Cookbook Club Recipe #11 | Variation #3

A simple grilled pizza with melted mozzarella, dollops of seasoned tomato, fresh basil, and plenty of smoky char.

This is the flatbread variation that comes closest to a conventional pizza, but the way you assemble it on the grill is a little different. Because nearly all of the heat is coming from below, the mozzarella goes directly against the hot crust where it has the best chance to melt, while the tomato gets spooned on in small dollops over the top.

Keeping the toppings relatively light is important here. The bread is still the star, and using a dry-ish cheese and a restrained amount of tomato lets you keep that crisp, blistered texture instead of weighing the flatbread down with moisture.

If you want the full explanation of preparing and shaping the dough, building a two-zone fire, and mastering the flatbread grilling technique, read the full Grilled Flatbread Blueprint and watch the video here.

Fill out the feedback form here! 🔗

Recipe: Grilled Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Pizza

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I love about this recipe:

It has all the familiar flavors of a simple tomato-and-cheese pizza, but with the smoky char and blistered texture you only get from the grill.

Reversing the topping order helps the cheese melt properly despite the lack of strong heat from above.

Using just enough tomato and cheese keeps the crust crisp and lets the flavor of the grilled bread come through.

Yield: 2 flatbreads, serving 4 to 6 as an appetizer or light mealActive Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutes, plus dough resting time if neededSpecial Equipment: Charcoal or gas grill; rolling pin; metal pizza peel or wide metal spatulaNotes: Use relatively thick crushed tomatoes (I like Bianco DiNapoli brand) and low-moisture mozzarella. Grilled pizza gets very little heat from above, which means excess moisture has nowhere to evaporate and can quickly make the crust soggy.

Ingredients

1 pound (about 450g) store-bought or homemade pizza dough

6 ounces (170g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, grated

2/3 cup well-drained crushed canned tomatoes

Kosher salt

MSG, optional

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and finishing

1 small handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Method

Divide the dough into two approximately 225 g (8-ounce) portions. Working with one portion at a time, pinch a small bit of dough between the thumb and forefinger of one hand to form a little “bellybutton.” With your other hand, stretch the outside of the dough over itself and tuck it into that point. Rotate the dough slightly and repeat, continuing until the outside has formed a smooth, taut skin and all of the folds meet at one point underneath. Set the ball seam-side down on an un-floured work surface and gently roll it under your palm to smooth the bottom. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Place the dough balls in a proofing container, lightly oiled individual deli containers, or lightly oiled small bowls. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 to 3 hours. The dough is ready when it has softened and spread slightly and an indentation made with your fingertip is slow to spring back.

Place the tomatoes in a small bowl and season with salt and MSG, if using, to taste. If the tomatoes seem loose or watery, drain off excess liquid before using.

If using a charcoal grill: Light one full chimney of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

If using a gas grill: Set half the burners to medium–high, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

Dust a work surface and one dough ball lightly with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin oval, circle, rectangle, or whatever irregular shape it naturally wants to take, roughly 12 inches across at its longest dimension. Brush the upper surface lightly with olive oil if desired.

Pick up the dough from one end and drape it oiled-side down over the hot side of the grill in one smooth motion, taking care that it does not fold over itself. Cook, watching closely, until the dough begins to puff and the underside is browned and charred in spots, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Use the edge of a metal pizza peel or wide spatula to lift and check the underside as it cooks. Rotate or reposition the bread as necessary for relatively even browning. On a round kettle grill, you can also rotate the entire grill grate to move the flatbread over hotter or cooler areas.

Brush the upper surface lightly with olive oil if desired, then flip the flatbread. Cook until the second side is puffed, blistered, and charred in spots, another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Transfer the grilled dough to a work surface with the bubblier side facing up. Spread half the mozzarella evenly over the surface, leaving a small border. Dollop half the crushed tomatoes on top in 8 to 10 spots. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.

Return the pizza to the cooler side of the grill. Cover the grill and cook over indirect heat until the cheese is melted about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with torn basil, transfer to a cutting board, cut into pieces, and serve. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

🔗 Fill out the feedback form for this recipe variation.

🔗 Test this month's other recipe variations.