Grilled Tomato-Basil Whole Wheat Pizza

Summer Garden by Becky Geisel

Grandpa is in charge of the garden and I am his assistant.  We started with radish seeds and potatoes in late April.  The first week of May we plant tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, beans, scallions, peas, carrots, peppers, and herbs like thyme, basil, sage and rosemary. He tills the earth and rakes the rocks.  I catch the worms.  Grandpa only lets me keep a few for fishing the others he says are for fertilizing the dirt that our plants grow in.  Once he finishes prepping the earth and I come along and place the seeds in their rows, one at a time.  I then cover them up with some dirt and water my row. Next we plant tomato plants.  Tomatoes are one of my favorite vegetables.  Grandpa tells me it’s a fruit.  All I know is I love a sweet juicy tomatoes.  I like it on salad and on a sandwich, I even like it on pizza.  Mom makes me Grilled Tomato-Basil Whole Wheat Pizza.  We pick tomatoes  and basil from the garden for the pizza.  Mom makes the dough and I help shape it, then she grills it.  The best parts are putting on the sliced tomatoes and cheese onto the grilled dough and ripping up the basil leaves to sprinkle over the top.  Finally mom places in the oven just to cook the tomatoes and melt the cheese.  It’s the best! I helped to grow the tomatoes and basil and make the pizza.

Recipe
Ingredients
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (see recipe below)
3 Small Tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup Fresh Basil Leaves
1 cup Fresh Mozzarella, sliced or grated
½ cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
Olive Oil for brushing

ADULT: Preheat Oven to 400° F

Makes 2 – 8” Pizzas

Equipment Needed
Grill or grill pan, bowl, wood spoon, rolling pin and oven

Kid’s Preparation
ADULT: Prepare 2 Grilled Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (see instructions below).

KID: Brush grilled dough with olive oil. 

KID: Place tomatoes on grilled dough, tear basil leaves and sprinkle over tomatoes. Add Mozzarella and Pecorino Romano.

ADULT: Bake on sheet pan in oven at 400°F for 5-7 minutes until cheese has melted and bubbling.

Grilled Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients
1 tsp. molasses
1 package (5/16 oz.) active dry yeast (such as Hodgson Mill or any yeast recommended for Whole Wheat Flour)
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
3 tsp. olive oil
1 2/3 cups lukewarm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour

Mom or Dad’s Preparation
1) In a large bowl, combine molasses and yeast with 1and 2/3 cups lukewarm water. Stir.  Set-aside until bubbly, about 5 minutes.  Add salt and oil and stir.

2) In a separate bowl, mix flours together.  Add yeast mixture to flours and stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms.  Divide dough into 8 portions. (Freeze any unused dough).

3) Using hands, roll dough into balls, brush with olive oil and set aside.

4) Prepare a charcoal, gas or stovetop grill.  Grill should be very hot.  Position grilling rack 3 or 4 inches from heat source.

5) Flour a wood or pastry board.  With hands, flatten a ball of dough into a disc on floured board. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough into an 8-inch circle. Brush olive oil onto 8” round dough. Using fingertips, gently lift dough, and set oiled side down on the grill.  Brush other side of dough with olive oil. When dough puffs and underside stiffens (about 1 minute for gas or charcoal, a couple minutes for stovetop grill), flip crust with a spatula; grill other side and then remove from heat.