Fermented Friday: Grilled Mango-Basil Pizza

Fermented Friday: recipes featuring yeast, wine, beer or some form of fermentation

Before the summer's over, you have to try grilling pizza.  I'm not sure how this summer escaped without a pizza on my grill.  Many of you have heard of my grilled pizza incident from several years back and are likely smiling (or groaning) at the thought, but that's another story.  Ask me about it sometime when you're in need of a good laugh.

I've been wanting to make a mango-basil pizza forever and finally got around to it.  It was too hot for the oven, so onto the grill it went.  The combination was superb, but I understand if you're a little hesitant.  Regardless of the toppings you choose, you don't want to miss out on the experience of a grilled pizza.  If you don't have time to make your own dough feel free to pick some up at the store.  The dough recipe I used here needs a little tweaking, so I'll just show you the basics and get you started.

 Have your desired toppings at room temperature and ready to go as you will need to move quickly later on.  I used a thinner version of this homemade balsamic ketchup as sauce. After thinly slicing a ripe, juicy mango, I tossed it in a little lime juice.  The only other topping I used was fresh basil leaves. Yes, cheese would have made this pizza better, but it didn't grab me in the moment.

On a well-oiled baking sheet shape your favorite pizza dough into a circle of uniform thickness.  It's easiest if you keep it to a small personal-size pizza.  Preheat your grill on high and spray with non-stick spray before placing dough on the grate.

Close lid and grill until the dough begins to bubble and puff.

Check the underside to make sure there are grill marks.  If needed, rotate and continue grilling until underside is evenly grilled. .

Place the crust, grilled-side-up, back on the baking sheet.

Quickly spread on your sauce and add toppings.  Don't add too many or they won't cook.

Return the pizza to the grill and close the lid. After several minutes, check the underside for grill marks. In the picture below the dough is starting to bubble, but not quite ready.

Getting closer.

                      

I took mine off when the underside looked like this.  Leave it on longer if you want a deeper grilled flavor. 

Yeah, it looks a little funny without cheese. 

 The juicy sweetness of the mango really pops when paired with the tang of the balsamic tomato sauce.  Basil adds just the right touch to this bright summer pizza.  Cheese would have added an excellent sweet-salty dimension.

One taste of the grilled charcoal flavors infused into crisp outer crust with a soft, airy center and you'll be hooked on grilled pizza too.

 Food for Thought: "Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not. " -Virgil Garnett Thomson