There’s no need to crank up the oven for dinner tonight; use your grill instead and leave the heat outside for the best homemade pizza you’ve ever had. As far as equipment goes, all you need is a charcoal or gas grill and a pizza stone. Using your grill for pizza night is definitely the way to go. Not only are you keeping your home cool by avoiding the oven, but you will actually achieve way better results with the grill because of its high temperatures. Higher temps mean crispier crust and the perfect char!
Ingredients:
Serves 4-6
For the kale pesto:
— 2 cups kale, packed
— 1 cup basil, packed
— 2 garlic cloves
— 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
— 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
— 1/2 cup olive oil
— 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
— 1 teaspoon salt
— 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
For the pizza:
— 2 ears of corn
— 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
— olive oil for drizzling
— about 1 cup of kale pesto (recipe above); you will probably have some leftover
— 2 cups shredded mozzarella
For the garnish:
— chili flakes
— fresh basil leaves, chopped
— freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
— sea salt flakes (optional)
Instructions:
1. To make the pesto, add the kale leaves, basil leaves, garlic cloves, Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set the pesto aside. Preheat the center and one side of your grill to high. Add the pizza stone to the center of the grill and the corn to the side. Grill the corn on all sides until lightly charred. Remove the corn from the grill and allow to cool slightly before removing the kernels. Turn off the side flames of the grill and cover the lid.
2. Allow the temp to reach 500 degrees. Stretch out the pizza dough (no need for a rolling pin here) to about 12 inches (it doesn’t have to be perfectly round). Once your pizza stone is piping hot, carefully place the dough onto the stone and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
3. Then add your toppings; start with an even layer of the kale pesto (you will only need to use about 3/4 of it), then the shredded mozzarella and lastly, the charred corn kernels. Work quickly (but carefully!)
4. Cover the lid and allow the pizza to cook undisturbed over a high heat (about 500 degrees) for 5-7 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. Patience is a virtue — no peeking!
5. Immediately transfer the pizza to a cutting board (otherwise the bottom will keep cooking on the stone and could potentially burn). Garnish with chili flakes, chopped fresh basil, grated Parmesan and flaky sea salt. Slice into eight equal pieces and serve it up!
Grill the corn on all sides until lightly charred. Remove the corn from the grill and allow to cool slightly before removing the kernels.
Allow the temp to reach 500 degrees. Stretch out the pizza dough to about 12 inches (it doesn’t have to be perfectly round). Once your pizza stone is piping hot, open the lid and carefully place the dough onto the stone and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Then add your toppings. Start with an even layer of the kale pesto, then the shredded mozzarella and lastly, the charred corn kernels. Work quickly (but carefully!)
Cover the lid and allow the pizza to cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
Immediately transfer the pizza to a cutting board using a metal spatula (otherwise the bottom will keep cooking and could potentially burn). Garnish with chili flakes, chopped fresh basil, grated Parmesan and flaky sea salt. Slice into eight equal pieces and serve it up!
Did somebody say backyard pizza party? #pizzagoals
