Thin crust pizza with italian sausage
Dough
1 ½ cups warm water
1 envelope active yeast (21/4 tsp)
1 tsp granulated sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
3 tbs evoo
1 tbs kosher salt
Toppings
6 fresh italian sausages
3 cups tomato sauce
3 cups mozarella cheese
3 tbs finely chopped parsley
To prepare the dough: In a very large bowl combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Stir for a few seconds to dissolve the sugar and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of flour, 3 tablespoons of oil, and the salt. Mix and knead with your hands until all the flour comes off the sides of the bowl and the dough holds together into a coarsely textured ball. Allow the ball to sit in the bowl at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. To test if the dough has been kneaded enough, tear off a small piece. Pull and tug the dough from all sides. If the center tears easily, the dough needs more kneading. If you can stretch a paper-thin, translucent membrane of dough in the center, it has been kneaded enough. Shape all of the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the ball to cover the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, 1-1/2 to 2 hour With the lid closed, grill the sausages over Direct Medium-High heat (450 to 500°F) until fully cooked and no longer pink in the centers, 8 to 10 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times. Remove the sausages from the grill and finely chop them.
Punch down the dough in the bowl. Transfer to a work surface and cut into 6 equal pieces. Lightly brush 6 sheets of parchment paper on one side. Using your fingers, flatten each piece of dough on a sheet of parchment paper to create 6 round crusts. Each crust should be about 1/2-inch thick and 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Lightly brush the tops with oil. Allow the crusts to sit at room temperate for 5 to 10 minutes.
Working with 1 or 2 crusts at a time, pick up the parchment paper holding the crusts and turn them over so the crusts land on the cooking grate. Grill over Direct Medium-High heat until the crusts are well marked and firm on the underside, 2 to 5 minutes, rotating the crusts occasionally for even cooking. Peel off and discard the parchment paper. Transfer the crusts to a work surface, with the grilled sides facing up.
Working with 1 or 2 crusts at a time, spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce across the grilled side of each crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Arrange some sausages over the sauce. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Transfer the pizzas to the cooking grate. Grill over Direct Medium-High heat until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crusts are crisp, 2 to 5 minutes, rotating the pizzas occasionally for even cooking. Transfer to a cutting board. Garnish with parsley. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.
Makes 6 eight-inch pizzas
Dough
1 ½ cups warm water
1 envelope active yeast (21/4 tsp)
1 tsp granulated sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
3 tbs evoo
1 tbs kosher salt
Toppings
6 fresh italian sausages
3 cups tomato sauce
3 cups mozarella cheese
3 tbs finely chopped parsley
To prepare the dough: In a very large bowl combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Stir for a few seconds to dissolve the sugar and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of flour, 3 tablespoons of oil, and the salt. Mix and knead with your hands until all the flour comes off the sides of the bowl and the dough holds together into a coarsely textured ball. Allow the ball to sit in the bowl at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. To test if the dough has been kneaded enough, tear off a small piece. Pull and tug the dough from all sides. If the center tears easily, the dough needs more kneading. If you can stretch a paper-thin, translucent membrane of dough in the center, it has been kneaded enough. Shape all of the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the ball to cover the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, 1-1/2 to 2 hour With the lid closed, grill the sausages over Direct Medium-High heat (450 to 500°F) until fully cooked and no longer pink in the centers, 8 to 10 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times. Remove the sausages from the grill and finely chop them.
Punch down the dough in the bowl. Transfer to a work surface and cut into 6 equal pieces. Lightly brush 6 sheets of parchment paper on one side. Using your fingers, flatten each piece of dough on a sheet of parchment paper to create 6 round crusts. Each crust should be about 1/2-inch thick and 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Lightly brush the tops with oil. Allow the crusts to sit at room temperate for 5 to 10 minutes.
Working with 1 or 2 crusts at a time, pick up the parchment paper holding the crusts and turn them over so the crusts land on the cooking grate. Grill over Direct Medium-High heat until the crusts are well marked and firm on the underside, 2 to 5 minutes, rotating the crusts occasionally for even cooking. Peel off and discard the parchment paper. Transfer the crusts to a work surface, with the grilled sides facing up.
Working with 1 or 2 crusts at a time, spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce across the grilled side of each crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Arrange some sausages over the sauce. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Transfer the pizzas to the cooking grate. Grill over Direct Medium-High heat until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crusts are crisp, 2 to 5 minutes, rotating the pizzas occasionally for even cooking. Transfer to a cutting board. Garnish with parsley. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.
Makes 6 eight-inch pizzas
