Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [179]
INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
½ cup Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano or thyme leaves
1 large red onion, cut into¼-inch thick rounds
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 large bunch watercress or baby arugula (about 6 ounces), stems removed (about 3 cups leaves)
Seeds from½ pomegranate
DIRECTIONS:
Mix the vinaigrette, garlic, and oregano in a small bowl and set aside.
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 400°F.
Coat the onion slices with a thin film of the olive oil. Brush and oil the grill grate and grill the onion slices until well marked and starting to become soft, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board and cut each slice in half to create strips; set aside. Cut two or four pieces of foil, depending on whether you are making two medium pizzas or four individual ones. Coat one of the pieces with oil. Divide the dough into two or four pieces. Put one piece of dough on the prepared foil, and cover the other piece(s) with a clean kitchen towel. Press and stretch the dough on the foil into a circle about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Don’t bother making a rim around the edge of the crust unless you like it for aesthetics.
Coat the top of the dough round with oil. Repeat with the remaining dough and foil, oiling each dough round well and stacking them up.
Brush the grill grate again and coat it with oil. Invert each circle of dough onto the grate, and carefully remove the foil. Do this in batches if all of the dough won’t fit on the grill at once. Cover the grill and cook each dough round until bubbly on the top and nicely grill-marked on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the dough 90 degrees halfway through grilling for more even browning.
Invert the pizza crusts onto a cutting board so that the grilled side is up.
Drizzle with half of the remaining olive oil. Scatter the cheese over them, followed by the grilled onions. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
Slide the pizzas back onto the grill, cover, and grill until the cheese melts and the bottom is browned, about 2 minutes, watching carefully so the pizza doesn’t burn.
Toss the watercress with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette. Drizzle the pizzas with the remaining ¼ cup. Mound the watercress on the pizzas and scatter the pomegranate seeds over the top. Cut medium pizzas into 6 to 8 wedges; cut individual pizzas in quarters.
Pizza Dough
MAKES 2 MEDIUM OR 4 INDIVIDUAL PIZZAS
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup warm water (110 to 115°F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
2¾ cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
DIRECTIONS:
Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl, stirring until mixed. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt, and flour and stir into a kneadable dough.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface. Try to add as little flour as possible.
Coat a large bowl with the remaining tablespoon oil and add the dough, turning to coat it with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator. The dough is now ready to roll out according to the directions in the main recipe. (If refrigerated, allow