Pizza Bianco in Scottsdale, Arizona, is one of our favorite pizzerias in America. Chef owner Chris Bianco loves pizza-making so much that he kisses every pie before placing it in his wood-burning brick oven. Chris’s menu only offers six varieties—and none of his pizzas have more than four toppings. We fell in love with the simple peppery arugula-topped three-cheese pizza he calls Biancoverde Pizza. This is our homage to it.

Serves 2 to 4

1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough

1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup Roasted Garlic Paste (page 000)

2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2/3 cup grated asiago cheese

2/3 cup ricotta cheese 

1 cup fresh arugula (ideally baby arugula)

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1 to 2 teaspoons white truffle oil

Fleur de sel or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste   

Gas grill: Preheat all the burners on high with the lid down.

Charcoal grill: Build fire.

Sprinkle your work surface with the grits or polenta. Place the dough in the middle and gently roll or stretch it out into a 12-inch rectangle or circle about 1/4 inch thick. Brush both sides with the oil. Then:

Gas grill: Dial down all the burners to medium. Pick up the dough by the two corners closest to you. In one motion, lay it down flat—directly over the heat source—on the cooking grate from back to front. Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes (no peeking!), then check the crust and, if necessary, continue grilling until the bottom is well marked and evenly browned.

Charcoal grill: Move all of the gray-ashed briquettes to one side. Pick up the dough by the two corners closest to you. In one motion, lay it down flat—directly over the side without the briquettes—on the grate from back to front. Close the lid and grill for 4 minutes (no peeking!), then check the crust, rotate it if necessary, and continue grilling until the bottom is well marked and evenly browned.      

Use tongs to transfer the crust from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet and close the lid. Flip to reveal the grilled side. Spread the entire surface with the garlic paste, then top with the mozzarella and asiago, and spoon over dollops of the ricotta. Then:

Gas grill: Switch to indirect heat by turning off the center burner(s).

Charcoal grill: No change.

Set the pizza back on the grate over the unlit section and grill, with the lid down, until the bottom is well browned and the cheese melted and bubbly, 7 to 10 minutes.  

Remove from the grill, drizzle with the truffle oil, top immediately with the arugula (so that the heat of the pizza wilts it) and prosciutto, and season with salt and pepper. Slice and serve.

ALL RECIPES ©ELIZABETH KARMEL AND BOB BLUMER 2020