Making pizza on the grill turns out to be so user-friendly that a friend decided to throw a "make-your-own" pizza party recently for her teenage daughter and her daughter's friends.
When everyone had a chance to add favorite ingredients, I chose one of my favorite late-summer combinations: tomatoes and olives.
Grilled Tomato and Olive Pizza
Makes 3 servings
1/2 pint cocktail or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons each: pitted kalamata olives and drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 package unbaked pizza dough, stretched into 12-inch round, or prepared (12-inch) pizza crust (see note below)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fontina
2 tablespoons each: torn basil leaves, shredded Parmesan
1. Heat a grill to high. Combine the tomatoes, onion, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl, tossing to coat. Brush the remaining oil over both sides of the pizza crust.
2. Place the dough over direct heat on grill; cook until puffy, about 2 minutes; turn over. Cook 2 minutes. Move crust to a cooler part of the grill; top with the tomato-olive mixture. Sprinkle the parsley, fontina and basil over the top. Cover grill; cook until cheese melts, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover; cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill; cut into wedges.
Note: If you are using a prepared crust, follow directions on the package for cooking instructions.
Per serving: 624 calories; 17 grams protein; 63 grams carbohydrates; 35 grams fat; 13 milligrams cholesterol, 1,045 milligrams sodium; 4 grams fiber.
