Grilled Pizza with Tomato Eggplant Sauce, Garlicky Bechemel, Fresh Mozz & Parmigiano
I feel like I need to apologize for thinking grilled pizza would not meet my crispness standards. That, my friends, was a mistake of grave proportions! While I cannot get back the time with which I’ve subsisted on sub-par ‘za, I can move forward in a wiser way—the way of the fire. We are growing sweet little purple and white striped Italian eggplant, and boy, are they ever delicious. With skins so thin they need not be peeled, and never-bitter flesh, they are severely a cut above the store-bought eggplant. That’s urban growing for you! This year, I had half a year of garlic planted, doing amazing, only to be overtaken by weeds (because, hello, caring for a 1 year old and overwhelm of the Texas heat), and I’m lying if I don’t roll my eyes every time I put garlic in my cart at HEB. I could write a soap box speech on how big grocery is pulling a fast one on everyone with the quality of garlic sold in stores, but I DIGRESS. Let’s talk pizza.
Last night I made this for my parents and mom-in-law (also my husband and son, haha but that goes without saying). I’ve made this quite a few times this summer, and every time, Ben kind of raves about it (not uncommon ;) and therefore, this pizza was talked up quite a bit to our guests prior to their arrival. It more than lived up to the hype.
The components:
The crust. SO important. Our foundation, our rock, if you will. It’s looser than your average pizza dough (but still forms a ball), thanks to generous EVOO, and a bit of cornmeal in the dough. Semolina is also fantastic in place of cornmeal. A key note on grilling the pizza dough: The grilling portion happens really fast- roughly 2 minutes per side, and if our dough is too thick, the bottom will char quickly, while the inside remains undercooked. We want that dough spread thinly and evenly across our pizza peel for a nice even, quick cook.
The béchamel. Just a simple garlic cream sauce that is herbaceous thanks to thyme, rosemary and oregano. A delicious base, and a creamy foil to the tomato eggplant sauce.
We have a stewed tomato-eggplant sauce situation that is oniony, garlicky, and herbaceous dolloped atop the garlic béchamel.
Fresh mozzarella. Parmigiano reggiano. Enough said.
The key to perfectly grilled pizza with that delicious wood-fired char factor?
First off, we want our grill temp to be at about 450F. Gas or charcoal will both work. However, I will tell you my preference, ‘cause I like ya. Our good buddy Ian often generously gives us mesquite wood cut from where he lives out in hill country. It’s what we really like to grill and smoke with. For this pizza, we did a combo of charcoal and mesquite wood, got that fire roaring, and then lifted it with the grill lever a little higher once the pizza was on the grill.
Shape the dough on your pizza peel, then grill— WITH ZERO TOPPINGS— on one side for a couple minutes with the lid closed. Remove from the grill, flipping onto the opposite side on your pizza peel, top with toppings, return to grill for a few more minutes with the lid closed, and boom, there you have it. Bubbly, crispy, but still light on the inside. Last night we had our parents here and made this, which was so fun, but I digress. I actually “messed up” the first pizza, by totally topping it and then grilling instead of first grilling the crust sans toppings. We ate both methodologies, and let me tell you- par-grilling the crust, flipping, topping, and returning to the grill was the resounding winner.
You might be wondering- do I need a pizza peel? Listen, I’m not one for single-use kitchen items for the most part, but there are exceptions- see, pasta rollers, ice cream makers, and yep, pizza peels. For the grilling application, there just is no better way to achieve a perfect dough dismount, if you will, onto the grill.
Woodfired Pizza with Tomato Eggplant Sauce, Garlicky Bechemel, Fresh Mozz & Parmigiano
For the dough:
2 c + 2 T all purpose flour
1 T cornmeal, plus extra for dusting the pizza peel
2 T yeast
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 c filtered water
1 1/2 T salt
For the tomato eggplant sauce:
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
2 c eggplant, preferably a small variety, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 cups roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
5 cloves garlic
1/4 yellow onion
A few sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 c dry white wine
2 T capers
Salt and pepper to taste
For the béchamel:
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T all-purpose flour
1 fat garlic clove, grated
1 t thyme
1 c whole milk
Few gratings of fresh nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c Parmigiano Reggiano
To top the pizza:
1 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
5-6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or hand-torn, to serve
Directions
Make the dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or, alternatively, a food processor fitted with a dough blade), combine your flour, cornmeal, and yeast and mix briefly to combine. Add in the salt, and with the mixer on low, add in the olive oil, and slowly pour in the water a little at a time, until. the dough has begun to take shape into a ball. If you add in a little too much water, no worries! Just add in a little more flour (like, a tablespoon at a time). Pizza dough is forgiving. Once dough has formed a nice ball, drizzle it with olive oil. I like to just leave my dough in my mixing bowl, with a damp kitchen towel draped atop it in a warm spot of my kitchen. Allow to rise until doubled in size.
