A classic pizza gets a summertime twist in this recipe for Grilled Tomato & Fior di Latte Pizza. Pizza dough is grilled and topped with tomato sauce, fresh cherry tomatoes, fior di latte cheese, and a gourmet basil oil. Served with a glass of Haywire Gamay, and you will have an impressive summer recipe!
Recipe and Images by: Melissa Leung – Season and Serve Blog
Serving: 8 6” pizzas
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Resting Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Pizza Dough:
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus extra for rolling out
- 4- 4 ½ cups double zero (00) flour
For the Basil Oil:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- Water, for boiling
- Ice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
For the Pizza Toppings:
- 1 cup tomato sauce (or tomato puree)
- 3 balls fior di latte cheese, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Directions:
To Make the Pizza Dough:
- Add the water, yeast, and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Let stand until the mixture foams on top, about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Using your hands, mix the dough until it comes together. It should be soft and not stick to your fingers.
- Transfer the dough into a large mixing bowl that has been oiled. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes up to 2 hours.
To Make the Basil Oil:
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems and wash thoroughly.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the basil leaves to the pot and blanch for 15 seconds. Immediately drain and transfer the basil leaves to a bowl of water filled with ice. This will keep the basil bright green. Once cooled, squeeze the basil to remove the water.
- Add the basil to a high-speed blender or food processor and add the olive oil. Blend until the basil is finely chopped.
- Strain the basil oil through a cheesecloth set over a bowl to create a smooth oil. Press to remove all the oil from the pureed basil. Compost the remaining basil. Set the oil aside.
To Prepare & Cook the Pizza:
- Prepare all the pizza topping ingredients and set aside.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the countertop. Use a pastry brush to evenly coat the parchment paper and a rolling pin with 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Divide the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll out the first piece on the oiled parchment paper to form a 6” circle. Repeat this process for the remaining pizza dough, adding more oil to the parchment paper and rolling pin as needed.
- Heat a grill to 400 degrees F. Once hot, place the pizza dough on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown.
- Flip the pizza and quickly top each pizza with 3 tablespoon of tomato sauce, the fresh tomatoes, and fior di latte. Close the lid and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Remove the pizza from the grill and slice the pizza using a pizza roller. Repeat as needed for the remaining pizzas.
- Drizzle the pizza with the basil oil and serve immediately with a glass of Haywire Gamay. Enjoy!
