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Grilled pizza was introduced in the United States at the Al Forno restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island by owners Johanne Killeen and George Germon in 1980. Although it was inspired by a misunderstanding that confused a wood-fired brick oven with a grill, grilled pizza did exist prior to 1980, both in Italy, and in Argentina where it is known as pizza a la parrilla. It has become a popular cookout dish, and there are even some pizza restaurants that specialize in the style.
Grilled pizza is created by taking a fairly thin round (more typically, an irregularly-shaped sheet) of a yeasted pizza dough, placing it directly over the fire of a grill, and then turning it over once the bottom has baked and placing a thin layer of toppings on the baked side. Because dough can easily fall through the grates of a grill, many people prefer to use pre-made pizza crusts. Using a pre-made crust not only ensures less mess, it also results in a more even and symmetrical finished pizza. Toppings are generally as thin as possible to ensure that they heat through, and chunkier toppings such as sausage or peppers must be precooked before placing on the pizza; it is not uncommon to add garlic, herbs, or other ingredients to the crust to maximize the flavor of the dish.
The traditional Al Forno style uses a strained tomato sauce, thin slices of fresh mozzarella, and a garnish made from shaved scallions, and is served uncut. The final product can be likened to naan bread with pizza toppings.
External links
- [1] Pit Pizza Recipes & Sauces for grilled pizza from Cinco Ranch BBQ Pizza Sauce, Katy, Texas contact cr.pitpizza.com for more information
- Al Forno recipe at Foodnetwork.com
- step-by-step example at Psu.edu
- Grilled pizza with pictures
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe at Boboli.com
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