GRILLED PIZZA“AL FORNO”
Ingredients • 1lb (454g) Pre-Made Pizza Dough • All-Purpose Flour, For Dusting • High-Heat Cooking Oil, For Greasing • 1 Cup (113g) Freshly Grated Fontina Cheese • 2/3 Cup (67g) Freshly Grated Romano Cheese • 1/2 Cup (50g) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
My first restaurant job was in Providence, Rhode Island. The restaurant, Al Forno, is known as the “birthplace of grilled pizza.” It’s the best pizza I’ve ever had. This is a spinoff I created with my friend Andris, who eats, sleeps, and breathes pizza.
• 1 (14.5oz [425g]) Can Of Whole San Marzano Tomatoes • Kosher Salt, To Taste • 3/4 Cup (20g) Fresh Basil, Chopped • 3/4 Cup (20g) Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, Chopped • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, To Finish
YIELD 3x 10-inch (25cm) pizzas PREP TIME 15 minutes COOK TIME 25 minutes
• 6 Scallions, Thinly Sliced
Excerpted from Knife Drop reprinted by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2023 by Nick DiGiovanni.
Photo credit: © Max Milla
Directions Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, each about 5 1/3 ounces (150g), and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature until needed. Oil the grill grates and preheat the grill to 400°F (200°C). In a medium bowl, lightly mix the Fontina, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses until evenly combined. Set aside. Add the tomatoes (with juices) to a large bowl. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes into a slightly chunky purée. Adda pinch of salt. Set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out 1 ball of dough as thinly as possible, using flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface. You want an extremely thin crust, as it will puff up a lot when it cooks. When the grill is hot and oiled, use your fingertips to gently lift the dough and drape it onto the grill. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until grill marks appear. Using tongs, flip the dough. Working quickly, brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture. Use a spoon to add several large dollops of tomatoes across the dough. Sprinkle some of the basil and parsley over the top of the dough. Close the grill lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheeses have melted. Remove the pizza from the grill. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and sprinkle a healthy dose of raw scallions over the pizza before serving. Repeat steps 6 to 8 with the remaining dough and toppings.
Page 29 | Food & Beverage Magazine v June Issue 2023
