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2. Slowly pour in ¾ cup of the buttermilk and the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and process or stir until a soft dough forms. Add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry.

3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and pliable, 5 to 10 minutes. Coat a large bowl lightly with oil and add the dough, turning to coat it with the oil. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.

4. Heat the grill as directed.

5. Punch down the dough and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes as the grill heats up. Lightly oil a work surface and roll each ball out to an oval or teardrop shape, about 8 inches in diameter and¼ inch thick. Lightly oil both sides of each round of dough and stack them on a plate.

6. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the dough rounds on the grill, cover, and cook until browned on the bottom and puffed on top, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn with tongs and brown the other side for 30 seconds or so. Watch the breads carefully, as they can quickly go from browned to burned (a few little burnt spots are okay).

7. Remove the flatbreads to a plate and brush with the melted butter. Serve immediately and cover to keep warm. To eat the flatbread, tear pieces from it.

Grilled Garlic Bread

Italy’s most famous toast, bruschetta, is a form of grilled garlic bread in which slices of bread are toasted over hot coals, rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, and then drizzled with olive oil. Here’s a version that’s closer to the buttered garlic bread served with pasta in most Italian-American restaurants. It’s quick and simple.

TIMING

Prep: 10 minutes

Grill: 2 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs

GETTING CREATIVE

• Add grated Parmesan, crumbled Gorgonzola, minced scallions, and/or fresh herbs to the butter.

* * *

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (400° to 450°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep

Clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 8 SERVINGS (ABOUT 2 SLICES EACH)

1 large loaf French or Italian bread (about 1 pound)

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Oil for coating grill grate

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Cut the bread on the diagonal into slices about½ to ¾ inch thick, and put the slices on a baking sheet or tray.

3. Put the butter, garlic, oregano, pepper, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until light, fluffy, and blended, scraping the sides as necessary.

4. Spread the flavored butter over both sides of the bread slices.

5. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the buttered bread slices on the grill and cook until toasted and lightly grill-marked, 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning with tongs (watch carefully; toast can burn quickly). Serve immediately.

Grilled Brie Wrapped in Grape Leaves

This makes a fabulous fall appetizer. You slather a wheel of Brie with roasted garlic paste, wrap it in grape leaves, and then grill it directly on the grill rack until the cheese begins to ooze. Serve it with your favorite crackers for scooping up the cheese, or use sliced baguettes. If you can’t wait to slice the bread, just rip off small hunks to dip into the melting cheese. The Brie will start to firm up after 10 to 15 minutes, depending upon the ambient temperature. To prolong the ooze, preheat your cheese plate. The grape leaves can also be eaten. They develop wonderfully crisp edges on the grill.

TIMING

Prep: 10 minutes (plus 40 minutes for garlic paste)

Grill: About 2 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs

• Long-handled spatula

TIP

• Grape leaves are widely available