cheese

Tomatoes

Mozzarella or Italian mix shredded cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pine nuts

Fresh basil

Line a cookie sheet, with release, non-stick foil, turning the ends up. This is important to use “this” foil, it will save you trouble and heartache. When using regular foil, it will stick and burn on the bottom and after you cut it, you have fun picking the foil off the burnt pizza. I speak from experience and am reminded every time I forget. Sprinkle the foil with cornmeal. Preheat grill.

Roll out the dough on a floured board or counter using a floured rolling pin until very thin almost 1/8 inch thick. Place the dough on the prepared foil. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and smear with fingers until dough is covered. Sprinkle garlic onto dough and smear with fingers until evenly distributed.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese evenly over dough. Slice tomatoes ¼ inch thick and place on the dough.

Sprinkle the shredded Italian cheese over the tomato and then sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Top with pine nuts if you wish, my husband loves them!

Carefully slide the foil holding the pizza off the tray and onto the hot grill. I have a 3 sided baking sheet that works perfectly for transferring things to and from the grill. Cover the grill and check the pizza after 5 minutes. Adjust heat and move pizzas around to avoid hot spots. Continue checking and moving pizzas until dough is browned on the bottom. When ready to remove slide the pizza on the foil back onto the cookie tray. Top with sliced or torn fresh basil. Cut and serve. You will love this pizza-guaranteed.

With all pizza creations, I smear with olive oil and garlic, grated parmesan and then add your desired toppings. I don’t use a red sauce; it makes the crust too soggy.

This creation is; frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry, spread over garlic, then top with, cooked chicken or sausage, onion, red bell pepper, thinly sliced tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese and mozzarella. Yum!

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One Response to “Grilled Fresh Tomato Pizza with Basil”

  • Uncle Wayne says:

    these look wonderful—-i think it is time for me to start up some sourdough again—-i like to make pizza with it

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