Before grilling your pizza, make sure the grates are clean. Bring the grill up to its highest temperature: a gas grill should be turned up to high; the coals in a charcoal grill should be white and ashy. Go to the grill with all of your ingredients prepped and your cold ingredients warmed through. Roll your pizza dough out, slide it onto a pizza peel dusted with corn meal. Brush the dough with olive oil and flip it, oil side down, onto the hot grill. Don’t walk away from the grill — it doesn’t take long for pizza dough to cook. When the bottom is firm and shows grill marks (about 2-3 minutes), brush the uncooked side with olive oil, slide the peel under the crust and flip it. Working quickly, smooth the sauce over the cooked side of the crust and sprinkle your toppings onto the pizza. Do not overdo the toppings — less is more on a grilled pizza! Close the lid and cook for another minute or so — you be the judge. To remove the pizza from the grill, use your trusty pizza peel and enjoy!

Basic Pizza Dough

Makes 1 large pizza base

1 2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup tepid water

Put flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix.  Make a well in the center. Add the oil and water to the well and gradually work in the flour to make a soft dough (start with a spatula and then use your hands).

Add flour if the dough is too sticky — the goal is to have a pliable and smooth dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Sprinkle more flour on the dough and your hands as needed to prevent sticking. Rub some oil over the surface of the dough and return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave for about an hour — until the dough has doubled in size; this step can take up to two hours. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes to knock out the air. If you make your dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly and refrigerate. Be sure to bring your dough (homemade or store-bought) to room temperature before rolling out.