Chill Out with Pizza on the Grill

Making your own pizzas can be fun and delicious, but in the summer months it can really heat up the kitchen. So why not take it outside to the grill?

"Early Show" contributor Katie Lee says cooking dough on the grill is suprisingly easy and the only tool you need is a good pair of tongs to flip the dough. Once the ingredients are on, it only takes about 5 minutes until it's ready to eat.

Grlling pizza is also a terrific way to beat the heat. Most recipes call for an oven that is set to over 500 degrees, making for a very warm kitchen. Cooking on the grill will not only keep the house cool, but adds great smoky flavor to the food that you would miss out on if it was made in the oven.

What's nice about these recipes, says Lee, is that they are for individual pizzas, so everyone can make their favorite.

THE RECIPES:

Corn and Tomato Pizza

Pizza dough (recipe below)
Olive oil
1 ear corn, cut from cob
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Fresh mozzarella slices
3 basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon scallions, white parts, very thinly sliced

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Place pizza dough onto grill. Let cook one minute and flip with tongs. Move to a cooler spot on the grill (about medium heat). Brush with oil and top with corn, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Close grill and cook until cheese melts and dough is crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove from grill and top with basil and scallions.

Sausage with Onions and Peppers Pizza

Pizza dough
Olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 link hot Italian sausage, casing removed, crumbled and browned
1/4 cup purple onions, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fontina cheese, shredded
Pinch of oregano

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Place pizza dough onto grill. Let cook one minute and flip with tongs. Move to a cooler spot on the grill (about medium heat). Brush with oil and top with tomato sauce, sausage, onions, peppers, and cheeses. Close grill and cook until cheese melts and dough is crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove from grill and sprinkle with oregano.

Scampi Pizza

Pizza dough
Olive oil
1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/4 cup rock shrimp (diced shrimp may be substituted)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Place pizza dough onto grill. Let cook one minute and flip with tongs. Move to a cooler spot on the grill (about medium heat). Brush with oil and top with cheeses, garlic, parsley and shrimp. Close grill and cook until shrimp is pink and cooked through and cheese melts and dough is crisped, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from grill.

Peaches and Prosciutto Pizza

Honey wheat pizza dough (recipe below)
Olive oil
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons mozzarella, shredded
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 peach, peeled and sliced
Few slices of prosciutto
1 cup arugula

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. In a small bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan.
Place pizza dough onto grill. Let cook one minute and flip with tongs. Move to a cooler spot on the grill (about medium heat). Brush with oil and spread with ricotta cheese mixture. Top with peaches and prosciutto. Close grill and cook until cheese is bubbly and dough is crisped, about 4 minutes. Remove from grill and top with arugula.

Pizza Dough

One 1/4 ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
About 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the bowl sit for 2 minutes. Dump the water and in the bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon flour, the sugar, and 1/4 cup of the warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes. The mixture will be creamy, paste-like, and slightly bubbly. If it isn't, start over with fresh new yeast.

In a large glass or ceramic bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups four and the salt. Make a well in the center and with a wooden spoon, stir in the yeast mixture, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 3/4 cup warm water. Mix until dough start to come away from the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Coat the palms of your hand with flour and knead for about 8 minutes. The dough will be soft and elastic. Form into a ball.

Pour the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil into a clean large glass or ceramic bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and roll it around to coat all the sides with the oil. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place away from any drafts. Allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

After the dough rises, do not punch it down. Carefully place the dough on a floured work surface. Use your fingertips to gently flatten into a disk and cut into quarters. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter, or to desired thickness. Pinch the edge to form a crust.

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

One 1/4 ounce packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the bowl sit for 2 minutes. Dump the water and in the bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, the honey, and 1/4 cup of the warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes. The mixture will be creamy, paste-like, and slightly bubbly. If it isn't, start over with fresh new yeast.

In a large glass or ceramic bowl, mix both of the fours and the salt. Make a well in the center and with a wooden spoon, stir in the yeast mixture, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 3/4 cup warm water. Mix until dough start to come away from the sides of the bowl. It will be sticky.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Coat the palms of your hand with flour and knead for about 8 minutes. The dough will be soft and elastic. Form into a ball.

Pour the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil into a clean large glass or ceramic bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and roll it around to coat all the sides with the oil. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place away from any drafts. Allow the dough to rise until it doubles in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

After the dough rises, do not punch it down. Carefully place the dough on a floured work surface. Use your fingertips to gently flatten into a disk and cut into quarters. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter or to desired thickness. Pinch the edge to form a crust.

Pizza Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
4 very ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the olive oil, oregano, basil, tomatoes, and salt in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with pepper to taste. Reserve until ready to make the pizzas.