Dad’s & Grad’s Ultimate Grilled Pizza Party w/ Recipes from Marcia Selden

Time to celebrate your special Dad (June 15th ~ Father’s Day) or your fabulous Grad!  There’s no better time to fire up the grill and throw a party.   We've got a great salad to start… our grilled romaine with a blue cheese and bacon vinaigrette.

Another one of our favorites things to make, at Marcia Selden Catering, are grilled pizzas.  The varieties are endless. It’s a little different and who doesn’t love pizza! This is a rare treat.

As for the pizza, if you don’t want to make your own dough, most stores sell great pre-made dough to make it real simple. Buy (from a good salad bar) or make lots of the toppings.

The best way to set yourself up for success is to arrange all of the toppings in bowls on a table by the grill. Guests can simply choose their toppings and grill up the pizzas on the spot.

Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese Bacon Vinaigrette and Avocado

4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

¾ C. chopped red onion

½ lb. bacon, chopped

½ C. balsamic vinegar

3 heads romaine lettuce, cut in ½ lengthwise

½ C. crumbled blue cheese

2 avocados, diced

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill to high heat. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the onions and bacon and cook until the bacon is crispy. To the same pan add the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.

Brush the romaine lettuce with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, place on the grill cut side down, and quickly sear.

Serve the lettuce, cut side up, and drizzle the balsamic dressing over the lettuce. Sprinkle with blue cheese, bacon, diced avocado and cracked black pepper.

Grilled Pizza

Topping Suggestions:

1 lb. shredded mozzarella

½ lb. shaved Parmesan

½ lb. grated Fontina

½ lb. crumbled goat cheese

½ lb. crumbled feta cheese

½ lb. ricotta cheese

1 red onion, thinly sliced 

1 C. grilled thinly sliced eggplant

1 C. grilled thinly sliced zucchini

1 C. thinly sliced roasted fennel

2 C. red or Italian peppers, sautéed

2 C. sautéed onion

2 C. sautéed mushrooms

2 C. sautéed spinach

1 bunch arugula, cleaned and dried

6 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick  

½ lb. prosciutto, thinly sliced and   julienned 

1 lb. cooked crumbled Italian sausage

8 oz. sliced pepperoni

2 C. cooked meatballs, cut up

1 C. kalamata olives

1 bunch basil leaves, cleaned and dried 

Fresh chopped Italian Parsley

3 C. fresh tomato sauce

crushed red pepper flakes

garlic oil

Fresh clams, out of the shell

For prep:

½ C. olive oil

Cornmeal for dusting

Bring the dough to room temperature. Roll and stretch each ball into a rough 8-inch circle and place them all on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. (You will be able to fit 2 pizzas on each 18 by 13-inch baking sheet.) 

Heat your grill to medium high heat, if it’s too hot, the dough will burn on the outside and be raw on the inside.

Place the pizzas directly onto the grill and cook on 1 side for 1-2 minutes until grill marks begin to show. Turn the pizzas over and brush with olive oil.

Top the pizzas with any toppings you wish, being careful not to pile them too high. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the lid on your grill and cook for 5 minutes more, until the crust is crisp and the toppings are cooked. 

Now, if you want to make the dough, here’s our recipe. It’s a bit of a fuss but well worth the effort!

For the dough:

1¼ C. warm (100 to 110 degrees F) water

2 packages dry yeast

1 Tbs. honey

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 C. all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

2 tsp. kosher salt

Combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 cups flour, then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add 1 more cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and form each one into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

If you've chilled the dough, take it out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes ahead to let it come to room temperature.