Grilled Pizza Rustica with Grilled Local Vegetables and Arugula
Yield: Makes 4 personal pizzas
The flavor of wood-fired pizza is irresistible and easily obtainable on your own grill! Prep all of your ingredients ahead of time and gather your family and friends on the patio to finish the pizzas together.
Note: This recipe reflects local vegetables available in the earliest summer season. As the summer progresses, wonderful additions such as sweet peppers, eggplant and glorious local tomatoes become available. By all means, take advantage!
Ingredients
PreparationIngredients
To prepare the grilled vegetables:
- 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, lengthwise Add to list
- 1 cup snow peas, trimmed Add to list
- 4 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into 1/4-inch thick slices Add to list
- 12 to 16 thin asparagus spears Add to list
- Olive oil Add to list
- Sea salt Add to list
- Chopped fresh basil Add to list
For the pizza preparation:
- 2 rounds East Coast Dough Company pizza dough, thawed (Or make your own dough: Homemade Olive Oil and Cornmeal Pizza Dough) Add to list
- Extra-virgin olive oil infused with 3 cloves of crushed garlic for brushing Add to list
- 1/2 cup Cibo roasted red pepper pesto Add to list
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, drained and thinly sliced Add to list
- 1 cup Port Madison chèvre cheese, crumbled Add to list
- 4 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved or grated Add to list
- Basil leaves Add to list
- Arugula leaves Add to list
- Grilled vegetables Add to list
Preparation
Heat your gas grill to medium high or get your coals nice and hot.
Toss all the vegetables with a little olive oil, a pinch or two of salt and the basil. Just before starting to cook the pizzas, throw the vegetables on the grill, and cook them, turning occasionally until they are just tender!
Transfer them to a holding plate and finish your pizzas.
Cut each round of pizza dough in half and form each one into a ball. Allow dough to rest about 15 minutes. Then, with a rolling pin or your fingertips, roll or pat the balls of dough down and out to about 1/2-inch thickness. It doesn't have to be a perfect circle! That's why we call it rustica.
Brush the dough rounds with garlic-infused olive oil and place the rounds, olive oil side down, on the grill. Brush the top of each with the garlicky olive oil. Grill until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, and turn over.
Working quickly to maintain the heat of the crust, brush the browned sides with pesto, layer with the fresh mozzarella and top with the grilled vegetables. Finish with whole basil and arugula leaves, chèvre and Parmigiano. Close the lid on the barbecue and cook until the crust is golden on the bottom and the mozzarella is melted.
(You may tuck these pizzas under the broiler for a moment or two to brown the toppings if you like.)
Recipe by
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5’s “Gardening with Ciscoe” show which aired June 2007
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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