American Pie

Pepperoni is the classic American pizza pie.  It is an ingredient unlike any other pizza topping that is reserved almost solely for the purpose of making a pepperoni pizza.  Thankfully, it is also very easy to purchase good-quality, pre-cut  pepperoni in the grocery store.  If you are a mushroom lover, feel free to add mushrooms before you artfully arrange the pepperoni slices on top of the pizza.

Ingredients

¼ cup cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for rolling dough

1 4 inch ball of prepared Dough, at room temperature

Olive oil, about 2 tablespoons

½ cup fresh tomato sauce or crushed-style canned tomatoes

¼ pound pepperoni, sliced thin

8 white mushrooms, sliced, sautéed if desired

½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated

¼ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Methods/steps

Grilling Method:

Lightly sprinkle work surface with cornmeal or flour. Place dough directly in the middle of the work surface. Roll out gently into either a 12"" rectangle or circle, ¼"" thick. Brush both sides with olive oil and set aside until ready to grill.

Place dough in center of the cooking grate, directly over the heat for 2-4 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is well marked and browned. Remove from grill and sprinkle the tomatoes, then pepperoni and mushrooms, on the cooked side of the crust. Top with mozzarella and dried oregano. If using a gas grill, switch to indirect heat. Return pizza to the center of the cooking grate and grill until bottom is well browned, toppings are warm and cheese is bubbly, about 5-10 minutes

Remove from grill and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice and serve immediately.

ALL RECIPES ©ELIZABETH KARMEL 2019

PizzaElizabeth Karmel