Make the tomato eggplant sauce.
In a large saucepan, add olive oil and heat on medium high. Add in the eggplant and sprinkle with salt and a few cracks black pepper. Sauté for about 3 minutes or so, before adding in the tomatoes, garlic, onion, thyme, and a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir in the wine and capers, allowing to come to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, stirring regularly. On a low heat, the tomatoes will slowly release their juices, creating a sauce that coats the eggplant, which, at the same time is cooking down to a nice, stewed, jammy consistency. This low and slow process goes for about 30-40 minutes, or until said consistency is reached.
Make the béchamel.
In a deep saucepan, melt the butter, then add in the flour on medium-high heat. Whisk constantly- this is very important, because the butter fat coats the individual grains of flour, preventing lumps from forming (along with the constant whisking). Once the raw flour smell is gone, and the flour/butter mixture has started to turn a very light tan, add in the garlic and thyme, quickly sautéing for no more than a few seconds (so garlic doesn’t burn). Then, pour in the milk, a little bit at a time, while whisking constantly. Turn heat to medium-low, and while whisking constantly, cook until thickened (the stage where it coats the back of a spoon, and if you run your finger through it, it makes a clear trail). Season with salt and pepper and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg to taste. Whisk in the Parmigiano. Pour into a heat-safe glass dish, and press plastic wrap directly atop the béchamel.
Prep a grill for 475F (oil your grill grates).
Generously dust your pizza peel with cornmeal. Gently stretch the pizza dough into a thin, even surface area over the cornmeal-dusted pizza peel. Transfer outside to grill, and with confidence, shake the dough off the peel, across the grill grates (see my instagram reel for a visual). Close the lid and cook for about 2 minutes. Generously re-dust pizza peel.
Using a large spatula, transfer the pizza from the grill, back to the pizza peel, this time, flipping onto the opposite side (grilled side up). Working quickly, spoon roughly a 1/4 cup of the béchamel over the pizza, spreading into an even layer (I like to cover a wide surface area, leaving about a 1/2-inch crust border).
Dollop the tomato-eggplant sauce atop the béchamel. Place mozzarella atop the sauces, being careful not to overload the pizza. We want the cheese to melt beautifully in unison with the grilling of the crust, so moderation is key here. Sprinkle the Parmigiano atop the entire surface area of the pizza.
Confidently transfer the pizza from the pizza peel back to the grill, closing the lid, and grilling for about 3 minutes, or until desired level of bubbly cheese and lightly charred crust is achieved. Do not stray far, though— it’s such a fast process!
Allow pizza to rest for just a minute before slicing, topping with basil, maybe a little more Parmigiano, and enjoying. Such a delightful summer bite.
So, last week my son turned 1. I actually can’t believe it. We had a tiny party with some friends and our parents came into town. The last 7 days were really special. Getting to see my parents with my son is so cool, and something that makes him so happy! It makes me happy-sad thinking of times spent with my grandparents that I genuinely think about every single day. What a blessing to be alive in a time where we can still see each other this often while living so far apart. Last night, watching grandparents take turns playing with and passing around Benjamin while we all grilled pizza and chatted was so sweet! We feel so grateful for God’s providence with our son, with our family, with our friends. This weekend was kind of like seeing answers to different prayers commingle, haha.
On a different, totally shallow note…You guys should see the inside of my fridge (actually, no one should), because it is like a cornucopia of birthday/hosting leftovers and we are about to get WEIRD with tonight’s dinner. But like, isn’t that the best? As much as a love cooking EVERYTHING from scratch, I will throw down on a leftover smorgasbord. Plus, I just said goodbye to my parents this morning, and honestly, that’s always a sad day, and I’d like to drown my sorrows in some leftover La Barbecue brisket and mac and cheese.
Wishing you the most gorgeous finish to the week, which you know I’m hoping involves grilled pizza.
